The impressionistic oil paintings of Mel Middleton transport us seaward
You can almost smell the salt air in each cerulean blue brushstroke. That heady combination of brine and beauty captured my imagination the moment I discovered the art of Mel Middleton, whose work invites you to step into the canvas—and out onto the calm coastal waters and pluff mud of sun-warmed, bone-deep memory.
“More than just a pretty scene, I’m really drawn to the memory of a place, to that little snapshot of time,” reflects Middleton, an architect by trade who has fully embraced her second career as an oil painter. Middleton grew up playing on dunes in Beaufort, South Carolina, and took art classes on and off while raising her children. “I think I paint the coast because I miss it and I long for it; I can close my eyes and hear the sound of the boats and the birds, I can smell the marsh. I guess you could say I’m trying to relive those moments through my paintings.”
The collectors who are drawn to her art like a fish to a lure often find a priceless gift in each painting: A cherished beach or vacation memory of their own, rekindled simply by soaking up the impressionistic, pastel-hued landscapes. “I want to be surrounded by things that bring me joyful nostalgia,” says Middleton, who also specializes in what she calls “milk bottle flower portraits.” These simple yet sophisticated florals celebrate the singular beauty found in one bloom, like a hydrangea, “which always reminds me of my grandmother, who loved them. The smell still brings tears to my eyes.”
For an artist inspired by the past, Middleton takes a surprisingly innovative approach to bringing joy into her collectors’ homes. In addition to prints, original paintings, and elegant gifts such as 100 percent cotton paper greeting cards, she offers high-resolution smart TV files of her work, along with instructions on how collectors can transform their television into a soul-warming vista—”so much better to look at than a black box,” says Middleton.
With cooler weather ahead and less sand between my children’s toes, I have a feeling I’ll be opening each of Mel’s inspiring e-newsletters this fall looking for more than fresh artwork and studio news—searching, maybe, for a breath of salt air, seagrass, and lavender sunsets to tide me over until summer calls us coastal once again.
Transform your TV
On her website, Middleton offers simple, step-by-step instructions for adding digital art to your smart TV. Whether you have a Samsung Frame TV or another brand, her tutorial can help you transform your TV into an art display in a few simple steps.
Find out more at melmiddleton.com.
