Firefly
by Melinda Rondano
Fine Art
Melinda Jean Firefly Rondano
My inspiration comes from the beauty I see in every day life. It is the imperfection in the world that leads to the most interesting and lovely scenes. I am fascinated by how people's personalities come across through their faces and unique characteristics. As an activist I want more than anything to use my art to make a difference and welcome ideas for art that promotes the discussion of social justice and environmental issues. I want to use my art to bring light to the darkness, welth to the poor and love to the abused.
Awards and mentions
Minnesota State Fair
Grand Prize
First Prize
2011
Both prizes were awarded in the Education Building to my oil panting study, "Take the Fair Face of a Woman" by Sophie Anderson.
Minnesota Scholastic Art Awards
​2012 - 2013
Silver Key - Child Prodigy 2012
Gold Key - Where Are You? 2013
Gold Key - And She Became The Air 2013
Gold Key - Girlfriend 2013
Silver Key - 2013 Portfolio
Open House Gallery Show
​2013
Six of my pieces were displayed in an open house gallery show in North Minneapolis in August of 2013. My Piece "And She Became The Air" was sold at this event.
Minnesota State Fair Fine Art Showing
Where Are You? was chosen to be shown in the Minnesota State Fair Fine Art building in 2013
The Art Academy
​2006 - 2011
The Art Academy ​provides excellent traditional art education for beginning to advanced children, teens and adults. Here, through studying other professional artists, I learned patience, persistence, and precision. This unique experience taught me how to draw exactly what I see and render it as realistically as possible.
Perpich Center For Arts Education
​2011 - 2013
​Perpich Center For Arts Education is an Junior and Senior arts high-school dedicated to strengthening the arts education community, and improving access to high quality arts experiences for students statewide. This is where I learned how to use new materials such as Photoshop, acrylics and charcoal, and accomplished a great deal of my artistic development. I credit a great portion of my success as an artist to the Perpich Center For Arts Education and its staff.
Education
Work experience
Commissions
​2012 - present
I have done a few commissions for family members and people in my local community.
Internship with local artist Bly Pope
​January 2013 - present
Bly Pope is an artist and teacher at the University of Minnesota. You can view his website at www.popebrothersart.com
Internship with local photographer Suzanne Schaff
Summer 2015
Suzanne Shaff mentored me in many new photo-retouching techniques in Photoshop.
Skills
PHOTO REALISM
DRAWING
PAINTING
PORTRAITURE
DIGITAL PAINTING
PHOTO-RETOUCHING
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Quotes
This world is but a canvas to our imagination.
~Henry David Thoreau

Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.
~Scott Adams

Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.
~Twyla Tharp

Every artist was first an amateur.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

All true artists, whether they know it or not, create from a place of no-mind, from inner stillness.
~Eckhart Tolle
2010 - present
2010 - present