About Me
Honestly, I never wanted to be an artist. Still, I always stood at gallery windows, admiring the imagination of local creatives in Long Island. In vineyard country USA, the off season left little room for entertainment, and that is where I found my inspiration.
For in the underbelly of my experiences grew strength. So I studied. Befriending the library’s colorful stories and resources just around the corner.
“Art is freeing.” Is what I would tell my younger self. Whether creating or writing, there was nothing like finding my voice in a moment of expression. And now the cornerstone to my life resides in those simple acts of freedom.
Sometimes it’s that simple. I love art. I make it and write it and teach it occasionally. And learning is my specialty. A self-taught artist, I take all my experiences as lessons to share with fellow creatives. I also create project-based tutorials to help you understand more about digitally painting hair, faces, and more.
My Life
Melody Nieves – Artist & Storyteller
From the shores of Long Island, to the coded world of the internet, artist and storyteller, Melody Nieves, views life from the eyes of a curious wanderer.
An introverted child with a hidden universe within, a young Melody used creativity as a means for solace, inspiration and motivation. She hails from a multicultural background as a biracial, black and Puerto Rican American from the East End of Long Island, NY. Her unique experience interweaves the story of a low income household with deep historical roots as a Long Island native.
Her work reflects this with scenes of biographical concepts–some nautical, spanning several mediums from digital painting to photo manipulation and even design. Her busy mind quiets itself in the labor of love art brings, painting moments of reprieve to anguish and survival. She channels her own life in these moments. Not only as a historical bookmark, but also an experimental ledger of what was and what could be.
As a preteen, she began a series of self portraits inspired by the late Mexican artist, Frida Kahlo. Energized by Kahlo’s radical self acceptance, Melody illustrated her own truth–no matter how grave, to escape the burdens of poverty and depression.
Her lifelong fascination with learning and research has guided Melody to share an inner wealth of information with hundreds of articles and tutorials online, including video courses outlining her specific process. She hopes to continue this pursuit, believing deeply in the power of creativity to heal, connect and transform.
Melody Nieves’ work holds both her inner truth and a safe space for yours.
My Work
“I was born in the wild—the boonies of Long Island, NY. A seaport town on a fish-shaped island made me. And I am the sailboat in all my paintings.”
Much of my work is purely autobiographical. I paint symbolic scenes of a life and childhood growing up in a seaport town on Long Island. Though you’ll often see self portraits and nautical themes in my art, I also work to push my own limitations by trying new styles, software, and mediums.
Here are just a few of the things that I’m passionate about:
- Digital Painting & Illustration
- Photo Manipulation & Photo Effects
- Graphic Design & Art History