Mel Rea

“I paint to create a momentary window of stillness: evoking calm, humor, and beauty. With color and shape, I aspire to create conversations of dream-like landscapes. I want to tickle the light of your imagination; to create a story between myself and viewer. “

-Mel Rea



Mel Rea completed her BFA in Ceramics from Kent State University. She created large figurative pieces with labored details: tiny finger nails, eyelashes, and earlobes. Her figures often relied on imaginary characters, while others referenced historical figures. She held a particular affection for Egyptian and Japanese cultural dressing traditions. Her love as a clay artist lasted for nearly 17 years.

As time passed, Mel longed to set clay aside to paint. She discovered a small batch of beeswax in a dust covered bucket in her grandmother’s basement. It was the remains from the last of her grandfather’s beehives. 

Mel’s grandfather spent his childhood in Russia where he was inspired to build an apiary farm. His dream came true as an adult in the States where he farmed his own beehives. Mel’s name (full name, Melissa) means “honeybee” in Greek translation. As a young girl, she felt a sense of peace walking amongst her grandfather’s hives. She developed a very deep...

Kent State University, B.F.A. “Cum Laude"
Pasadena City College, 2001 (Continuing Education Classes)
San Fernando City College, 2002 (Continuing Education Classes)

2023 Solo Show, Edgewater Gallery, Middlebury, VT
2023 The Morgan, Art of Papermaking, Cleveland, OH
2020 Nature and Nuture, Huff Harrington Gallery, Atlanta, GA
2017 Excavations in the Clouds and Fog, Muse Gallery, Hilton Head, SC
2016 Ethereal, Walker Fine Art, Denver, CO
2016 Lit From Within, Muse Gallery, Hilton Head, SC
2016 Solo Show, Chamblin Jones Gallery, Lexington, KY
2016 From the Ground Up, Morgan Conservatory, Cleveland, OH
2016 Women Exhibition, Tri C West, Parma, OH
2015 Featured Artist at rePOPulated, Arvada Center, Arvada, CO
2015 Group Show, The Metropolitan 9, Cleveland, OH
2015 Group Show, Walker Fine Art, Denver, CO
2014 Works on Paper, Muse Gallery, Columbus, OH
2014 Resinate, Huff Harrington Gallery, Atlanta, GA
2014 3x3, Leipers Creek Gallery, Nashville, TN
2013 Love, Muse Gallery, Columbus, OH
2013 Two man show with Gary Bodner, Shain Gallery, Charlotte, NC
2012 The Birds and the Bees, Muse Gallery, Columbus, OH
2011 Solo Show, Shain Gallery, Charlotte, NC
2011 Ohio Artists...