About Melanie

Melanie Burns — Self‑Taught Artist

I grew up on my parents’ Alaska homestead in the 1960s, surrounded by ocean, storms, and endless sky. Much of my life was spent outdoors—commercial fishing from my own skiff, crewing on other boats, kayaking with humpback whales, and exploring the coastline. Those early years shaped how I see color, movement, and the natural rhythms that still guide my work.

My first studio was a small shed that once held our wooden cistern, perched right on the waterfront with sweeping views of the straits. It was there I learned to pay attention to the way nature shifts moment by moment.

Today, I also live in the Arizona desert, a landscape that surprises me every day. The long shadows, shifting light, and sun‑washed cliffs offer a completely different kind of wild beauty. The desert’s warmth and the ocean’s cool energy meet in my paintings, creating a visual language that reflects both places I call home.

Originally trained in stained glass and mosaic, I now work in fluid acrylics, letting color move like water. My smaller pieces sometimes layer acrylic and resin for depth and texture; my larger canvases, which I prefer, echo the ocean’s energy—blending, resisting, flowing. Each painting is a conversation between intention and instinct, guided by chemistry and a touch of chaos.

My process remains intuitive and fluid—a dialogue with the paint. I introduce colors, guide their movement, and let them interact in ways that feel natural and alive. Sometimes the results are calm, sometimes wild, always shaped by the landscapes that continue to inspire me.

My work is currently represented in galleries in Juneau, and Ketchikan, Alaska as well as Catalina, Arizona.