Artist Statement

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For me, painting is a search for equilibrium. I want to balance representation and abstraction, simplicity and complexity, geometric and organic forms, order and chaos. A painting should hold together from a distance, but reveal hidden worlds upon close inspection.

Ultimately, the painting becomes as much about the process of painting itself as about the initial visual spark. The physical nature of the paint and the surface of the painting are as important as the subject being depicted.

I leave a record of the development of a painting, as each piece evolves as I work. Much of my painting is done with a knife. Using a knife creates a distinctive texture. I move toward disorder, then back towards unity. Marks are painted over, either completely or imperfectly. Paint is added and scraped back. Evidence of the progression of the painting chronicles my exploration and search for balance over time.

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Artist Biography

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Melissa Husted-Sherman has a BA in psychology and an MC in counseling from the University of Delaware. After working in crisis counseling, she left the field intending to pursue a degree in landscape architecture. A landscape design course reignited her love of drawing and painting, leading to another change in direction - using painting to capture her experience of the landscape into color and line. Since then, she has had solo and group exhibitions throughout the region. Her work has moved away from pure representation of the landscape to a more abstract expression of ideas involving the impact of the passage of time and the impermanence of beauty.

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Education

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1984
University of Delaware, Newark, DE
MC in Counseling

1980
University of Delaware, Newark, DE
BA in Psychology

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Awards and Honors

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2023
11th Annual Juried Art Exhibition, Cerulean Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Second Prize

2022
Fall Members Juried Exhibition, Wayne Arts Center, Wayne, PA
Mid Penn Bank Award

2021
7th Annual National Juried Exhibition, Oxford Arts Alliance, Oxford PA
Honorable Mention

2019
Wayne Art Center Student Works, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA
Best in Show

2016
Spring Gala, Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA
Honorable Mention

2012
Fall Juried Members Exhibition, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA
Honorable Mention

2003
Annual Juried Exhibition, Delaware County Community College, Media, PA
Purchase Prize

2000
Leeway Foundation, Philadelphia, PA
Seedling Grant for Emerging Artists, Painting

Annual Members Show, Community Arts Center, Wallingford PA
Honorable Mention, Advanced Still Life

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Gallery Representation

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Gallery on Park, Swarthmore, PA

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Exhibitions

Solo‍

2023
Connections, Gallery on Park, Swarthmore, PA

2022
Still, Rehoboth Art League, Rehoboth Beach, DE

2020
Explorations in Light and Color, Gallery on Park, Swarthmore, PA

2018
Geometries, Courtyard by Marriott, Navy Yard, Philadelphia, PA

2015
Solo Series, Abington Art Center, Abington, PA

2006
New Work, posh home and design, Media, PA

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Two Person

2019
New Work: Melissa Husted-Sherman and Polly Dressler Bech, Swarthmore, PA

2009
Recent Work: Melissa Husted-Sherman and Polly Dressler Bech, Swarthmore Borough Hall Gallery, Swarthmore, PA

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Three Person

2001
Vernal Equinox, Cosmopolitan Club, Philadelphia, PA

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Two Person‍

2019
New Work: Melissa Husted-Sherman and Polly Dressler Bech, Swarthmore, PA

2009
Recent Work: Melissa Husted-Sherman and Polly Dressler Bech, Swarthmore Borough Hall Gallery, Swarthmore, PA

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Three Person‍

2001
Vernal Equinox, Cosmopolitan Club, Philadelphia, PA

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Group‍

2023
Winter Group Show, Exhibit B Gallery, Souderton, PA

9th Annual National Juried Art Exhibition, Oxford Arts Alliance

Regional Art Exhibition, Center for the Creative Arts, Yorklyn, DE

11th Annual Juried Exhibition, Cerulean Arts, Philadelphia, Pa

2022
Winter Show, Exhibit B Gallery, Souderton, PA

Fall Members Juried Exhibition, Wayne, PA

2021
7th Annual National Juried Exhibition, Oxford Arts Alliance, Oxford, PA

Home, Community Arts Center, Wallingford, PA

2020
Everyday Magic, Exhibit B Gallery, Souderton, PA

2020
Banished for the Good of the Realm, InLiquid, OnLine

Everyday Magic, Exhibit B Gallery, Souderton, PA

2019
Jon Redmond and his Students, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA

West Chester Autumn Gallery Walk, West Chester, PA

Wayne Art Center Student Works, Wayne PA

Professional Artists Members Exhibition, Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA

Members Show, Center for Emerging Visual Artists, Philadelphia, PA

2017
Members’ Show, Center for Emerging Visual Artists, Philadelphia, PA

2016
Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series 2016, Painted Bride Art Center, Philadelphia, PA

Art of the State, The State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA

Penn Charter Triennial Art Show, Philadelphia, PA

Spring Gala, Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA

Professional Artist Members Exhibition, Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA

2014
Navigation Puzzle, Delaware Center for Contemporary Art, Wilmington, DE

Jewels and Treasures, Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA

71st Annual Painting Show, Cheltenham Center for the Arts, Cheltenham, PA

2013
Professional Artist Members Exhibition, Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA

Annual Juried Show, Abington Art Center, Jenkintown, PA

2012
Annual Members Show, Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA

Annual Juried Show, Abington Art Center, Jenkintown, PA

Works on Paper, Perkins Center for the Arts, Moorestown, NJ

Fall Juried Members Exhibition, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA
Honorable Mention

Continuing Education Annual Juried Student Exhibition, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA

Spring, Community Art Center, Wallingford, PA

Annual Members Exhibition, Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA

2008
Annual Members Show, Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA

2007
National Spring Open, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA

Images 2007, Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, State College, PA

Still, Community Arts Center, Wallingford, PA

2006
66th Annual Juried Exhibition, Woodmere Art Museum, Philadelphia, PA

Landscape Revisited: Betsy Meyer Memorial Exhibition, Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA

2005
Annual Members Exhibition, Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA

Annual Open Juried Exhibition, Delaware County Community College, Wilmington, DE

2004
Works on Paper, Perkins Center for the Arts, Moorestown, NJ

Art of the State: Pennsylvania 2004, State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA

National Spring Open Juried Exhibition, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA

2003
66th Annual Member’s Exhibition, Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA

Fall Members Juried Exhibition, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA

22nd Annual Evening of Art, Hardcastle Gallery, Wilmington, DE

Annual Juried Exhibition, Delaware County Community College, Media, PA
Purchase Prize

12th Annual Art Exhibition and Sale, Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA

75th Annual Juried Exhibition, Art Association of Harrisburg, Harrisburg, PA

In Depth, Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA

2000
The Painter’s Eye: Exhibition by Emerging Artist Recipients, Nexus/Foundation for Today's Art, Philadelphia, PA

72nd Annual Juried Exhibition, Art Association of Harrisburg, Harrisburg, PA

Annual Members Show, Community Art Center, Wallingford, PA