About this project
Painted in the Desert, artist MK Barr’s first Travel Essay about
the beautiful and magical worlds of visionary individuals features the
astonishing story of friend and fellow artist Mellissae Lucia. The film offers
a light-hearted but respectful glimpse into a creative life that most people
never see. Painted in the Desert offers armchair explorers access to a unique
perspective, and this adventure doesn’t even require that you unpack your bags
or put on sunscreen.
Photo of Mellissae at Ghost Ranch, Abiquiu, NM by Peter P. Hey
We need your help to get from Seattle, WA to the Southwest desert this August.
Central to the story is Mellissae’s metamorphosis after her move to Santa Fe, New Mexico. Her artists’ studio became the same canyons and caves, arroyos and mesas that inspired the brilliant painter Georgia O’Keefe. To tell Mellissae’s story it is essential to capture the majesty of that startling landscape. We need your help in acquiring the proper equipment to do New Mexico’s grandeur justice. This project is being created on a shoe-string, with the overall budget at about 1/5th of the usual cost of a comparative project. We are raising $5000 or more for cameras, editing software, memory, sound equipment and travel expenses for our shoot in New Mexico in August 2011. Financing beyond the $5000 will allow us to cover marketing costs, application fees and travel expenses to film festivals and other unforeseen needs. Your generous donations will allow this project to be as vast and Technicolor as the desert lands that enchanted Mellissae.
See some of Mellissae's early inspirations from her professional artist father and two of his long-time glass artist friends in the video below. (76 seconds)
(video features Dick Weiss, Walt Lieberman & Cappy Thompson with more interviews to come of Katherine Metcalf Nelson, Paul Marioni and more.)Images from CappyThompson.com, Walt Lieberman's website and TraverGallery.com .
For all your amazing support we want to give YOU fabulous premiums listed at the right. And keep in mind that none of the Painted Body images have been altered or retouched in any way.
(Examples of the limited edition trading cards, signed by Mellissae Lucia that you may receive when you become a movie supporter)
Join us in this Painted in the Desert Travel Essay as we step into a world rarely glimpsed, and become part of Mellissae Lucia’s joyful emergence, overcoming her grief and finding her true happiness through her art and the land. Allow this beautiful story to inspire and uplift your own view of what is possible alone in the desert.
www.PaintedintheDesert.Wordpress.com
Mellissae Lucia {Melissa Weiss Steele} Bio
Mellissae Lucia was raised in a family of professional artists, allowing her to explore her creative voice from a very early age. Mellissae’s work continues the tradition of women artists who have used their own bodies as the primary vessels for their artistic expression. Ana Mendieta, Cindy Sherman, Joyce Tenneson, Anne Brigman, Julie Rrap, Hannah Wilke and Francesca Woodman are all fellow artists who used photographic self-portraiture to examine identity, relationship and transformation through the camera lens.
Mellissae’s artwork has been featured in both group and individual shows, her collages have been published in the influential magazine Art & Life by Teesha Moore, as well as Holly Harrison’s book, Mixed Media Collage-An Exploration of Contemporary Artists, Methods and Materials. In 2008 she published her first photographic self-portraiture book named Earthen Body.
In 2010 she published the premier limited edition Oracle of Initiation divination deck and her Painted Body imagery was featured on the cover of the eighth anniversary issue of Tarosophist International magazine with three different cover designs. She has also been a guest on the radio shows of Hillary Raimo, Donnaleigh de LaRose, and Trevahr Hughes. Currently she is completing the companion book to the Oracle of Initiation divination deck and offering creative consultation to MK Barr’s full-length documentary on her life and art called Painted in the Desert-A Travel Essay. She lives in Santa Fe, NM and San Diego, CA. www.OracleofInitiation.com
MK Barr & Mellissae Lucia
Lovely collectors outside of the USA, at the $100 level we will send you TWO 5x7" Painted Body archival pigment print images AND one very special 4.5 x 6" Earthen Body archival print as well! We will choose the very best grouping for you. The Earthen Body work is the process that prepared Mellissae for the Painted Body series in New Mexico.
At the $250 level you will receive THREE 5x7" Painted Body images and ONE Earthen Body print, all of our choice. They look really great in groups!
Please add $15 shipping to your order to cover sending these fabulous gifts at the $100 & $250 levels.
At the $500 level you will recieve the deck, book and TWO 5 x 7" Painted Body images. Please add $20 shipping to your order to cover sending these fabulous gifts at the $500 level.
AND of course you get all 8 limtied edition trading cards with all these levels as well! SO supa' coool!
FAQ
Have a question? If the info above doesn't help, you can ask the project creator directly.
43
Backers
$1,424
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Funding Unsuccessful
This project reached the deadline without achieving its funding goal on August 21, 2011.
Pledge $5 or more Pledge $5 or more
Receive 1 Super FUN limited edition signed 4x6 trading card created especially for the Painted in the Desert project of never before seen images from Mellissae's Painted Body series.
Pledge $10 or more Pledge $10 or more
Receive 3 different trading cards!! This is the arty version of your Charlie's Angels and Baseball card collections! SO fun.
Pledge $25 or more Pledge $25 or more
Receive all 8 different trading cards in the special limited edition gift set created especially for the Painted in the Desert project. The images are drawn from the never before seen archives of 40,000 photographs in the Painted Body series.
Pledge $50 or more Pledge $50 or more
Be the first to get a signed 'Oracle of Initiation-Rainbows in the Dark' book when it is released this fall. The book shares the fascinating journey Mellissae underwent during her metamorphosis in the desert, and has all 66 images in the deck with descriptions for the divination deck's cards and structure. You will also receive the 8 supa' cool trading cards! Collectors outside of the USA please add $15.00 shipping
Pledge $100 or more Pledge $100 or more
Receive a delicious 8x10 fine-art print of one of the the lush and evocative Painted Body images to inspire your own magical space. These fine-art prints looks like watercolors-they are so rich and delicious. You will also receive all 8 limited edition trading cards-signed by Mellissae! We will choose the image for you-a mysterious surprise! Collectors outside of the USA, please see your premiums at the bottom of the main text, thank YOU!
Pledge $250 or more Pledge $250 or more
Receive TWO 8x10 prints from the Painted Body series to inspire your own magical space. We will choose the perfect pair for YOU! Collectors outside of the USA, please see your premiums at the bottom of the main text, thank YOU!
Pledge $500 or more Pledge $500 or more
This is a real treat! The first limited edition Oracle of Initiation deck is almost sold out, and you can get your copy now! You will also receive the book, an 8x10" print and the 8 trading cards. Collectors outside of the USA, please see your premiums at the bottom of the main text, thank YOU!
Pledge $1,000 or more Pledge $1,000 or more
Receive one of the few remaining Oracle of Initiation limited edition decks, the accompanying book, AND one 11"x 14" archival pigment print of your choice of 10 possible images from the edition of 25 from the Painted Body series. These are very limited edition prints in this size now, a "Good Thing" as Martha would say. Collectors outside of the USA, shipping will need to be determined.
Pledge $5,000 or more Pledge $5,000 or more
Receive one of the few remaining Oracle of Initiation limited edition decks, the accompanying book out this fall, AND two 15"x 20" archival pigment prints of your choice of 10 possible images from the edition of 25 from the Painted Body series. This large sized print is a real sweet spot and YOU are a rock star to support the project at this level!
Project By
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MK Barr is a multi-disciplinary artist. She has worked in the interior architecture field, published multiple books including her illustrated tale Coral, Koko & Ponch: An Inner Adventure, and created the Seattle Local Artists Cards highlighting the work of fellow northwest creators. Her film projects have ranged from animated shorts to music videos and object-animation creations. Her collaborative work with other artists across genres is an inspiring adventure in reclaiming the playful wonder of life.
