It Takes a Village

Hello,

The studio has been full lately. Commissions, shows, studio visits, and the day-to-day rhythm of maintaining creative momentum while also tending to the logistics of running a business.

Being a self-employed artist means wearing many hats. But no matter how well any of us juggle, meaningful work doesn’t happen in isolation. The older I get, the more I see that nothing truly grows in a vacuum. It takes a village.

I find myself increasingly aware of just how many people and moments quietly support the work making its way out into the world.

This month, I’m especially grateful to Edgewater Gallery in Middlebury, Vermont for the two-person exhibition A Breath of Fresh Air, featuring my work alongside Alexis Serio. Although I’ve worked with the gallery for several years, this was my first time visiting in person to deliver paintings for the show.

It was well worth the trip.

The gallery sits in a beautifully unexpected setting, overlooking cascading waterfalls in the heart of town. The team was everything you hope for, warm, thoughtful, sharp, and genuinely engaged. There was an ease to the conversations, paired with a clear intention behind how each piece would find its right home. These kinds of relationships are what allow the work to truly connect beyond the studio walls.

I’ll include a link below if you’d like to explore the exhibition. The team there is incredibly knowledgeable and welcoming to any inquiries.

And then there’s my own “village,” which continues to show up in ways both big and small.

My dad has officially taken on the role of delivery driver, a position he approaches with great seriousness and, I must say, excellent branding. He joined me on the drive to Vermont to deliver the work, which turned the trip into something far more meaningful than logistics. My mom, as always, made sure we were well supplied with snacks for the road.

It’s not lost on me how special it is to have a career that creates space for these kinds of moments.

I often think about what’s worth sharing in these notes, and I keep coming back to this: most things that matter, in any field or any life, are built through the support of others. When you find your people, your rhythm, your shared effort, something shifts. Things begin to move forward together.

Thank you for being part of that for me.

With gratitude,
Mel Rea