Artist Statement

I am inspired by using a variety of media to express statements about the rhythms and cycles
of living. The creative nature of the universe excites me and I filter this through my lens of
the female experience. I returned to fine art in 1996, when my youngest child was entering
first grade. Prior to that I had the powerful experience of helping to found and run a birth
center in San Rafael. The female power, cycles, and circles of that experience still emerge
from my artwork.

I see the vessel shape as a metaphor for the temple of the soul, or in a larger context, the
bowl of the universe. I enjoy creating artwork that is a validation of female creativity, for
me and for the viewer.

Recent Shows and Awards

2008
Marin County Fine Arts and Crafts Exhibit, First Place, Ceramics; Second Place, Various Media, San Rafael, CA Artworks Downtown, “Thinking Green,” San Rafael, CA
Marin Arts Council Open Studios, San Rafael, CA
Artworks Downtown, “Artrageous,” San Rafael, CA
Pence Gallery “Exploring the Surface,” Davis, CA
Marin Society of Artists “Open Craft and Sculpture Exhibit” Ross, CA
Falkirk Cultural Center “Bay Area Artists,” San Rafael, CA
National League of American Pen Women “National Biennial Exhibition,” Arlington, VA
Marin Society of Artists “Featured Artist, Craft and Sculpture Gallery”, Ross

2007
Lucas Valley Group Holiday Open Studios, San Rafael, CA
Marin Arts Council “Members Exhibit,” San Rafael, CA
Art Objects Gallery “Holiday Clay and Glass Exhibition,” San Jose, CA
City of Santa Clara “All Fired Up Sculpture Exhibition,” Merit Award, Santa Clara, CA
South Cobb Arts Alliance “20th National Juried Art Exhibition,” Merit Award, Mableton, GA
Holter Museum of Art “ANA 35 Exhibition,” Helena, MT
VAST Arts Center “39th National Juried Show,” Denton, TX
Yosemite Museum Gallery, “Yosemite Renaissance XXII,” 2nd Place, Yosemite Valley, CA
Baker Arts Center “National Juried Show,” 3rd Place Three Dimensional Art, Liberal, KS,
Marin County Fair Fine Arts and Crafts Exhibit, Merit Award, San Rafael, CA
Marin Arts Council Open Studios, San Rafael, CA
Marin Society of Artists, “Open Crafts and Sculpture Exhibition,” Ross, CA
Marin Society of Artists, “Members Exhibit” Ross, CA

2006
Slater Mill Gallery, “Waves of Tradition,” Pawtucket, RI
KPFA Craft and Music Festival, Invited Artist, San Francisco, CA
Marin County Fair “Fine Arts and Crafts Exhibit,” Marin Arts Council Award, San Rafael, CA
Pence Gallery “Get Fired - Red Hot Ceramics,” Invited Gallery Speaker, Davis, CA
Yosemite Museum Gallery, “Yosemite Renaissance XXI,” Award of Excellence, Yosemite Valley, CA
Alta Bates Community Gallery “Full Circle: Mandala,” A Three Person Show, Berkeley, CA
Bedford Gallery “By the Hand, a National Juried Exhibit of Fine Crafts,” Walnut Creek, CA
2nd City Council “Of the Earth: Glass, Wood, Fiber, Metal and Stone, ” Long Beach, CA
Sonoma Salute to the Arts, First Place Three Dimensional Art, Sonoma, CA
Lucas Valley Group Holiday Open Studios, San Rafael, CA
Marin Arts Council Open Studios, San Rafael, CA
Marin Society of Artists “A Moment in Time” Ross, CA
Artworks Downtown “One Square Foot” San Rafael, CA
Marin Society of Artists Ross, Member’s Exhibit,” Ross, CA
Gallery Route One “Box Show Fantastico,” Pt. Reyes Station, CA
Art League of Northern California “Beyond the Surface,” Novato, CA
National League of American Pen Women “National Biennial Art Exhibition,” Arlington, VA
Art League of Northern California “Artfully Reclaimed,” Novato, CA

2005
Napa Valley Mustard Festival, First Place, Second Place, St. Helena, CA
Falkirk Cultural Center “Sixty Years of Form, Fire and Function,” San Rafael, CA
San Luis Obispo Art Museum “Dimensions 2005,” San Luis Obispo, CA
California State Fine Art Exhibit, Juror’s Award, Sacramento, CA
Pt. Reyes Art Festival, Pt. Reyes Station, CA
Marin Society of Artists “Open Fine Arts,” Best of Show, Ross, CA
Sebastopol Center for The Arts, “Elements,” Sebastopol, CA
Falkirk Cultural Center “Annual Juried Exhibit of Marin Artists,” San Rafael, CA
Marin Arts Council Open Studios, San Rafael, CA
Marin County Fair Fine Arts and Crafts Exhibit, Merit Award, San Rafael, CA
Lucas Valley Group Holiday Open Studios, San Rafael, CA

2004
California State Fine Art Exhibit, Merit Award, Sacramento, CA
Napa Valley Mustard Festival, St. Helena, CA
Marin Arts Council Open Studios, San Rafael, CA
Lucas Valley Group Holiday Open Studios, San Rafael, CA
Marin County Fair Fine Arts and Crafts Exhibit, Second Place, San Rafael, CA
Pt. Reyes Art Festival, Pt. Reyes Station, CA
National League of American Pen Women “National Biennial Art Exhibition,” Arlington, VA
Marin Society of Artists, “Open Crafts and Sculpture Exhibition,” Ross, CA
Marin Society of Artists, “Open Crafts and Sculpture Exhibition,” Ross, CA

2003
California State Fine Art Exhibit, Merit Award, Sacramento, CA
Marin Arts Council Open Studios, San Rafael, CA
Celebration of Craftswomen, Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA
Marin Society of Artists “Open Fine Arts,” Ross, CA
Indian Valley Artists, Novato, “Open Show – Of the Earth,” 2003
Falkirk Cultural Center “Annual Juried Exhibit of Marin Artists,” San Rafael, CA
Marin Society of Artists, “Open Crafts and Sculpture Exhibition,” Ross, CA
Marin County Fair Fine Arts and Crafts Exhibit, Merit Award, San Rafael, CA
National League of American Pen Women Northern California State Exhibition, Honorable Mention, Napa, CA

2002
Marin Art Festival at the Lagoon, San Rafael, CA
Marin Arts Council Open Studios, San Rafael, CA
Marin Society of Artists “Open Fine Arts,” Friends of MSA Award, Ross, CA
Pt. Reyes Art Festival, Pt. Reyes Station, CA
Marin Society of Artists, “Open Crafts and Sculpture Exhibition,” Ross, CA
Celebration of Craftswomen, Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA
National League of American Pen Women “National Biennial Art Exhibition,” Arlington, VA
Marin County Fair Fine Arts and Crafts Exhibit, Honorable Mention, San Rafael, CA

2001
Marin Arts Council Open Studios, San Rafael, CA
Marin Art Festival at the Lagoon, San Rafael, CA
Marin Society of Artists, “Open Crafts and Sculpture Exhibition,” Ross, CA
Marin Society of Artists “Open Fine Arts,” Ross, CA

2000
Marin Arts Council Open Studios, San Rafael, CA
Marin Society of Artists, “Open Crafts and Sculpture Exhibition,” Ross, CA
National League of American Pen Women “National Biennial Art Exhibition,” Dorothy Hawkins Memorial Mixed Media Award, Arlington, VA

Work History
Fine Artist, 1995 – present
Assistant Teacher – Kid’s Clay and Teen Clay, Terra Linda Community Center 2005 – present
Education Director, Marin Birth Center, 1987 – 1995
Graphic designer, 1975 – 1990

Education
BFA, cum laude, Wittenberg University, 1975
Ongoing education: ceramic, watercolor, polymer clay, knotting, dying, nalbinding, fiber sculpture

Publications
American Art Collector, National Addition, Alcove Press, 2008
Artweek, “Thinking Green,” June 2008
Best of California Artists and Artisans, Kennedy Publications, 2007
The Pen Woman, (ISSN0031-4242) “Melissa Woodburn, Cycle, Circles and Creativity,” Winter, 2007
American Art Collector, National Addition, Alcove Press, 2007
American Art Collector, Western Addition, Alcove Press, 2006
500 Baskets, Lark Books, 2006
Press Telegram, Long Beach, “From Quilts to Ceramics, ‘Of the Earth’ Captivates,” December, 2006
American Art Collector, Western Addition, Alcove Press, 2005
Eichler Network, “Renaissance in the Valley of the Artists,” Fall, 2005
Marin Independent Journal, “The Birth of a Fair,” June, 2005
American Art Collector, Western Addition, Alcove Press, 2004
San Rafael News Pointer, “Body Wins First Place,” August , 2004
Marin Independent Journal Weekend, “An Inside Look at the Making of Art,” May, 2001
San Rafael News Pointer, “To Witness Inspiration First-hand,” May, 2000

Affiliations
Marin Arts Council
Association of Clay and Glass Artists (ACGA), board member 2007 - 2008
Artworks Downtown Associate Member
Marin Society of Artists, Co chair of the National Juried Exhibition 2006
Artists’ Advisory Council 2003 - 2006
National League of American Pen Women, Golden Gate Marin Branch
Fiber Dimensions