Author Archives: Melanie (Melly) Testa

Paint, sand, paint.

   I have been feeling creatively stifled, lately. And when I think about what might help move the energy and spark change, painting with acrylics keeps coming up.      I don’t really ‘know’ how to paint with acrylics, which is good, it means the playing field is wide open and I get to make theContinue reading “Paint, sand, paint.”

meadowlark, design, cut and sew?

I have been using, and loving, Quiltography for iPad. It has ‘potato chip factor’, which means, I open it, start designing and cannot stop. I think I have designed over 40 quilt tops using Meadowlark. But it is now time to begin making quilts using the information the app provides. As I have been doingContinue reading “meadowlark, design, cut and sew?”

Wow. My Quilt Top Challenge.

I am stepping back into my own and it feels good.  Artistically speaking, I have been on ‘secret hold’ for more than a year. Meaning, I have not been able to show my art, talk about it, not much of anything really. That is a difficult place to be, when you keep a blog whereContinue reading “Wow. My Quilt Top Challenge.”

Shirts off, Underwear on: Play Out, Breast Cancer and Gender Expectations

About a year and a half after my breast cancer diagnosis I was partaking in a pool program for survivors. We met at a local gym on the sixth floor where they had two pools, one for swimming laps, the other heated and used for rehabilitation purposes. The pool room was beautiful: light streamed inContinue reading “Shirts off, Underwear on: Play Out, Breast Cancer and Gender Expectations”

Iron Body Melly

Lifting, using kettle bells, exercise is very important to me. Just three years ago, I had little or no knowledge of how to workout, what good form was, what exercises to pair together, nothing. I researched my options, evaluated my personality and decided online training services were the best option for me. I like training atContinue reading “Iron Body Melly”

Working Large

As you know, I have a tendency to working small. I live in a small New York City apartment. My studio, if this is what you call it, resides within my home. My ‘wet studio’ consists of a 2 foot by 4 foot workbench. So, of course, the fabrics I print need to be sizedContinue reading “Working Large”

Squirrels Stories

A few months ago, I was approached by an artist and producer named Jamie Courville to see if I might contribute to a project called Squirrels Stories. Jamie says, “A linguist told me “squirrels” is the hardest word to say in the English language. Squirrels Stories is the place for the things that are difficultContinue reading “Squirrels Stories”

Magical Peach +

  This is a reminder to all: There is much magic in the world and you never know where, how, or in what shape/form it might reveal itself. The above is a typing that occurred when Peach, our cat, walked over my keyboard. I don’t think this was a mistake. Just a moment prior to thisContinue reading “Magical Peach +”