Original Art Opening for Kentucky Bluegrass Artist – Melissa Crase at the Dark Horse Mercantile Saturday 11am-2pm.
Please join us in welcoming Kentucky artist Melissa Crase and Pennsylvania Fascinator Designer, Nicole Bracken to The Dark Horse Mercantile, Saturday May 20th from 11am till 2 pm.
Mare and Dave first discovered Melissa’s work while on a visit to Lexington, Kentucky a few years ago. Her work struck a chord with its unique lines, vibrant colors and creative spirit and thought her work would be well received in Saratoga. We reached out and a partnership was born! Melissa did two custom Dark Horse pieces for us as well!
Melissa will be introducing her creative and colorful Equine Art featuring many original paintings as well as prints. She will be revealing her first Saratoga Specific piece a 24”x 30” painting simply titled “One August Day”. We will be holding a drawing for a signed print of this lovely piece to a lucky attendee of our event. You must be present to enter.
Traveling north with Melissa is Nicole Bracken, a very talented designer of that essential headwear required for a day at the track – The Fascinator! Find the perfect one for you and make sure you are ready for the Saratoga season with her unique pieces. You will be guaranteed to turn heads at the track this summer in one of Nicole’s fascinators.
About Melissa:
“I never had a horse growing up, but like many young girls, I was obsessed with them. I spent countless hours drawing and painting horses, and dreaming of the day when I might actually have a horse of my own. Although I did not study art in college, I never lost my love for creating. After a long career in advertising and sales, I made the decision to leave that world and focus on my life-long love of art. As a self-taught artist, I am still learning and growing every time I set foot in my studio. Much of my work is inspired by my love of equine sports, my own horses, and the outdoors. As a side note–my husband got me a horse our first Christmas together–I was 30 years old. So, to all the horse crazy little girls out there–it’s never too late!
While painting horses is still my first love, I see things every day while driving around our beautiful bluegrass state that spark my creativity. Even an old collapsed barn makes me curious– about its story–about the animals and people that passed through its doors–and even what color it was painted when it was brand new. I do love a barn!
Most of my pieces are a mix of acrylics, inks and pastels on canvas. With vibrant colors and textures being key elements in my work, you will often find ordinary things painted with unexpected colors. I rarely use paintbrushes, but love finding other “tools” to create with. Palette knives, sponges, corks, and even pieces of plants, all lend unique texture to my work. Over the years I have learned that with art, there is no right or wrong way to create–every day in the studio is one big surprise!”
Her art has been showcased in several publications including the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s, popular “Southern Made” series, Simply Saratoga magazine and Tops in Louisville Magazine.
About Nicole:
Nicole Bracken is a floral designer-turned-milliner and the owner of Considering Flowers in Pittsburgh, PA. As a result of Covid supply-chain issues, Nicole, a lover of hats, pomp, and circumstance, decided to pivot and to transfer some of her floral design skills to learn the art of millinery. She was encouraged by equine artist Melissa Crase, her childhood best friend, to create Derby fascinators. When Melissa posted Nicole’s first fascinator on Instagram, it launched Nicole’s business. Nicole now designs fascinators for horse racing, weddings, and tea and garden parties. She is known for using vintage elements and for adding a touch of whimsy to her elegant pieces with wire or hand painting.
Contact: Maddy Zanetti or Marianne Barker
Impressions@ImpressionsSaratoga.com
518-587-0666