About
Retired after 27 years as an Art Instructor from Edmonds College in Lynnwood, Washington, I received a M.F.A. in art from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas and a B.A. in art from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Colorado. In addition to making art and writing, my work includes community art advocacy projects focused on art education and creative collaborations.
Over the past ten years most of my work is evolving into countless collaborative series with fellow artist, Cindra Avery. Our work is based on our shared interests in design and art, initially inspired by Matisse’s cut-outs and passed back and forth between us until we feel we have fully explored the materials, the surfaces and finally the meaning.
Currently, we work in studio together on large- and small-scale pieces. Each series is inspired by nature, still life, faces and abstraction with the goal of deepening and exploring more fully our share interests and ideas. It is a process that pushes our boundaries as artists and deepens our understanding of our creative processes. For further information on our experience as collaborative artists please see the statement on creative collaboration.
In addition to my individual and collaborative work I have served as a juror for Bumbershoot, the Edmonds Art Festival, and numerous Washington State Arts public works projects and have led workshops for adults and children in art since 1984. My individual work posted on this site is based on a series of paintings focused on autobiography, identity and community.
Please contact me regarding further information about our process and for permission to use images or written content.
* To see process images related to Avery/Newell creative collaborations please visit our Instagram Account.
Melissa Tomlinson Newell 
Hello Mrs Newell,
I was a student at Sam Houston when you 5aught there. You were my first teacher in my first drawing class.. I never forgot you or my class. I had to quit school because of financial reasons. I remember before i left I was in a shop downtown .Huntsville and found one of your pieces for sale, a lady in a long dress .i think it was a clay fired piece. I regret being broke as usual and not being able to purchase it. I admired your work and always wondered what happened with you. Your name came to me tonight and i was compelled to search online .
Melissa, I came across your collaborative art in the gallery at the LFP mall and thought it was stunning. I’m going to feature it on my blog. Cheers.
And by the way, let me know if that’s okay! Cheers. I’m at http://www.karenhugg.com and doing a series on plants and mental health.
Karen- Thank you for your kind words about our work and for asking permission to mention it in your blog. We look forward to reading your blog.
Best- Melissa and Cindra