revelers viewing Sarat's St. Frances "She appeals to all five senses in painting life's rich pageant. She uses herself, her two daughters and her mom as models." ~ education curator Marlene Hamann-Whitmore, Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester, NY "Vivid foray into nature's nature by a great lover of animal and color." Andrei Codrescu ~ www.corpse.org

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

• BFA 1973
• MFA 1975

• Andrei Codrescu's Exquisite Corpse, "Melissa Sarat paints the life force in the heart-breaking world of animal and
  vegetal forms; her works actually breathe, they have a pulse!"  Andrei Codrescu, Corpse Archive Issue 13,
  Corpse Archive Issue 14
  
  
• Rochester Biennial 2008 ~ Reviews, "She appeals to all five senses in painting life's rich pageant.
  She uses herself, her two daughters and her mom as models." ~ education curator Marlene Hamann-Whitmore,
  Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester, NY, 7/08
  
  
• Art Museum Hosts 'Carnivale' Exhibit, By Tim Brouk, Lafayette Journal and Courier, "Sarat uses an entire color palette
  in her large, busy paintings. The upstate New York artist, who grew up in Jackson, La., uses practically every inch of
  canvas for her collage of images that create a sense of celebration and a crash course in Cajun culture. The gigantic
  Father God, Momma and the Holy Sprit was too big to fit in the museum's galleries so it hangs over the reception desk
  on the building's ground floor. It features several portraits of women (some with gold teeth), frogs, fruit, cake and, for some
  reason, a bag of Nutrageous candy bars. "All of this sounds crazy, but in the South, Mexico and South America, it's not,"
  said Sarat. The piece was inspired by her mother's death. Art Museum of Greater Lafayette, Lafayette, Indiana,
  June 3 - July 15, 2005
  
  
• Melissa Sarat ~ Artist Profile, by Jill Hearn and Thomas Knobel
  
  
• ARTRIFT, on-line art magazine edited by Rick Visser. "I have been featuring the work of Melissa Sarat for the past month
  and want to draw attention to her once again. Whatever the perception of her work in the currrent 'climate of opinion', I believe
  she touches something of immense importance to us and to our future."
  
  
• New York Art Guide, The Everson Biennial 2000. Postmodern Sublime. By Matthew Friday.
  
  
• Syracuse New Times, Syracuse, New York, 3/22/2000. Everson Biennial jurored by Joe Amrhein, Offbeat Art, Everson Biennial's
  focus on unconventional pieces should entice audiences, by Carl Mellor, "...Melissa Sarat's oil painting, "Father God, Momma
  and the Holy Spirit," is anything but spare. It's large and full of bold color and a mass of images. Pepole, fish, flowers and frogs fill every
  corner of the 7 by 8 foot canvas. While reminiscent of underground comics and the artwork that appeared on the cover of the Beatles'
  Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band album, this work is in no way derivative. Instead, it's a solid example of an artist following her
  vision and creating a piece that's expressive rather than self-indulgent."
  
  
• Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, Rochester, New York, 9/15/1998, Upstate New York Invitational, At Schweinfurth: a provcative,
  excellent show, by Ron Netsky. "Busy is the word for the paintings of Melissa Sarat. Although the term is often a negative one in
  art criticism, in Sarat's case the excess works. Sarat's canvases are somewhat reminiscent of Janet Fish's reflection paintings, but
  the subject matter insures that they are discinctly Sarat's."
  
  
• Syracuse Herald American, Syracuse, New York, CNY Life and Leisure in Central New york, 6/16/99, illustrator of cookbook:
  Carolyn & Melissa Invite You to a Ladies's Luncheon, 'Momma', housewife, artist, by Yolanda Wright. "Melissa Sarat brings
  Southern hospitality to Preble neighbors... and adds a touch of whimsy to homespun cookbook." "...she leads the visitor into a tiny
  kitchen with greeen and lavender cabinets and walls covered with hand-painted exotic birds, bugs and tassels."
  
  
• Syracuse Herald American, Syracuse, New York, STARS Magazine, 2/27/2000, Everson Biennial jurored by Joe Amrhein,
  "Trying something NEW," Everson Museum selects fresh works by 36 area artists for biennial exhibit, by Jim Emmons.
  "A native of Baton Rouge, Sarat upholds the southern tradition of long, detailed narration. One of the exhibits large works is
  also its most kaleidoscopic-- the 7 by 8 foot oil painting "Father God, Momma and the Holy Spirit." To take it in you need a
  good rocking chair.
  
  
• The Ithaca Journal, Ithaca, New york, Arts & Leisure, 12/7/1995, Melissa Sarat and Bryna Silbert, Painting and Sculpture,
  Art at Wells College Teaches us About Women, by George Bumgardner. "A native of Louisiana now living in Upstate
  New York, Sarat says her paintings are in some ways akin to Southern storytelling. Every inch of the paintings is overflowing
  with things. This is the habitat of lady bountiful, the female as goddess of abundance."
  
  
• Observer-Dispatch, Utica, New york, Arts and Entertainment, 8/3/90, Cooperstown Art Association 55th Annual Exhibition
  jurored by Jack Beal, Blue-ribbon show, by Jonas Kover. "The figure is reflected in a vanity mirror filled with antiques."
  
  
• The Independent, East Chatham, New York, 12/3/1987. A Festive, Playful Show at Five Points Gallery, by Sharon
  Flitterman-King. "The vibrant, colorful patterns of Melissa Sarat's still lifes create an exciting dialogue with this calm interior.
  The thick brush strokes of pomegranate, kiwi, tangerine: the rich, red, glowing texture of lustrous "Summer Tomato" or ripe
  "Watermelon" dotted with seeds; the blue translucent China plate or green Depression glass--all dazzle their textured color."
  
  
• Scotsman, Edinburgh, Scotland, 6/25/1984, Art around Scotland, by Edward Gage. "At 16 North St. Andrew Street,
  American painter, Melissa Sarat, shows figurative paitnigns that are fresh, lively and rather charmingly self-absorbed."
  
  contact: melissasarat@gmail.com