Artist Biography

Melody Swindle creates folk art using graphite, colored pencils, acrylics, recycled items and found objects.  Melody’s early creative endeavors focused mainly on the performing arts, and she actively studied music from childhood through college.  In recent years she began to take a few courses in art history and earned a degree in digital art. She was a member of Artists Unlimited, Inc. (AUI) a local artist cooperative and the Ybor Art Association (YAA). Her work has been featured at galleries such as the City of Brooksville Municipal Art Gallery, Artists Unlimited Inc., Artistic Soul Galleria, Hoffman Porges Gallery, Divine Excess Folk Art Gallery, Grasshopper Productions, Ella's Americana Folk Art Cafe  and the Tampa Museum of Art.  She was selected as an emerging artist in 2002 by Avant Garde of Tampa Museum of Art and has exhibited in shows such as: Art and Cocktails; Cuban Sandwich Show; Easter Art Exhibit; quarterly AUI Resident Artist Exhibits; Ruah, Pneuma, Sanctus and Agape Spiritual Art Shows; and the Art after Dark Altar Exhibit at the Tampa Museum of Art.  She specializes in art made from recycled materials and currently sells her artwork through the Chattanooga Market and Ella's Americana Folk Art Cafe.
Exhibits
2001
  • The Residents Show - Artists Unlimited, Inc. (AUI)
2002
  • Catch 2/2 - AUI Resident Exhibit
  • Addy Awards - Lobby display of AUI artists during award ceremony
  • Community Art Display - Bank of America, downtown Tampa
  • Channeled Energies - AUI Resident Exhibit
  • Solar Flair From Art to Wear - AUI Resident Exhibit
  • Casita - Silent art auction to benefit the Resurrection House Mission
  • Art of Cocktails - two-artist show- Avant Garde (Tampa Museum of Art)
  • Cuban Sandwich Show – Exhibit hosted by Viva La Frida
  • Visual Feast - AUI Resident Exhibit
2003
  • Easter Art Exhibit - Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church
  • Y Art - YMCA Art Exhibit/Fundraiser for Y Girls Rule
2004
  • Easter Art Exhibit - Palma Ceia Presbyterian Church
  • Frida Birth & Death Month Art Auction – Viva La Frida
2006
  • Inicio – The Cigar Factory, Ybor City
2009
  • Ruah Spiritual Art Show – Christ CP Church
2010
  • Pneuma Spiritual Art Show – Christ CP Church
  • Art After Dark - Altar Exhibit - Tampa Museum of Art
2011
  • Sanctus Spiritual Art Show - Christ CP Church
  • Cuban Sandwich Show Part III: Essence of Ybor - Ybor City
  • Art Under $100 Ybor Art Association - Ybor City
 2012
  • Agape Art Exhibit - Christ CP Church
  • This I Believe - University of Tampa, Reeves Theater
2013
  • Abnormal Formal/Day of the Dead Art and Fashion Show
    Artpool, St Petersburg
  • Festival - Creative Arts Guild, Dalton, GA

Festivals/Shows
2002
    Starke Florida – Art Festival
    Melbourne Florida - Art Festival
    Mission Bell Art & Craft Show
    Will McClean Folk Festival
2010
    Flower and Garden Show – St. Pete Clay Company
    Whistle Stop Craft Show - Holy Innocents Episcopal Church
2011
    Whistle Stop Craft Show - Holy Innocents Episcopal Church
2012
    Springfest - Gulfport, Florida
    Greenfest - Largo, Florida

    Geckofest - Gulfport, Florida
    60th Annual Florida Folk Festival
    Mt. Dora Craft Fair - October
Festivals/Shows - continued
2013
    Bloomin' Arts Festival - Bartow, Florida
    Mt. Dora Spring Show - Mt. Dora, Florida
    Fiesta in the Park - Lake Eola, Orlando, Florida
    61st Annual Florida Folk Festival
    Madeira Beach Craft Fair
    Villages 4th Annual Craft Fair
    McIntosh 1890's Festival
    Mt. Dora Craft Fair - Mt. Dora, FL
    The Villages 17th Annual Craft Fair
    21st Annual Downtown Dunedin Craft Fair
    19th Annual St. Pete Beach Corey Area Craft Festival
2014
    Kumquat Festival - Dade City, Florida
    Mt. Dora Spring Show - Mt. Dora, Florida
    Fancy Flea - Plant City, Florida
    Venice Craft Show - Venice, FL
    Florida Aquarium World Ocean's Day - Tampa FL
    Mt. Dora Craft Fair - Mt Dora, FL
2015
    Kumquat Festival - Dade City, Florida
    Red Star Rock Bar - Art & Fashion Show
    63rd Florida Folk Festival, White Springs, FL
    Florida Aquarium World Ocean's Day - Tampa FL
2017
    Praters Mill - Varnell, GA
    Ketners Mill - Wiltwell, TN

​Galleries/Shops/Markets
Past
  • Ashley’s on the Avenue, Seminole Heights - Tampa, Florida
  • Viva La Frida Café y Galeria, Seminole Heights -  Tampa, Florida
  • Cafe Dufrain, Harbor Island - Tampa, Florida
  • Fig Leaf, Davis Islands - Tampa, Florida
  • The Art Tarts - Tampa, Florida
  • Artistic Soul Galleria - Lutz, Florida
  • Grasshopper Productions - Palm Harbor, Florida
  • Hoffman Porges Gallery - Ybor City, Florida
  • Seminole Heights Sunday Morning Market​
  • Hyde Park Fresh Market
  • St. Pete Saturday Morning Market
  • ​Divine Excess Folk Art Gallery - Bradenton Village of the Arts
  • Seed Goods - Chattanooga, TN
  • Bettieville - Rossville, GA & Chattanooga TN
  • ​Trader Gabes - Hiawassee, GA
  • Chattanooga Market - Chattanooga, TN
Present
  • Ella's Americana Folk Art Cafe - Seminole Heights - Tampa, FL