Mel Mitchell-Jackson | Persistent Bloom Retreats
@melmitchelljackson.bsky.social
Adventure Art for ALL through Retreats!
Painter
Hiker
Educator
Short Films
& Video Essays
Painter
Hiker
Educator
Short Films
& Video Essays
Popping on to share a few shots from the studio lately. Oil paintings and watercolors of the Oakland Redwood forest and Eastern Sierra Mountains.
July 19, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Popping on to share a few shots from the studio lately. Oil paintings and watercolors of the Oakland Redwood forest and Eastern Sierra Mountains.
Went out to paint the poppies at Shell Ridge today. Felt so good to be outside and study the colors from life. Looking forward to doing this again soon!
April 13, 2025 at 9:40 PM
Went out to paint the poppies at Shell Ridge today. Felt so good to be outside and study the colors from life. Looking forward to doing this again soon!
Day 4 and Day 5 of #pleinairpril
Acryla Gouache in a mixed media sketchbook.
Acryla Gouache in a mixed media sketchbook.
April 7, 2025 at 5:48 AM
Day 4 and Day 5 of #pleinairpril
Acryla Gouache in a mixed media sketchbook.
Acryla Gouache in a mixed media sketchbook.
#pleinairpril day 1: two studies of the Poppies and Lupine at Shell Ridge on Mt. Diablo.
Gouache and colored pencil in a talens art creation sketchbook!
Gouache and colored pencil in a talens art creation sketchbook!
April 2, 2025 at 1:20 AM
#pleinairpril day 1: two studies of the Poppies and Lupine at Shell Ridge on Mt. Diablo.
Gouache and colored pencil in a talens art creation sketchbook!
Gouache and colored pencil in a talens art creation sketchbook!
Reposted by Mel Mitchell-Jackson | Persistent Bloom Retreats
Absolutely ready for Miyazaki to turn into the angry earth spirit in Princess Mononoke to consume AI image generators whole.
We. Have. Had. Enough.
We. Have. Had. Enough.
March 30, 2025 at 2:54 AM
Absolutely ready for Miyazaki to turn into the angry earth spirit in Princess Mononoke to consume AI image generators whole.
We. Have. Had. Enough.
We. Have. Had. Enough.
Reposted by Mel Mitchell-Jackson | Persistent Bloom Retreats
March 29, 2025 at 11:57 PM
you know what, I do really love that MySpace Tom is not in fact participating in a hostile government takeover.
March 27, 2025 at 5:15 PM
you know what, I do really love that MySpace Tom is not in fact participating in a hostile government takeover.
Reposted by Mel Mitchell-Jackson | Persistent Bloom Retreats
Reposted by Mel Mitchell-Jackson | Persistent Bloom Retreats
The emboldened, rising tide of fascism in the US has me reflecting a lot about the importance of standing up for our marginalized communities in meaningful ways. There is power in unity - we must build our communities, support our neighbors, and stand together.
March 13, 2025 at 7:11 PM
The emboldened, rising tide of fascism in the US has me reflecting a lot about the importance of standing up for our marginalized communities in meaningful ways. There is power in unity - we must build our communities, support our neighbors, and stand together.
It lives!! My zine on how to have a go bag is in proofreading and editing stages. So excited to get this out there, assemble it, and start raising funds for folks impacted by the LA fires.
February 25, 2025 at 7:20 PM
It lives!! My zine on how to have a go bag is in proofreading and editing stages. So excited to get this out there, assemble it, and start raising funds for folks impacted by the LA fires.
Reposted by Mel Mitchell-Jackson | Persistent Bloom Retreats
Ursula le Guin, on the accusation that fantasy is an escape from reality
![[“Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisoned by the enemy, don’t we consider it his duty to escape? The moneylenders, the know-nothings, the authoritarians have us all in prison; if we value the freedom of the mind and soul, if we’re partisans of liberty, then it’s our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can.”]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:hppum4l25hcczzffastsicpq/bafkreihuubdwcftfkvvlnepoaf6pfxqulryfp7ydrydi5fe2pflwz63wgm@jpeg)
February 23, 2025 at 11:44 PM
Ursula le Guin, on the accusation that fantasy is an escape from reality
Reposted by Mel Mitchell-Jackson | Persistent Bloom Retreats
Now more than ever.
February 7, 2025 at 3:08 PM
Now more than ever.
Need some inspiration for something you can do today to piss off a billionaire? You too, can remove all Meta apps from your phone!
This shot will be the opener or ending of my next video essay on YouTube about leaving Instagram for clarity and creativity
This shot will be the opener or ending of my next video essay on YouTube about leaving Instagram for clarity and creativity
February 3, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Need some inspiration for something you can do today to piss off a billionaire? You too, can remove all Meta apps from your phone!
This shot will be the opener or ending of my next video essay on YouTube about leaving Instagram for clarity and creativity
This shot will be the opener or ending of my next video essay on YouTube about leaving Instagram for clarity and creativity
Went hiking in the Redwoods during the pouring rain. The mist felt out of a fantasy world today!
February 2, 2025 at 1:05 AM
Went hiking in the Redwoods during the pouring rain. The mist felt out of a fantasy world today!
Reposted by Mel Mitchell-Jackson | Persistent Bloom Retreats
Reposted by Mel Mitchell-Jackson | Persistent Bloom Retreats
two drafts
January 30, 2025 at 5:01 PM
two drafts
Reposted by Mel Mitchell-Jackson | Persistent Bloom Retreats
What do we call this kind of night? It’s not necessarily inviting yet not completely stark.
January 30, 2025 at 5:28 PM
What do we call this kind of night? It’s not necessarily inviting yet not completely stark.
If you are feeling overwhelmed right now, focus on how to create.
Make a list of your favorite materials and write down why you gravitate towards them. Hone in on what brings you joy when using certain art supplies or instruments can be critical for turning to those instead of scrolling.
Make a list of your favorite materials and write down why you gravitate towards them. Hone in on what brings you joy when using certain art supplies or instruments can be critical for turning to those instead of scrolling.
January 30, 2025 at 6:46 PM
If you are feeling overwhelmed right now, focus on how to create.
Make a list of your favorite materials and write down why you gravitate towards them. Hone in on what brings you joy when using certain art supplies or instruments can be critical for turning to those instead of scrolling.
Make a list of your favorite materials and write down why you gravitate towards them. Hone in on what brings you joy when using certain art supplies or instruments can be critical for turning to those instead of scrolling.
mushrooms have some beautiful analogies about community, persistence, and communication that will be important for us to consider in response to our new political reality
January 29, 2025 at 6:14 AM
mushrooms have some beautiful analogies about community, persistence, and communication that will be important for us to consider in response to our new political reality
Finished some proper documentation of a few recent adventure oil paintings inspired by hikes in Northern California.
January 24, 2025 at 4:05 AM
Finished some proper documentation of a few recent adventure oil paintings inspired by hikes in Northern California.
Reposted by Mel Mitchell-Jackson | Persistent Bloom Retreats
January 21, 2025 at 11:30 PM
I loved these illustrations in high school. Sad to hear of his passing!
Rest In Peace, Jules Feiffer. Died just shy of his 96th birthday, but he was still as vital as ever, plugging away on his next book. The way 2025's been going, I'm not surprised we lost our greatest living cartoonist less than a month into it.
January 22, 2025 at 5:38 AM
I loved these illustrations in high school. Sad to hear of his passing!
Reposted by Mel Mitchell-Jackson | Persistent Bloom Retreats
SHARE WIDELY.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS.
With mass deportations starting today across the country, it is vitally important - for both citizens and non-citizens - to know your rights.
You have the right to remain silent. Assert it. You have the right to a lawyer. Ask for one.
(1/3)
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS.
With mass deportations starting today across the country, it is vitally important - for both citizens and non-citizens - to know your rights.
You have the right to remain silent. Assert it. You have the right to a lawyer. Ask for one.
(1/3)
January 22, 2025 at 2:19 AM
SHARE WIDELY.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS.
With mass deportations starting today across the country, it is vitally important - for both citizens and non-citizens - to know your rights.
You have the right to remain silent. Assert it. You have the right to a lawyer. Ask for one.
(1/3)
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS.
With mass deportations starting today across the country, it is vitally important - for both citizens and non-citizens - to know your rights.
You have the right to remain silent. Assert it. You have the right to a lawyer. Ask for one.
(1/3)
Having loads of fun painting mushrooms to keep my spirits up.
It’s wild to think about everything underneath the surface of a forest that we can’t see.
#nature #oilpainting #landscapepainting
It’s wild to think about everything underneath the surface of a forest that we can’t see.
#nature #oilpainting #landscapepainting
January 22, 2025 at 5:33 AM
Having loads of fun painting mushrooms to keep my spirits up.
It’s wild to think about everything underneath the surface of a forest that we can’t see.
#nature #oilpainting #landscapepainting
It’s wild to think about everything underneath the surface of a forest that we can’t see.
#nature #oilpainting #landscapepainting