Melissa Sickmund
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sickmund.bsky.social
Melissa Sickmund
@sickmund.bsky.social
2K followers 500 following 1.1K posts
Living in the Pittsburgh area. Loving my grandma role and enjoying retirement after nearly 40 years as a juvenile/criminal justice researcher. Doing a bit of consulting and supporting reform efforts.
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sickmund.bsky.social
If you see this, post your bird art 🐦 🪶 #birds
I’ve got a few.
Brightly colored rooster. Reference image from an art class. Owl on a fence. Reference image from a Bluesky photographer. Titmouse on a branch. Reference image from a Bluesky photographer.
November 19, 2025 at 2:18 AM
sickmund.bsky.social
Interesting set!
For me it’s been painting. Fall scenes are the go-to these days.
Birch trees in the fall. Made using Andrea Nelson’s gift card tip. Birch trees in the fall. Made by taping strips to create the white space then removing the tape and adding the gray shadow and black specks. This one took much longer. Cute acorns and fall leaves. Hydrangeas in the fall. Pink, purple & blue all turn to brown eventually.
November 16, 2025 at 4:55 PM
sickmund.bsky.social
Painting is keeping me sane.
Quick watercolor of brown acorns and fall leaves in oranges with a little green. Stand of birch trees with orange, yellow and red leaves. Purple flowers reminding me of summer.
November 13, 2025 at 4:38 AM
sickmund.bsky.social
Duke chillaxing.
Yellow lab relaxing on the lawn.
October 26, 2025 at 1:30 AM
sickmund.bsky.social
It’s pumpkin season!
Big fat orange pumpkin. Watercolor. Two orange pumpkin bookmarks with rainbow backgrounds. Watercolor. Bright orange pumpkin drawn with continuous line. Background looks a bit like stained glass in vibrant jewel-tones. Watercolor.
October 26, 2025 at 12:34 AM
sickmund.bsky.social
Beautiful sunsets come in many varieties.
Sunset over Lake Erie Sunset over small pond in Bryan, OH Sunset over a stand of trees Sunset through the trees over Wilson Lake, KS
October 19, 2025 at 3:00 PM
sickmund.bsky.social
I think I’ve seen those flowers before! 😄
Yellow flowers with brown centers. Some green grass below and some seed pods beside. Yellow and orange flowers with green stems and leaves.
October 18, 2025 at 8:58 PM
sickmund.bsky.social
A little fall color to brighten the mood.
Row of trees turning orange. Blue sky with wispy clouds behind.
October 18, 2025 at 6:17 PM
sickmund.bsky.social
Love them.
Pink cone flowers Pink & purple flowers and an orange butterfly.
October 17, 2025 at 9:45 PM
sickmund.bsky.social
I agree.
Tufted titmouse on a branch - pencil Mallard standing in grass - pencil Blue bird (cartoon style) - paint pens
October 17, 2025 at 9:33 PM
sickmund.bsky.social
Very cool place.
Man walking a golden lab back from Great Sand Down Dunes National Park, Co. They stand out against the tan of the sand. Storm clouds approaching the Great Sand Dunes. Scrub grass and a few small dark green bushes are in the foreground.
October 15, 2025 at 4:04 PM
sickmund.bsky.social
#BlueSkyArtShow #Glow #Photography
Tree with pink glowing sky behind it. The glow wasn’t from the sun (it was setting in the opposite direction) … perhaps from store lights? But it was very pretty.
October 11, 2025 at 2:09 PM
sickmund.bsky.social
The patience is admirable. @davedicello.bsky.social has similar patience.
Full moon perfectly aligned behind the PPG building’s tower in Pittsburgh. Photo credit: David DiCello.
October 7, 2025 at 7:30 PM
sickmund.bsky.social
I love seeing rainbows when I’m driving!
Rainbow along the road.
October 7, 2025 at 1:07 AM
sickmund.bsky.social
Later today I’ll relax making some art. Haven’t decided which reference photo to use yet, but here are some options I‘m considering …

#BlueSkyArtShow with the theme #Relax Saturday!
Tree silhouetted against purple and pink evening sky in Ohio. (The view was facing East, so not sunset light. Never figured out what it was. ???) Peeking through the trees to Lake Huron from Mackinac Island, Michigan. Flat Iron mountains hide in the background behind dark green and yellow-green trees in Colorado.
October 4, 2025 at 12:06 PM
sickmund.bsky.social
Me too. One of my favorites.
Palm tree leaf’s shadow under a streetlight.
October 3, 2025 at 8:15 PM
sickmund.bsky.social
#ForestFriday photos from a while back.
Somewhere in Illinois. Trees, green leaves and a bit of sun on the forest floor In Pennsylvania. Trees, green leaves and a bit of sun on the forest floor.
October 3, 2025 at 10:47 AM
sickmund.bsky.social
Just after sunrise over Lake Huron few days ago.
Sun peeks through the cloud stripe. The sky is warm shades of orange and yellow. The water seen through the rail of the ferry to Mackinac Island is a dark slate blue.
September 17, 2025 at 1:55 PM
sickmund.bsky.social
Some pretty flowers to brighten the morning.
Pink and red impatiens attract the eye among other blooms (yellow, purple, etc) with lots of greenery around. Behind is a white and yellow porch. Large purple-ish cabbage-looking plants surrounded by yellow mums not yet in full bloom with some ferns behind. The bright green contrasts sharply with the dark, dull color of the “cabbage” plants.
September 17, 2025 at 1:26 PM
sickmund.bsky.social
Sunset through the trees.
Sunset over a cornfield with pine trees in front. The sky is orange-red low down and a sage greenish shade up above. There are some wispy clouds.
September 17, 2025 at 2:21 AM
sickmund.bsky.social
Sunset through the trees.
Sunset over a cornfield with pine trees in front. The sky is orange-red low down and a sage greenish shade up above. There are some wispy clouds.
September 17, 2025 at 2:15 AM
sickmund.bsky.social
Duke is a bit more apprehensive about the rest of the week, but Monday was good.
Golden (Dudley) lab staring into camera from behind picnic table.
September 16, 2025 at 2:52 PM
sickmund.bsky.social
#stunday #EastCoastKin
A Gerber daisy to brighten your day.
A pinkish-red daisy surrounded by green leaves and small white flowers.
September 7, 2025 at 8:22 PM
sickmund.bsky.social
One of my watercolors from earlier this year. Two radishes.
I love radishes-their taste and color.
Two radishes side by side.
August 29, 2025 at 1:05 AM
sickmund.bsky.social
Interesting view of a mundane object.

#Stunday #ClassicMono #Blackandwhite #photography #PhotographersOfBluesky #ArtYear #EastCoastKin
Circular “braided” pattern half in shadow half in sunlight. It looks like threads but is really plastic-an outdoor ottoman “pouf.”
August 24, 2025 at 2:38 PM