Melissa Lofton

Having lived in Big Sur most of my life, I am constantly surprised and delighted at how rich and varied the coast and mountains are. Always changing, often challenging, I think of my life here as “life on the edge”.

Patty Pan Squash

Oil on Board / 8 × 6 in. / $1,200

Oaks Lining a Ridge

Oil on Canvas / 35 × 35 in. / $3,600

About the artist

Melissa Lofton was born in Carmel, California, and has long called the Big Sur coast home. Her work moves between landscape and abstraction, drawing on a deep connection to the natural world as well as memory, emotion, and inner experience. Working primarily in large-format oils, Lofton creates paintings distinguished by vibrant color, layered texture, and expressive surfaces.

Trees, mountains, rocky coastlines, and the sea recur throughout her work, alongside the people, places, and objects that shape her life and travels. Her abstract paintings extend beyond the visible world, exploring dreams, fleeting moments, and the emotional experience of being alive.