The Jewels, c. 1998

Melissa Battersby’s collection The Jewels consists of four pieces that each use differing, monochromatic jewel tones, resembling amber, ruby, emerald and sapphire. These pieces nicely represent Battersby’s style towards creating colorful, abstract paintings made using her hands instead of paintbrushes. Often using nature as a key inspiration for her pieces, she thoughtfully blends layers of color and paint to create these swirly, wavy and abstract representations of her subjects. Notice the loose, circular paint strokes that make up these shadowy, dreamy jewels that boldly emerge from a dark backdrop.

Battersby’s The Jewels lack a distinct, solid form within their respective compositions, all phasing from colorful richness into the blackness that makes up the majority of the piece, nearly engulfing each mass of color. What might otherwise seem dark and subdued carries a subtle intensity that draws the viewer into it’s energetic ebbs and flows made using only oil paint and her palm. Writer for the Coachella Valley weekly Deann Lubell writes “the more the observer focuses on the oceans of blues and greens, sunsets of golds and oranges, and volcanic throats of deep rich reds – the more they feel like morphing into the heart and soul of each unique creation.”

Written by Haley Thompson
Reviewed by Alexander Vega
2025