Melissa, Oh!

  • 7 Day Art Challenge Day 2: South Carolina Press Association: Best of the Best

    My friend Tamara Lavalla tagged me in a 7-day art challenge. Day 1 was about my time spent in the darkroom at Winthrop. Not sure if this challenge is supposed to be chronological or not, but my time at The Herald feels like a logical next step to talk about here. I sent my resume…

  • 7 Day Art Challenge Day 1: Winthrop University photography class

    My friend and art idol Tamara Lavalla tagged me recently in a 7-day art challenge. I’ve been a graphic designer/layout editor for the better part of 16 years and I still sit up a little straighter and smile when someone calls me an artist. And when someone as talented as Tamara tags me in an…

  • NoDa garage mural was created by HGTV-famous NC artist

    You may or may not have seen our post yesterday on Melissa Oyler Designs’ blog about North Carolina mural artist Scott Nurkin and his recent rise to HGTV fame. You also may or may not also know a tiny fun fact: Scott Nurkin painted a mural on our garage.   I designed a brochure for…

  • Media conspiracy, biased coverage and a shrinking newsroom

    The front page of today’s Charlotte Observer featured a centerpiece that is getting a lot of backlash in the community. The story and photos are about an upcoming trial, in which police officer Wes Kerrick is being brought up on voluntary manslaughter charges for the shooting death of Jonathan Ferrell, an accident victim who was…

  • Finding balance

    I told Kim the other day: I just need 30 hours in a day. When Rebecca asked me the week before, “How do you find time to both run and yoga and work?” I answered with something like Well, now you’ve found the crux of the matter. The topic of balance has come up a lot lately…

  • Must be a cold day in July … I’m blogging again.

    It was a seemingly ordinary day that I decided to get back to blogging. My car was having some issues (what else is new?), so Kim picked me up for work. Our morning conversation turned to motivation, inspiration, creativity … and writing. My background is writing, but it’s not a skill I hone much these…

  • Good one, Bible Belt

    Today, I’m wishing I was a little more of a pack rat. Because if I actually saved things instead of throwing them away,  I could prove to you that my best friend Colleen and I have actually been planning to be “gay married” for more than a decade. Of course, we don’t call it that.…

  • When design and words collide – magic happens.

    Amid Capeci, who was an art director for Newsweek, Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly, died a couple of weeks ago at age 50. I didn’t know Capeci, although I did admire his work, so when he passed away I took notice. I would try to describe his art, but it might be better to just…

  • Come shopping with me (Old Navy will buy you a dress)

    So, Old Navy is awesome and sent me a coupon for a free dress – AND one for a friend. And I absolutely cannot pick which friend I should give it to. So I’ll make you pick for me. Here’s the deal – we have to take a photo of ourselves in our new dresses…