Maritza Melendez Art Collections
Shop for artwork from Maritza Melendez based on themed collections. Each image may be purchased as a canvas print, framed print, metal print, and more! Every purchase comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Artwork by Maritza Melendez
Each image may be purchased as a canvas print, framed print, metal print, and more! Every purchase comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Village Cigars by Maritza Melendez
The Money Shot by Maritza Melendez
Vintage of St. John the Divine by Maritza Melendez
Pinehurst Stairs by Maritza Melendez
Eternal by Maritza Melendez
St. Mark's Place by Maritza Melendez
Behold My Beauty by Maritza Melendez
Alien Sky by Maritza Melendez
Frozen Fountain by Maritza Melendez
Broadway at 168th by Maritza Melendez
Ancient Ents by Maritza Melendez
Union Square Station by Maritza Melendez
Ancient Elegance by Maritza Melendez
Good Evening by Maritza Melendez
Studious Gargoyle by Maritza Melendez
Smiling Gargoyle by Maritza Melendez
Buddies by Maritza Melendez
Water Tank with Ghost Sign by Maritza Melendez
The Cathedral and The Angel by Maritza Melendez
CitiBikes by Maritza Melendez
GWB from the Park by Maritza Melendez
Have a seat by Maritza Melendez
Mason Jar Beauty by Maritza Melendez
Black and White by Maritza Melendez
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About Maritza Melendez
I am a Puerto Rican-American who was born and raised in Washington Heights, New York. I am a self-taught artist/photographer.
My love affair with the camera started at a very early age. It began when I pick up the family camera, a forbidden thing to do for a child, and took my first picture of a family member - my mother. In those days cameras was only taken out only on special occasions: birthdays, holidays and so on. This magical black box, a Kodak Instamatic 124 camera, was a treasured item in my home and was not to be played around with, as I was constantly told. So my adventures in picture taking had to be put on hold until many years later.
It was in 1986 I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, a crushing blow for someone who was only 26 years old. It was like a death sentence. Everything I had known and done slowly and painfully started to disappear. I literarily stopped! I soon realized I HAD to do something, anything to stop myself from sinking too deeply into a chasm of limited mobility and increasing depression.
My first attempt was painting, which helped a great deal. I discovered that art was therapeutic. The creative process enabling me to lift myself away of this disease and confront my own reality of fear and self-doubt, replacing them with imagination and wonder. It was not only fun but very good for me as I started seeing the world around me with new eyes. I saw different hues of color. The shapes and sizes fascinated me and drove me to try to capture them all on canvas; sometimes I did, other times I didn’t. I felt frustrated and began to lose the inner calm I fought hard for. Then I remembered my old friend...the camera
After going through a few models I finally one found which suited my needs: simple to use and light enough to carry around - a Canon PowerShot SX230-HD. I started my little quest within my neighborhood, Washington Heights, taking photos of the GW Bridge and others local sites but my thirst was not quenched. I needed to push against my own boundaries if I am to find the “hidden beauty” I tried to create with my paintings. So I filled up my Metro card, boarded the “A” train and took off on my visual safari.
While hunting down my prey I discovered something! Most of the beauty of New York is above people’s heads. With all their rushing about much is missed and I found this so sad. Cornerstones on buildings, statues in niches, designs in color from a long time pass, gargoyles looking down at us smiling and so on. It’s all there, you just have to look up. The most important thing, however, was I was able to move easier and my spirits were less dark. I was feeling more in control of my body and my eyes were seeing the colors again. For me, this was my greatest treasure!