Melissa Floyd
MELISSA BETH FLOYD
Title_Milk Teeth
$2,450
Medium_Oil on canvas
Size_36” x 36”
Year_2025
“This painting started with a loose interest in icons—first graphic ones, then pop culture, and eventually religious icons. I kept coming back to the Madonna and Child, especially those exaggerated, slightly grotesque mannerist babies. I wanted to tap into that history while bringing it into a messier, more chaotic present—one that reflects the tangled experience of motherhood. The image deals with breastfeeding, weaning, and the paradox of intimacy and detachment.”
Melissa Beth Floyd’s paintings explore themes of sexuality, aging, class, motherhood, and the male gaze. Her paintings often center on figures—primarily women—navigating the physical and psychological challenges of balancing traditional expectations with modern identities. Through a combination of crude aesthetics and grotesque humor, Floyd examines societal norms and personal realities, frequently challenging the idealized vision of 1950s suburban life and its rigid gender constructs.
Floyd’s work has been exhibited internationally at venues including Breach Miami, Jesus La Luz, Ox Bow House, BEERS Gallery (London), and 19 Karen Gallery (Australia). She also participated in prominent art fairs such as One Art Taipei and Art Prize Grand Rapids in 2023. A recent graduate of Cranbrook Academy of Art, she currently lives and works in Grand Rapids, MI.