✨ On the Cover: A Moment of Gratitude and Community ✨
- Melissa Mitchell
- Jul 25
- 2 min read
Updated: Oct 2
July 25, 2025
I’m deeply honored to be included in the August issue of Island Living Magazine (Padre Island & Port Aransas).
This story isn’t just about me—it’s about all the pieces of life that come together to shape a journey: creativity, community, and the commitment to keep showing up with purpose. The article touches on my path as an artist and gallerist, but more than that, it reflects the values that keep me grounded—family, faith, an
d finding meaning in the small things.
From my backyard garden to the gallery walls, from watercolor to mixed media, from organizing kids art camps to hosting Wine Down Wednesdays—each piece of the puzzle matters. And I’m so grateful to be part of a neighborhood that supports the arts and each other.
A big thank you to Island Living Magazine Publisher John Peterson, writer Amy Gazin for sharing my story so beautifully, and to Michelle Renee Walters for somehow capturing a calm-looking photo in the middle of absolute windblown chaos.
The sun was in my eyes, the wind was full-on island mode, and I’d just spit my hair out of my mouth like Kevin in the scene from White Chicks. And yet—there it is. Proof that photography magic is real—Thanks Michelle Walters—you are truly a magician!
And thank you to each of you who stop by the gallery, share a kind word, or simply follow along here. You’re a part of this story too.
When my daughter received the magazine in the mail, she sent this sweet photo to me. ❤️
Anyone who knows me for more than five minutes knows how proud I am of my greatest achievements—my children. They are grown now, raising families of their own, but they remain the center of everything I do. I see their kindness, resilience, humor, and heart in the little ones they’re raising, and that legacy means more to me than anything I could hang on a gallery wall or see printed on a page.
My granddaughter may not know what a magazine is yet, but she clearly recognized someone she loves. And truly, that made the whole experience even more meaningful.
I’ve included a few snapshots from the magazine below for those who haven’t seen it in person yet.
📍 This cover article is featured in the August 2025 issue of Island Living Magazine (Padre Island & Port Aransas Living), now available in mailboxes and local businesses across the Coastal Bend.
If you’re local, I would love to meet you. Stop by the gallery sometime and say hello!
And if you enjoyed reading this, you can subscribe to my blog here to have all of my stories delivered straight to your inbox.
With gratitude,
Melissa
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