Two of Swords: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by Melissa Gay

Title:	Two of Swords: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea
Date Created:	April-May 2026
Copyright:	© Melissa Gay
Genre:	Fantasy
Mediums:	Acrylic
Views:	171
Posted:	11/1/2025

Projects: I have crowdfunded and produced two art books-- Finding My Familiar (wildlife drawings on toned paper) and Earth and Water (sumi-e and other ink art), and I' m currently working on a third called I Dream of Space. Described by Toni Weisskopf as " romantic spaceships," my sci-fi paintings are fantastical and expressionistic, as if I were an ancient astronomer seeing the scenes in dreams. I create them by building up textures and illuminating the happy accidents I find within. I like to push the boundaries between narrative decision and randomness-- it' s how I make sense of art, and of life! (As to whether there is also a secret fantasy art book in the works, I have no comment except life is short and I' ve got a lot of art in me to put out into the world!)

Location: Nashville, TN

I created this Two of Swords card for the Painting The Fates art exhibit at Valkarie Gallery in the summer of 2025. The image is a symbol of all people who have been forced to make difficult choices within a political landscape of ever-shifting policies, and having to make judgement calls while blinded by a lack of information. What do you do when you find yourself between the devil and the deep blue sea? I think none of us know for sure until we're there ourselves. The figure in the painting wears a friendship bracelet crafted by Cherokee Copper artist Greg Stice, which I gave to my best friend in celebration of her achieving her level 3 Cherokee language certificate. Although Native, she and her mother are in danger of being swept up in an ICE raid because of how they look. Her decision to leave her home and relocate to a safer state that inspired me to paint this.