Melvin Toledo
Melvin Toledo is a Nicaraguan-born, self-taught, and award-winning artist based in Tucker, GA. His creative journey began in his teenage years, with a passion for drawing manga and cartoon characters. After taking some lessons at the Escuela de Bellas Artes in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, he spent over six years as a painter of colorful still life paintings for his uncle’s business in Honduras.
Melvin moved to the United States after marrying his girlfriend Lauren, an American Peace Corps volunteer. His current work is deeply influenced by his experiences as an immigrant and his love for people and storytelling. He is now focusing on a series of portraits of immigrants living in the United States. Through his art, he amplifies the narratives of individuals from diverse ethnicities and backgrounds, seeking to celebrate and pay homage to their lives, contributions, and cultural heritage. By exploring the complexities of the immigrant experience, Melvin addresses the paradox of a nation purportedly built by and for immigrants, yet often marked by instances of rejection toward those seeking refuge and opportunity within its borders
Recent exhibitions include Beyond the Borders at Quinlan Visual Arts Center, Something to Declare at the Marietta Cobb Museum of Art, Bullets and Bandaids Volume 4 traveling exhibition; New York Latin American Triennial in NYC. In April 2022 he won the 2D People’s Choice Award at ArtFields, Lake City, SC.
He lives and works in Tucker, GA.
Awards
2022 * 1st place “All Squares” Juried Exhibition, Atlanta Artist Center, Atlanta,GA
* People’s Choice 2D ArtFields, Lake City, SC
2021 * Honorable Mention, Metro Montage, Marietta Cobb Museum of Art, Marietta, GA
2013 * Honorable Mention Decatur Fine Arts Exhibition, Decatur, GA
2011 * Honorable Mention Decatur Fine Arts Exhibition, Decatur, GA
Publications
2024 * Historias Comunes de Gente Extraordianaria, Univision Atlanta
* 285 South, Artist Profile
2027 * Art Galleries & Artists of the South Magazine Cover
* Aeqai.com Washpark Gallery group show review
2016 * Nashville Arts Magazine, Artist Profile
2011 * Artist Daily online feature June
Exhibitions
2024 * Beyond the Borders, a two-person exhibition, Quinlan Visual Arts Center, Gainesville, GA
* ArtFields Juried Competition, Lake City, SC
* Contrapunto Exhibition, Gallery 100, Atlanta, GA
* Contrapunto Exhibition, Oglethorpe University Museum, Brookhaven, GA
2023 * Contrapunto Exhibition, Hudgens Center for the Visual Arts, Duluth, GA
* Something to Declare, Latin Exhibition, Steffen Thomas Museum, Madison, GA
* Bullets and Bandaids Vol 4 Traveling Exhibition, SC
* Contrapunto Exhibition, RobertKen Galleries, Marieta, GA
* Contrapunto Exhibition, Rigo Peralta Gallery, Allentown, PA
2022 * Something to Declare, Latin Exhibition at Quinlan Visual Arts Center, Gainesville, GA
* ArtFields Juried Competition, Lake City, SC
* Latin American Art Triennial, New York, NY
* Something to Declare, Latin Exhibition at Cobb Museum of Art, Marietta, GA
* Contrapunto Exhibition, RobertKen Galleries
2021 * Contrapunto Group Exhibition, Quinlan Visual Arts Center, Gainesville, GA
* Contrapunto Group Exhibition, Robert Kent Galleries, Marietta, GA
* Metro Montage Juried Exhibition, Marietta Cobb Museum of Art, Marietta, GA
2020 * Georgia artists of Hispanic Heritage at MOCA, Atlanta, GA
2019 * Georgia artists exhibition at Abernathy Arts Center, Alpharetta, GA
2018 * Group show at Gallery 202, Franklin, TN
2017 * Artist of the month exhibition at Gallery 202, Franklin, TN
* Group show, Wash Park Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
2016 * Artist of the month exhibition at Gallery 202, Franklin, TN
2015 * Artist of the month exhibition at Gallery 202, Franklin, TN
* Atlanta Artists Center “All squares” juried competition, Atlanta GA
2013 * Decatur Arts Alliance fine art juried exhibition, Decatur, GA
2012 * Artist of the month exhibition at Gallery 202, Franklin, TN
2011 * Decatur Arts Alliance fine art juried exhibition, Decatur, GA
Melvin moved to the United States after marrying his girlfriend Lauren, an American Peace Corps volunteer. His current work is deeply influenced by his experiences as an immigrant and his love for people and storytelling. He is now focusing on a series of portraits of immigrants living in the United States. Through his art, he amplifies the narratives of individuals from diverse ethnicities and backgrounds, seeking to celebrate and pay homage to their lives, contributions, and cultural heritage. By exploring the complexities of the immigrant experience, Melvin addresses the paradox of a nation purportedly built by and for immigrants, yet often marked by instances of rejection toward those seeking refuge and opportunity within its borders
Recent exhibitions include Beyond the Borders at Quinlan Visual Arts Center, Something to Declare at the Marietta Cobb Museum of Art, Bullets and Bandaids Volume 4 traveling exhibition; New York Latin American Triennial in NYC. In April 2022 he won the 2D People’s Choice Award at ArtFields, Lake City, SC.
He lives and works in Tucker, GA.
Awards
2022 * 1st place “All Squares” Juried Exhibition, Atlanta Artist Center, Atlanta,GA
* People’s Choice 2D ArtFields, Lake City, SC
2021 * Honorable Mention, Metro Montage, Marietta Cobb Museum of Art, Marietta, GA
2013 * Honorable Mention Decatur Fine Arts Exhibition, Decatur, GA
2011 * Honorable Mention Decatur Fine Arts Exhibition, Decatur, GA
Publications
2024 * Historias Comunes de Gente Extraordianaria, Univision Atlanta
* 285 South, Artist Profile
2027 * Art Galleries & Artists of the South Magazine Cover
* Aeqai.com Washpark Gallery group show review
2016 * Nashville Arts Magazine, Artist Profile
2011 * Artist Daily online feature June
Exhibitions
2024 * Beyond the Borders, a two-person exhibition, Quinlan Visual Arts Center, Gainesville, GA
* ArtFields Juried Competition, Lake City, SC
* Contrapunto Exhibition, Gallery 100, Atlanta, GA
* Contrapunto Exhibition, Oglethorpe University Museum, Brookhaven, GA
2023 * Contrapunto Exhibition, Hudgens Center for the Visual Arts, Duluth, GA
* Something to Declare, Latin Exhibition, Steffen Thomas Museum, Madison, GA
* Bullets and Bandaids Vol 4 Traveling Exhibition, SC
* Contrapunto Exhibition, RobertKen Galleries, Marieta, GA
* Contrapunto Exhibition, Rigo Peralta Gallery, Allentown, PA
2022 * Something to Declare, Latin Exhibition at Quinlan Visual Arts Center, Gainesville, GA
* ArtFields Juried Competition, Lake City, SC
* Latin American Art Triennial, New York, NY
* Something to Declare, Latin Exhibition at Cobb Museum of Art, Marietta, GA
* Contrapunto Exhibition, RobertKen Galleries
2021 * Contrapunto Group Exhibition, Quinlan Visual Arts Center, Gainesville, GA
* Contrapunto Group Exhibition, Robert Kent Galleries, Marietta, GA
* Metro Montage Juried Exhibition, Marietta Cobb Museum of Art, Marietta, GA
2020 * Georgia artists of Hispanic Heritage at MOCA, Atlanta, GA
2019 * Georgia artists exhibition at Abernathy Arts Center, Alpharetta, GA
2018 * Group show at Gallery 202, Franklin, TN
2017 * Artist of the month exhibition at Gallery 202, Franklin, TN
* Group show, Wash Park Gallery, Cincinnati, OH
2016 * Artist of the month exhibition at Gallery 202, Franklin, TN
2015 * Artist of the month exhibition at Gallery 202, Franklin, TN
* Atlanta Artists Center “All squares” juried competition, Atlanta GA
2013 * Decatur Arts Alliance fine art juried exhibition, Decatur, GA
2012 * Artist of the month exhibition at Gallery 202, Franklin, TN
2011 * Decatur Arts Alliance fine art juried exhibition, Decatur, GA