Follow Your Heart

Melissa West

Melissa West She/Her

Follow Your Heart

Seabright and Soquel         

Description:  Follow your heart wherever it may lead: to adventure, to Santa Cruz, to love, or to community activism. I am a printmaker, living and working in Watsonville whose work mainly centers on issues of social, political, and environmental justice.  The compass with the heart represents the journey for all of us, while the image of Jo Kenny and Gloria Nieto, represents an important couple who have accomplished so much for furthering our LGBTQ+ rights across the county, state and nation. 

Artist Bio: I moved to Santa Cruz in 2008, after my wife and I got married on the first day it was legally possible. I've been active in the Santa Cruz art scene ever since moving here, taking part in multiple Open Studios, and being a member of Gallery125 at the Tannery.  I've been out and proud since the early 1980s. I have many connections to our LGBTQ+ community, and am proud to be co-curator of the upcoming show at Pajaro Valley Arts, "Hers, His, Theirs, Ours: Queer Expression!", which will be on display in June 2025 in Watsonville. 

Historical Context: Follow your heart, Jo and Glo.

Artist Sketch