Melissa Shultz-Jones

The Ecology of the Hugh Kaul Wildflower Garden of the Birmingham Botanical Gardens

This piece, created in watercolor and gouache, is a visual narrative of key native species of the Hugh Kaul Wildflower Garden at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens (BBG) in Alabama. It was the key illustration in Winter 2024 Dirt Magazine, an award winning magazine published by the BBG. The featured article recounted the year round bird feasting that draws a direct line back to the necessity of native plants, as host to insect species as pollinators and food sources for birds throughout the year. The relationship between the plants and creatures year round were studied, sketched in the field, researched, and then reimagined as a visual narrative. The painting is meant to be informative to the viewer, to sharpen identification of the various species, and show the nature of the specimen for further education. Education, after all, is the nest built for care and conservation.

The Black Gum Tupelo’s drupes are ready for the Robin and other birds in Autumn. Shown are also the tree’s flowers in Spring, which attracts the Striped Hairstreak, an essential pollinator for the tree and food for young birds, too small to ingest nuts.

The Virginia Witchhazel can also be found in the garden. This plant is shown with her late fall seed pods, Winter blooms, and Spring foliage. It is a host plant for the Large Lace Border. Though it’s believed it isn’t a pollinator for the plant, as this plant blooms in winter, it does thrive on the leaves, providing nourishment for birds in later spring. The American Goldfinch gathers the seeds after they burst forth in late autumn, and hopefully replant more of this intriguing plant in new areas.

The subtle Smooth Blackhaw is shown in 2 phases, Spring and Fall. The Blue Azure is an early spring butterfly that pollinates the plant, and is a source of food for smaller birds and adults gathering food for their young. The cedar waxwing enjoys the variety of food sources throughout the seasons.

Trillium Temple

Watercolor and gouache on watercolor board

Gray Headed Coneflower On the Autumn Equinox 2024

Watercolor and gouache on watercolor paper

A lovely little commission

Watercolor, gouache, and graphite on paper

Home Portrait

Mixed Media on paper: collage, watercolor, gauche, soft pastel, pencil

Wrapping paper design for the brand, Coach. 2019 Holiday Campaign

Wrapping Paper and iso ills for 2019 holiday campaign for the brand, Coach

Wrapping Paper design for the brand, Coach. Holiday campaign, 2019

Tee Shirt design for the brand Coach for Spring/Summer 2021 Collection

Front Cover Design. See link for purchasing information and interior work.

Calendar or Firsts

Back Cover for Red Mountain Community School's Calendar of Firsts

Purchase here

An illustration for a cook book

More illustration work for a cookbook

Cookbook illustration 2021

Cookbook illustration for 2021

Map of South Avondale in Birmingham, AL for Birmingham Magazine

Managing the Morning Rush

A piece for Birmingham Parent Magazine

Playbill

Map! Woohoo!

Beer label

Free Printable Reading List!!

Feel free to print this off for personal use. Just write in the book titles you plan on reading. You could even color them in when you are finished!

Birmingham Summer. Published for SCBWI Southern Breeze Confrence

Interior spread, without the text

Piece for fundraise for my favorite community music center!

Book Dummy Cover for Plum Pudding Agency

Custom Area map for Theodore, a venue in Birmingham, Alabama

Coffee merchandise label

Page 5 of Have You Seen My Egg with 4 Kidz Publishing

page 3/4 of Have You Seen My Egg for For Kidz Publishing

"Baby" Book Cover original version

for Borgo Publishing

SCBWI Regional Conference Pamphlet

Character Designs - Round 1

Concept Art for a Picture Book Dummy

Spot illo for birdwatchers

Legend of the Frog King Book Dummy Interior Art

Legend of the Frog King Dummy Book interior art

Little Plant Priests

Home Portrait

pg 1/2 from the book Have You Seen My Egg for For Kidz Publishing

Page 4/5 from Have You Seen My Egg for For Kidz Publishing

Page 19/20 for the book Have You Seen My Egg

for For Kidz Publishing

Page 9/10 from the book Have You Seen My Egg for For Kidz Publishing

Page 11/12 from the picture book Have You Seen My Egg for For Kidz Publishing

Carrot Delivery Guy

Watercolor and gouache illustration

Work for Birmingham Parent Magazine

This was the cover for June 2016

A tiny, ornament sized painting.

Wishing everyone some holiday cheer!

Gouache on watercolor paper

Garden Kitties

Watercolor and gouache.

Loving Cup

This image was made for Birmingham Parent Magazine, July 2017.

Watercolor and gouache.

A little sweet bunny made for my oldest daughter.

Douche Bunny

Just messing around. A little art therapy.

Thanksgiving Picnic

Made for Birmingham Parent Magazine. Published November 2015.

Run Happy Cat

A tinny little picture for a friend. Watercolor and gouache.

Happy Buddha

A tiny little painting using watercolor and gouache on paper

Spot art for SCBWI Southern Breeze WIK 2016 Conference.

Watercolor and gouache.

Greeting Card

Lettering for Alabama Ballet. Watercolor and Gouache.

Character Designs

For picture book Have You Seen My Egg for 4 KIdz Publishing.

Some Character Designs

For an upcoming picture book for 4 Kidz Publishing.

Some Interior Art

Charcoal stuff.

It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Drawing along side my 6 year old!

Latest piece for Birmingham Parent Magazine cover

I love my city!

gouache and pencil on paper.

Watercolor Chickens

Little Boxes

Watercolor and pencil

warm up sketch

charcoal on newsprint

Elizabeth's Happy Beans

Gouache on paper

Brochure Design for SCBWI Southern Breeze

watercolor and gouache on paper

Oh No! Lice!

Interior illustration for Birmingham Parent Magazine.

Unpublished

Patterning

Loads and loads or mushrooms

It would make some lovely wrapping paper, don't you think?

Weeds Pattern Design

A book cover for a friend's self Published book

Moth Patterning Design

liscencing design for Plum Pudding

Folksy Pattern Design

liscencing design for Plum Pudding

Mod and Folksy Repeating Pattern Desing

for liscencing with Plum Pudding

Liscencin Work

Liscencing Work

Commissioned Pet Portrait

Deathface Hawk moth

Final-Back-Cover-for-On-Stage-Publishing-Original-Black-Sign-Version.jpg

Wistful

A young Wonder Woman done for a charity event.

Happy robin Commission

A wee little wonderwoman

Watercolor and gouache.

Happy Hippo Commission

Proposed 2 story mural

Crestwood North map for Birmingham Magazine

Downtown Birmingham, Alabama map for Birmingham Magazine

Cahaba Heights, Alabama map for Birmigham Magazine

Highland area map for Birmingham Magazine Publication

Crestwood South map for Birmingham Magazine

East Avondale map for Birmingham Magazine

Homewood, Alabama map for Birmingham Magazine

A fun little sketch while at the SCBWI NY conference..

Watercolor

Interior Art for Birmingham Parent

For their party issue. Watercolor and gouache on paper.

Hey! It's a map!

Crestline, Alabama map for Birmingham Magazine

Five Points South map for Birmingham Magazine Publication

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