In her basement ‘sanctuary,’ Melinda Campbell of Lewiston creates paintings that reflect her interests and inspirations.

“I am a romantic expressionist, not distracted by detail,” explained the art educator at Fairview School in Auburn, where she has worked since 1988.

She has found inspiration in Van Gough, often recreating a theme of night skies, a nod to his “Starry Night,” or the brilliant yellows of his sunflowers.

Campbell grew up in southeastern Massachusetts, in a home where art was appreciated. The Impressionists were revered and creativity was encouraged, she said.

“My father is an artist and I was always exposed to the art of the impressionists Van Gough and Monet. My dad, who is 74, and I are having a show together soon. He’s old school and I asked him, ‘Please have a show with me.’ In December we will have one at the TIME Gallery in Portland,” she said.

Campbell has been painting since she was 6 years old, inspired by her background, artists she has met on Facebook, her students, her travels and her interests.

A Patriots and Red Sox fan, one of her signature paintings was of the Red Sox team huddle following the 2008 World Series win. Another work of art is a red car and with a decoupaged dollar bill that was a commentary on the rising gas prices last year.

“My paintings are like time capsules for me,” she said.

Campbell has received several opportunities to express her love for art and to inspire the community. In 1990, she was the art director of the 700-foot mural for a neighborhood inner city rebeautification project. She painted a Mona Lisa for Di Vinci’s Restaurant in Lewiston. In 2006, she was commissioned by Platz developers to paint two 20,000-gallon oil tanks at the Bates Mill complex. She presented a prototype of her design on breadcrumb cans. It was quickly accepted and she created Monet-like paintings on the cylinders.

“That gave me huge confidence,” she said.

To maintain her confidence, Campbell keeps a quote from Tynan, one of her students at Fairview, in her desk drawer: “I’ve been doing a lot of art. The more I do it, the more confidence I get with my art.”

In June and July 2008, Campbell was awarded a Maine Arts Teacher Fellowship to paint on location in Umbria, Italy. “The fellowship was to enhance myself as an artist, and in turn bring it back to the classroom. It really has impacted how I teach.”

The plein aire painting experience has continued to inspire her as she travels about Maine to put what she sees on canvas. Recently, she painted the ruins of the Cowan Mill in Lewiston after it burned this summer.

“It reminded me of the Colosseum in Rome. There was a beauty there, even in the ruins,” she said. “I spent about two hours and gathered quite a crowd who was interested in what I was doing.”

“It’s weird what sets me off. Things just happen,” she said.

Last February, she chased a lunar eclipse. “I chased it down to Kennebunkport. I wanted to capture it on camera before it disappeared,” she said. “It was so cold. Photographers are my best friends. I caught a clipper ship in the lunar eclipse. I did it in a vertical format. (The painting) just evolved.”

In her studio she keeps photos, artifacts and mementos for inspiration. There are ballet shoes, trinkets and photos all about “my little sanctuary,” she said.

Melinda Campbell paints in her basement ‘”sanctuary” at her home in Lewiston. Her works reflect her interests and inspirations developed since the age of 6.