Melanie paints in oil on traditional Gesso panels that she prepares herself, the surface of the paintings are complex with a build up of oil, which is painted and removed, sometimes printed into. The objects in them are familiar but rendered strange in ambiguous space.Recently she has made small diorama box pieces, which are small glazed boxes containing collage, vintage found objects, cast pieces, and embroidery. These incorporate vintage lenses through which the viewer can illuminate intimate scenes using their mobile phones.The works are informed by her immediate surroundings and the objects she collects: blossom, Lichen and moss, twigs or seaweed, that catch her eye on daily walks. These are taken back to the studio, where she paints small studies which inform the larger paintings, where overlooked, familiar, alive, objects become mysterious, being at the periphery of nature of myth, legend, history, and memory. ” I am considering myself in nature, the relationship between organisms and surroundings, in that relationship the unseen, the spiritual, and the unquantifiable are present. There is something ‘other’ that we as humans respond to when confronted by the natural world, being at the periphery of nature of myth, legend, history, and memory.” “My inspiration comes between found and imagined, from walking, reading and collecting. References, include the wonder of a primary school nature table, art history, myth, memory, found objects, seeing not knowing, fear, history, the endurance of objects.”
Education:
1985 Art Foundation West Surrey College of Art and Design
1987 Maidstone College of Art B.A hons Fine Art.
2002 Wimbledon School of Art M.A in Painting.
Solo Exhibitions:2024 ‘Understory:Sous-Etage’ Salon Vert Geneva Switzerland
2023 ‘New-Unknown’ Long and Ryle London
2020 ’Finite Things Long and Ryle . London
2020 Solace ‘Solace 2020’ an online exhibition of lockdown paintings. Long and Ryle London
2018 ‘The Form Of Things Unknown’ Le Salon Vert Geneva Switzerland
2014 ‘Natural History’ Long and Ryle.London February
2011 ‘Close: Still’ Millenium St Ives June
2010 ‘Moth Boy and Bees’ Long and Ryle. London September
2009 ‘Small Truths’ Millennium St Ives October
Selected recent exhibitions include: 2023 Contemporary British Painting Prize Huddersfield Art Gallery
2023 Contemporary British Painting Prize Thamesside Gallery London
2021 ‘Model:Maquette’ Cello Factory London
2021 “Landscape:Unstilled Life” Darl E and the Bear Woodstock
2020 ‘The Seventh View” C24 gallery New York
2020’Wells Art Contemporary. Wells Cathedral Somerset.
2019 ‘Forgotten Landscapes’ . Long and Ryle London
2018 ‘Seen Unseen’ an exhibition with five painters and a poet. Alice Oswald, Juliette Losq, Sue Williams A’court, Anna Gardiner, Louise McClary, Melanie Miller. Long and Ryle London“Particular” Hilton Young Penzance
2002-13 2015-19 2021 -22 2024 Royal Academy Summer exhibition
2002-2016 2017, 2019 ‘The Discerning Eye’ Mall galleries, London
2009-13 2015-17 “Columbia Threadneedle Prize” (Shortlisted 2009)
Competitions:
2024 Finalist Contemporary British Painting prize
2017 Finalist Threadneedle Painting Prize
Art Fairs:
2024 ‘London original Print Fair’ Somerset House London
2024 ‘London Art Fair Islington LondonArt MiamiLondon Art FairInternational Print Fair20/21 art Fair BADA
Residencies:2019 KIRA:Kingsbrae International residency for the Arts Canada