Melissa’s  work speaks of a life lived on the land, an intimate connection with both the wild and tamed landscapes in her close daily interactions of working on a farm and revegetating native habitat. Titles often allude to the narrative experience of these spaces and provide some insight into the thought process behind the art.

Says Melissa of this work: “In this drawing I explore the immediacy of mark-making within my intimate home environment and perpetuate a loss of control over materials. I take some supplies down to the creek line and dip the roll of paper in the water and commence to work on the bridge with gathered materials: handmade bamboo sticks, ink, earth and gravel, and charcoal still smoking from a recent burn-off.

Paperbark trees, shadows in the water, tangled rushes surround and inspire me. Dave drives back from the vineyard and I let him drive over my drawing, adding to the texture.

I add graphite, watercolour, ink. It starts to rain.

I have really lost control now and the “drawing” is running away with the rain and I have to laugh.

I hang it over a paperbark tree and then get it to my studio where I add some pastel and let it dry out.”