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: “This work emerged through a close interaction with my home environment. The paper was taken down to the creek line; on wetlands that we have rehabilitated on our farm. The paper was soaked in the water and worked into with materials on hand (dirt, charcoal) plus ink, graphite powder and pastel). My focus and interaction was centred from my viewpoint on the wooden bridge and taking in the paperbarks, the reflections of plant life and light on the surface of the water, as well as the sounds of water rushing near by.”