M 0405193327
Melissa Wheeler is a Visual Artist, who works in a variety of media, specialising in coloured pencil abstract drawings and in printmaking. She Has exhibited in group exhibitions across Southern Highlands, Wollondilly and Campbelltown, most recently receiving second place in’ See me, Hear me’ at Campbelltown Arts Centre. Holds Certificate IV in Fine Arts, and is currently completing Diploma of Fine Arts at Campbelltown TAFE.
Melissa Held her first solo exhibtion Energy at ARTYCAF CAFE and narrellan Libary in January 2011. A collection of her works currently hang at Tahmoor Community Centre.
Circulating energy is a vital force inherent in all things. I try to capture the energy in and around me as I draw using colour, form and composition to create works that pulsate with the mysterious forces of energy. I draw instinctively and work the colours until they sing. Each drawing takes many hours, building up the colours until the piece has found its completeness.
My inspiration comes from many sources, in particular tattoo art imagery, surrealism, magic and illusion. Forms and patterns in nature, plants and animal life and waves provide the basis of my line work. I have a deep fascination with water and use the
particular elements of motion, line, time and space to draw.
My works capture harmony, just like a good song finds the right notes. I discover the right colours to harmonize to complete each artwork.
The energy in ‘Shark Wave’ marries the force of the impending crash of waves and enables the viewer to glimpse the outline of the sharks and the energy of the water.
In the drawings Testosterone and Progesterone I aim to capture the very essence of life itself. Just as there is no end to energy and the circle of life there is also no end to the possibility of creativity within this energy.As an emerging contemporary artist I have drawn on influences from others who have preceded me such as Brett Whitely, Salvatore Dali and Georgia O’Keefe. I am an abstract expressionist and am of the belief that art as visual stimulation is meant to transcend common thought and that people should use their own imagination to find things which are hidden in the works.
Melissa teaches childrens Art Lessons at Tahmoor Community Centre and is currently working on an arts project with local teenagers encouraging safe driving behaviour.