Melanie McCollin-Walker

‘Growing up in Barbados, I always daydreamed about travelling beyond the shores of my island home. It is rare to journey somewhere new and have an immediate connection and a sense of place or belonging…the feeling of coming home as it were. Bruny is such a place for me. There is something transcendent about my time at Bull Bay. It was a unique opportunity for me to ensconce myself in a landscape which I felt innately drawn to. I was fascinated and amazed by the purity of the light and its dynamic impact on the surrounding landscape.  The main focus of my time during the residency was to hone my observational skills and to use my work as a way to journal the constant shifts from one moment to the next and in some cases to dissect the anatomy of storms, looking at the way in which they pushed and pulled small patches of light as they danced across the sky. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Bull Bay, it was an immersive experience and one that will be woven into my practice for many years to come.’

Melanie McCollin-Walker began her artistic journey whilst growing up on the island of Barbados. Always the wanderer, Melanie has lived all around the world and it is this nomadic lifestyle which has been the major source of inspiration for her work. Without the aid of photographs, she relies on her innate sensibilities using a combination of memory, observation and emotion. Subtle layers of paint are juxtaposed with bold and intuitive painterly marks and gestures. The landscape and in particular her signature stormy seas and skies, provide the framework within which the artist’s journey takes place. The resulting paintings are light-filled and dramatic. The essence of natural forces which she is able to capture on the canvas creates a sense of place, simultaneously evoking both mystery and curiosity. Each painting providing a window into her subconscious, while also challenging those viewing her work to delve deeper into their own. McCollin-Walker has been invited to participate in numerous solo and group exhibitions and was shortlisted for the Clifton’s art prize in 2013 and 2016, winning the People’s Choice Award in 2013. Her work is represented in private and public collections globally. She will be exhibiting with Art Atrium in Art Central Hong Kong in 2018.

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Wednesday - Friday 12:00 - 5:00 pm
Saturday 12.00 - 4.00 pm
Other times by appointment

We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we live and work– the Gadigal/Bidjigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay respects to their elders past, present and emerging.