25 February – 27 May 2025
Studio 531 Architect Window Gallery
546 Herald Street, Victoria
24/7 viewing from street
About the work:
I am a multidisciplinary visual artist. My work is materials driven and that inspires my making. My approach is experimental. I work with natural and found materials. I manipulate the material to see what it is capable of. Everything is grist for the mill. I often obtain materials with no creation in mind, the process of working with the material in an exploratory way informs my decisions of what to make, what techniques to use, what form they will take. Materials also direct the concept behind the work which leads to large installations and collaborations with other artists.
My work is very often conceptual and multi layered. Working on installations in a conceptual manner affords me the opportunity to incorporate a variety of disciplines and techniques, from knitting to print making. I make one off pieces or multiple pieces for installations. My approach to creating is always with the question ‘What if…’?
About the Artist:
Melanie Thompson is a Canadian multi disciplinary visual artist who lives and works in the Southern Gulf Islands of British Columbia, Canada. For years a professional basket maker Melanie completed the Diploma in Fine Arts at ECUAD and continued with additional course work for a number of years. Her practice has a conceptual focus on material transformation and the environment. It includes both 2 and 3 dimensional work often in installations. Some of the disciplines she employs are basketry, stitching, collage, sculpture, print making, eco printing, ink making, and encaustic and acrylic painting. Melanie’s approach is experimental; her creative process is intuitive, applying techniques to create organic textures and forms. She draws inspiration from the natural world.
Melanie has exhibited and sold her work widely. Her work can currently be found at Summer Artcraft Mahon Hall on Salt Spring Island, BC. It can also be viewed at https://ssartscouncil.com/user/melanie-thompson and on her instagram account @melaniethompson1
