AWARDS AND EXHIBITIONS
2021 ArtAviso ELSEWHERE & OTHER PLACES Virtual Exhibition Finalist
Being in nature has always allayed my anxiety, it is a form of meditation. I take myself to places that enable me to reconnect and observe the resilience of nature. More so now it is imperative that we connect with parts of ourselves that you haven’t before and reconnect, cultivate attentiveness, and pay attention to the world around you.
2021 AAP MAGAZINE TRAVELS MERIT AWARD Press release features, AAP magazine feature in Travels #20
WINTER IN WOODEND- SERIES
Winter in Woodend is cold, -3 degrees on this day. I wake early and set off not too far away as we can only travel five kilometres from home. Along a dirt road I have travelled before, through these encompassing white clouds the landscape looks remarkably different. My imagination eludes me and I am misguided into believing this is the Wilderness. The heavy fog reduces the surrounding landscape, suffused by the early morning light, thinking I am remote and distant from any human connection.
2020 PSC VIRTUAL EXHIBITION ‘RELEASE’ – UNTOUCHED WILDERNESS Title – RECOVER
It’s not everyday you venture out into nature and experience the feelings of awe and wonderment.
I take many walks with my camera, like meditation this alleviates my anxiety, and on those rare moments when nature presents her subtle elements, you can be drawn into a place where you become one with nature. When I can capture these moods presented by nature and experience these feelings is when I am happiest.
When you drop your narratives about reality and focus on the sensory data of this moment, problems dissolve.
It is in this state we can rest and recover from the nervous irritations of city life. When you can focus and stop your mind from thinking and concentrate on your sensors the connection you experience is all that matters. Imagine a therapy with no side effects, its called interacting with nature.
Seek wonder everyday, happiness is a truly remarkable thing, how do you retain that happiness?
2020 AAP MERIT AWARD –JOURNEY BY FOOT
FEATURE IN TRAVELS magazine #11
Being in nature has always allayed my anxiety; it's my form of meditation. We can so easily forget about those simple needs and pleasure in life.
Isolation has enabled me to reconnect, being at home creates a security a protection and comfort, and it brings me to a peaceful and happier state of mind.
More so now it's imperative to connect with parts of yourself that you haven't before and reconnect with the things that you love.
Given this time to slow down; I have been able to be inspired by books and music, long walks and observing the natural world in a different perspective. I have had wonderful moments where I have really be in awe and wonder with nature, the sea, the trees, and the silence. It is exactly in these moments that we can assess what matters, and what we want our life to mean.
My interest in drawing awareness towards our environment and the landscape motivates my belief that it is essential to our quality and balance of life.
AUDREY
2019 AUSTRALIAN PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS Finalist, 3rd place Student Category
2019 SEPTEMBER AUSTRALIAN PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS Finalist in the Portrait category- Highly Commended, Audrey
2019 OCTOBER AUSTRALIAN PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS Student Top 5 category, Audrey
Audrey lives in Woodend Victoria, she is 11 years old and my youngest niece . When I asked her to bring something special along to the shoot she introduced me to her doll ‘Baby’ aptly named, whom she is very attached to.
2018 SE CONTEMPORARY PHOTOGRAPHY Still Life exhibition finalist -VERS
Still Life, Juried by Kimberly Witham
2018 AUSTRALASIA NOW Exhibition Brunswick Street Gallery Group show –INNER LANDSCAPE
Visually inspired by characteristics of the Australian bush as seen in etchings and paintings by Australian impressionist artists and my personal affinity with the landscape, this body of work developed from wanting to create a truly Australian aesthetic focusing on the iconic gumtree, and connecting with our unique landscape.
Rural Australia, the backbone of our land, demands our attention,
It is important to explore our sense of place, how we perceive it and how we relate to it. Our sense of identity and belonging gives meaning to our lives.
OTHER AWARDS AND EXHIBITIONS
2022 CLIMARTE Visual Petition Projection and Print Exhibition, #everydayclimatecrisis Visual Petition which is now held in a collection at the National library of Australia in Canberra
2021 Edge Gallery Maldon, finalist Maldon Photography Competition
2021 Australian Photography Awards shortlisted finalist in Animal/Wildlife, Open /Illustration, and Student categories
2021 Black River issue #2 Gallery feature
2021 Print Swap digital exhibition featured work at the Indian Photography Festival in Hyderabad
2021 AAP Magazine Travels #20 Finalist, published works
2021 The Print Swap Laurent Gallery Melbourne group show Horses selected image - Includes Press Release features in Art Vibes, Bored Panda, Design you trust, Medium, Behance, Art Connect, Art Base, 123 Clicks, Vov World and Visura AAP Magazine feature
2020 Photographer of the Year Animal and Nature commended award, Living Legends
2020 The Print Swap Photo Book, Two images-Perpetual Landscape and Animate Existence, included in the first edition, a project by Feature Shoot.
2020 Competition, Highly commended, Single Shot category – titled Balance
2020 Capture Magazine’s Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographer
2020 Monthly Group Exhibition for Print Swap Artists at Chapter One Café and Wine Bar in Bondi, Sydney- Perpetual landscape
2020 Australian Photography Awards Finalist shortlisted Student
2018 Donated fine art print –Bunyeep, to Fight MND ladies luncheon, Melbourne
2017 October- Featureshoot on-line group show Editorial-Theme, The grace and magic of rural living in photos by Ellyn Kail, Curated submission selected for Printswap [world wide project for photographers] Image –We are all individual
2017 September- Brunswick Street Gallery Selected Finalist in a group show
2017 March- SE Centre for Contemporary Photography Selected Finalist, juried exhibition by Michael Itkoff Themed RED
2017 September –Click 17 selected Exhibition Finalist, Curated Photographic Art Prize, Judged by Kiron Robinson and Elias Redstone
2017 October - Clique Photo Challenge –Emotion- Highly Commended - Feature Sydney Morning Herald
2016-IPA-International photography Awards- Honourable Mention- Precious Fragments, Deeper Perspective category and The Journey, Fine Art category
2016, 2017 CCP Salon Exhibition
2016- Portrait Photo Awards 6th Collection Winner
CLIMARTE June 2022
Melissa is part of the #everydayclimatecrisis Visual Petition Exhibition @climarte
The Visual Petition is now held in collection at the National Library of Australia in Canberra.
CLIMATE EMOTIONS
Melissa’s work was part of the CLIMARTE Print Exhibition
Spending time in the country makes me feel so happy, but it also hurts me to witness the vanishing of landscapes, climate grief, fear for the future, for my children and theirs for it is within this beautiful landscape among the wild things that I find peace, focusing on the beauty around us reduces those fearful thoughts into hope and healing, these emotions are dependent on healing nature, it is our responsibility to maintain a balance, being one with nature, rather than separate.
Limited Edition Fine Art Print Famed 1/5 + 2AP
Printed on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Paper
100cm x100cm Framed or unframed