Melanie Taylor
Phantom, 2026, oil on canvas, 168 x 137 cm, £1750
About this work:
This painting depicts an old oak that is probably around 300 years old. It has survived throughout the years despite a broken limb and will continue beyond our living memory. Its inherent pathos and persistence inspired the painting, knowing that its timeline extends long before and beyond my own. I have attempted to translate its presence through painting, allowing transparency to show the surrounding landscape and the fragility of its existence.
My practice is primarily concerned with our complex relationship to the landscape as history, habitat, nature, place and aesthetic. The works encourage a thoughtful experience of natural spaces with consideration for its fragility and resilience. They address nature's fundamental and enduring predominance that exists beyond physical boundaries and our living memory.
About the Artist:
Born in Northumberland, England, Melanie received a BFA in painting from Rhode Island School of Design, USA, and MA Fine Art from the University of Southampton, UK, at the Winchester School of Art. She has exhibited her work in galleries and museums in the UK, USA, Spain and India, including the Blue Gallery, London, White Columns, NY, Maidstone Museum & Bentlif Art Gallery, UK, Espai Cultural Caja Madrid, Barcelona, Bread & Salt, City Gallery and Art Produce Gallery in San Diego, CA. She is the recipient of professional awards for her artwork and has been an Artist-in-Residence at Art Produce, San Diego, CA and Sanskriti Pratishan, New Delhi, India. Her work is held in numerous private and public collections, including Art UK, University of Surrey, UK, Sanskriti Foundation, India, and Boston Ballet, USA.
