Lyn Mellady

Lyn Mellady

Lyn is a 5th generation Australian and paints the images, atmospheres, light and colours of the Australia she loves. She still haunts the waters edge in many weathers gaining continuing satisfaction from its solitude, its life, its constant change yet timeless permanence.Her latest challenge is to capture the energy and character of waves as they interact with the shore..

Adept with both oil or pastel, Lyn works frequently with the soft pastel medium (pure, compressed art pigment with very little binder - the same pigment used in both oil and w/colour but without liquid content.)

In 1964, Lyn was introduced to oils at teachers college and in 1966 she graduated with a distinction for art. By 1981, after being very involved with ballet, primary teaching, art education and raising a family, her own artwork took priority. Thousands of kilometres of travel are now the starting point for her paintings portraying what she describes as the untamed, but beautiful nature of our rivers, beaches and forests. Back home, work in the studio is a result of being on site absorbing the varying images, atmospheres, light and colours. She interprets and paints, drawing from her photographs, notes and sketches as data to back up her thought for the painting.

In 1997 she dropped her previous marriage name Gorman from Lyn Gorman- Mellady to paint under the more accurate Lyn Mellady

Featured in Australian Palette no 37 August 2005.
'Master Pastelists of the World'- Australia's representative in 'Australian Showcase' - Pastel Artist International, No 14 April 2002

An Oil & a Pastel painting published as prints by Art Nouveau Print Publications (1996)
Two Pastel paintings published as prints by Art Publications(1998)
Set of 6 limited reproductions featuring detailed graphite drawings of Sydney.

Lyn's Ideas about developing as an artist

When asked about learning to paint her ideas were definite. The fundamental skills (including drawing, composition, light and shade- (tone), the importance of colour and its many facets,- including its physical properties, its emotional impact, the colour wheel and the difference that colour 'schemes' make to the emotional impact of a painting; the perspective, texture and line quality, the qualities of the different pigments and the ways to apply them) are part of a life learning course. The more skills an artist has at their disposal, the better chance there is of being able to draw on the appropriate ones to create the image the artist chooses.

Lyn learned many of the basics at teacher's college (graduating with an Art Distinction in 1965) then Gymea TAFE. She left formal study with a skill base but a definite knowledge that it would be a lifelong learning trail. She decided not to enroll for any further extended course but started to read and practice. Demonstrations by other artists also enrich the assimilation of art thought and techniques. Consciously, Lyn looks to apply her own love of natural subjects, the knowledge she has assimilated from formal learning, reading, knowledge shared by other artists together with her own thoughts and constant striving to paint the image she wants. It is both a lifelong challenge and satisfaction peppered with frustration.

The best way to learn to paint is to paint...... When an artist decides what it is they really want to paint they should not paint aimlessly but try to keep the initial image in mind. By painting with a purpose the artist will place the subject, and use the appropriate skills with a greater or lesser emphasis to bring the vision to completion. By their own selection process in trying to produce their own visual thoughts, unconsciously these choices start to become recognisable as the artist's own 'style'.

Lyn has never asked for students --- they just sort of keep arriving. At one stage in 1994 she had 7 classes a week. She loves teaching but it was taking over. She now teaches only one day a week.

Home