Bio
Lyn MelladyAGRA-F, PSVA-MP
Master Pastellist
- Lyn is a 6th generation Australian and paints the images, atmospheres, light and colours of the Australia she loves.
- 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. She also thrives on plein air painting because of the immediacy with her subject.
- Lyn has lead plein air painting tours. promoted by International Artist Magazine and Travelrite International
- In 1997 she dropped her previous marriage name Gorman from Lyn Gorman- Mellady to paint under the more accurate Lyn Mellady
- Lyn's work has now won many dozens of awards, and commendations She appears in eight art reference books including 'Luminous Colour' by Linda Hibbs '50 Australian Artists' 'About Face, permanent collection by Fusion6' and Worlds Best Charcoal, Pastel and Pencil Artists 2010 & 11 by Kennedy Press. (see below)
- Four paintings were reproduced by Art Publications (sold out).
- Her work hangs in five government collections; Frankston and her Sister City Susumo, Sutherland, Campbelltown and Nagoya.
- Lyn shares her love of painting with classes, both in her Paint Down Under Studio and on line, painting tours, workshops for art societies and judging.
- She is a life member and Fellow of The Australian Guild of Realist Artists (AGRA). She was a councillor and 'Hues' Editor for 4 years from 1993 for AGRA and President in 2000 & 2001. During this term she was instrumental in establishing the annual 'Australian Art Excellence Medallion', The process of earning A.G.R.A. signatory fellowship independently from 'in house' decisions was also established.
- Lyn was a charter member and juror for www.landscapeartistsinternational.com. for several years.
- In 2004, Fusion Six was formed - 6 artists working on a major portrait project. This resulted in a unique portrait collection which toured Government Regional Galleries in 2008 -09 &10.
- In 2011 Fusion6 launched - Detour. This took three years of collaboration. It is based on the detour that six young people have taken that bought them into contact with Melbourne City Mission. What qualities do these people now portray?
- 2016 saw the 1st Decade art journey of these six artists in exhibition at Montsalvat in Eltham.
- In 2011 Lyn and her husband Brian opened the Brialyn Boathouse Gallery in Frankston representing Australian Fine Artists, jewellers and potters. Lyn retired from the gallery after five and a half years to concentrate on her personal art projects.
- A series of DVDs with ‘Paint Down Under’ enables artists to share her knowledge, watch and learn.
- Visit www.lynmellady.com.au or www.paintdownunder.com for more info.
MEMBER:- Fusion Six,
Signature Member of PSVA - and Master Pastellist - the Pastel Society of Victoria, Australia,
Fellow and Life Member of AGRA - The Australian Guild of Realist Artists
Member of PSA - Pastel Society of Australia
EXHIBITIONS:- Solo/Group
1977 - Vivian Gallery NSW
1979 - Sister City Invite Sutherland NSW
1980 - Sister City Invite Sutherland
1991 - White Hill Gallery Vic
1992 - Mildura Regional Gallery
1993 - Tuscany Galleries Vic
1993 - Garth Gallery Vic
1993 - Hamilton & Sale Regional Galleries Touring Exhibition
1994 - Garth Gallery Blairegowrie
1994 - Peninsula Gallery, Sorrento Vic
1994 - Sylvania Gallery NSW
1995 - Sylvania Gallery
1995 - Warrnambool . . . Regional Gallery.
1996 - Mall Galleries .London , England
1996 - Casa Marciana Prahan
1996 - Akoonah Park ,Berwick Vic
1996 - ARTRIO Exhibition -Sherbrooke Art Gallery Vic
Artrio=Lyn Mellady, Di King & Kaye Childs Roberts
1997 - Tuscany Galleries Healesville
1997 - ARTRIO Exhibition Sylvania Gallery NSW
1997 - Akoonah Park Gallery Berwick
1998 - Garth Gallery – Blairegowrie Vic
1999 - Sylvania Gallery NSW
1999 - Mulgrave Gallery Vic
2000 - Aspects Gallery Blairegowrie Vic
2001 - Mulgrave Gallery pastelists
2002 - Tuscany Galleries
2002 - Brushmen of the Bay exhibition Manyung Gallery , Mt Eliza
2002 - Cronulla Gallery NSW
2003 - Tuscany Galleries
2003 - Dromana Estate Gallery
2003 - Manyung Gallery, Brushmen of the Bay
2003 - Mulgrave Gallery
2003/4/5- Morning Star Estate Restaurant -Mt Eliza
2004 - AGRA Galleries with Malcolm Webster
2006 - AGRA Galleries with Catherine Hamilton and Sandra Dare
2006 - Arlington - Fusion 6 exhibition
2006 - Sorrento Fine ArtGallery with John Bredl
2007 - Wyreena Gallery at Croydon wih her students
2007 - FusionSix 'About Face Exhibition at Glen Eira City Council Gallery
2008 - FusionSix About Face Exhibition Bundaberg Regional Gallery
2008 - FusionSix About Face Exhibition Wangaretta Regional Gallery
2008 -FusionSix About Face Exhibition La Trobe Regional Gallery
2009 - Sorrento Fine Art Gallery - Bredl, Hyatt , Mellady, Talacko,
2012 - Brialyn Boathouse Gallery - Frankston
2016 - Brialyn Boathouse Gallery
2016 - Fusion6 the 1st Decade exhibition Monsalvat Gallery Eltham
AWARDS:-Dozens of Awards including
Best Pastel Painting - 1992,1997,and Best Painting to $750 , 1990 Our Lady Sacred Heart College Bentleigh
Best Pastel Painting - Toorak College Mt Eliza 1990
Best Oil Painting - Rosebud Art Show 1998
Sponsors Acquisitive Prize to $1500 Chelsea Art Show 1989, 1990, 1991
Best Pastel -Frankston/Myer Centenary Award 1988
Peoples Choice 3 years in a row-Frankston Mclelland Guild Myer Exhibition 1986, 1987, 1988.
Best Painting to $750 Pastel Society of Victoria Annual Exhibition 2000
Best Environmental Painting -Dromana Rotary 2004
Best Landscape/River/Lake –Pastel Society of Victoria Annual Exhibition 2003
Best Local Landscape – Frankston 2004
Best Seascape - Pastel Society of Victoria Annual Exhibition 2004
Best In Show - Autumn Art & Craft Dromana 1996, 1998
Best In Show - Pastel Society of Victoria Annual Exhibition 2002
Best in Show - Frankston 2005
Best Pastel Painting- Sorrento Art Show 2006,
Best Peninsula subject - Rosebud Art Show 2006
Best Pastel Painting - Rosebud Art Show 2007
Best Pastel Painting - Chelsea Art Show 2007
Best Pastel Painting - Mt View Art Show 2007
Best Pastel Painting - Sorrento Art Show 2008
Best Local Scene - Frankston Art Show 2008
Best Pastel Painting - Chelsea Art Show 2009
Best Pastel Painting - Kingston Trust Art Show 2010
Best Pastel Painting - Chelsea Art Show 2010
Best Pastel - Sorrento 2012
Best Seascape - Pastel Society of Victoria 2012
Best Seascape - Pastel Society of Victoria Australia 2014
Ming Makay Award (peer Voted) Pastel Society of Victoria Australia 2014
AGRA Australian Art Excellence Awards -Packing Room Award
Best Pastel - Mt View Art Show 2016
Best Pastel - Chelsea Art Show 2017
Best Waterscape - Pastel Society Of Victoria Australia 2017 Annual.
Best in Show - Australian Guild of Realist Artists Exh. 2017
Best Pastel - Mornington Art Show 2018
Runner up to Best in Show - Pastel Society of Victoria Australia 2018
Best Pastel - Chelsea Rotary 2019
Best Waterscape - Pastel Society of Victoria Australia 2019
Best Pastel - Knox Art Show 2020
2nd Place 'Scapes Pastel Society of Australia Annual Exh 2020
Best Pastel - Mornington Art Show 2021
Best Pastel - Mornington Art Show 2022
Best Waterscape - Pastel Society of Victoria Australia 2022
Best Waterscape - Pastel Society of Victoria Australia 2023
Best Pastel - Mornington Art Show 2024
Publications:-
Australian Artist Magazine feature Nov & Dec 2016,
Worlds Best Portrait & Figurative Artists 2012 - Kennedy Press
Luminous Colour - Pastel Artists of Australia - Linda Hibbs
Detour - The Collection by Fusion6
Worlds Best Pastel Charcoal and Pencil Artists 2011 - Kennedy Press
Worlds Best Pastel Charcoal and Pencil Artists 2010 - Kennedy Press
About Face The story of the Permanent collection by FusionSix.
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
The Australian & New Zealand Guide to Artists & Galleries (listed as Lyn Gorman-Mellady)--Max Germaine
Australian Artists Today Vol. 3 - Graeme Norris
Fifty Australian Artists Vol 1 - John Mutsaers Artists Ink.
Hues featured artist Vol 1994
Antiques and Art 1997, 2002,2004
Articles written and published on behalf of The Australian Guild of Realist Artists launching The Australian Art Excellence Medallion Award in 2000.
Articles written and published on behalf of the Brushmen of the Bay 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. Still many of the best lessons are learned when you simply paint and paint and paint.
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 two days a week and recently discovered the advantages of teaching on line during the Covid lockdown period in 2020.