Do you love texture? Do you find that ‘nature’ as subject matter for a painting nourishing for both the mind and soul? Have you ever wanted to reach out and touch a tactile artwork? Here is your chance to create your very own textured artwork based on the subject of nature and I guarantee that the audience will be invited into your work, even tempted to touch it (side note - you made need a sign handy that touching is not permitted). 

Over the week, you will be taken through a series of demonstrations in regard to palette knife technique, mixing acrylic paint and heavy bodied texture mediums whilst continuously referring to the principles and elements of design (resources will be provided).

The two themes are ‘seascapes’ and ‘gardens’. Visual stimulus will be provided and Melony will guide you through the process of creating two distinct paintings that you would be proud to hang in your own home.

​

Melony Kara Smirniotis, a Textural expressionist is the founder and owner of Gallery 11:11 Studio and art space in the leafy suburb of North Epping. Completing a Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Western Sydney, Nepean in 1998 marked the beginning of taking her artwork to a new level. Post University studies, teaching, exhibiting and curating have been Melony's key focus. Art making is a staple for her, a necessity.

 “The art making process nourishes, challenges, provokes, humbles and provides grounding and perspective. My surroundings constantly influence her technique and choice of materials”.

Texture and colour, light and movement remain a constant sources of inspiration. Such elements are observed and recorded on a conscious and subconscious level daily. This collection of thoughts and experiences tend to build and then eventually pour out into the canvas. She remains open to the concept of change pushing herself to engage in the exploration of tools and mediums. Her constant is the tactility of her work and the subject matter that being Mother Nature. Melony aspires to create work that evokes emotion and warms the soul, celebrating natural surroundings.

“Art making is both personal and therapeutic for me. My internal doctrine has never embraced a work to live mentality only live to love and live to paint.”

An educator for 20 years, Melony enjoys sharing her skills with her students, allowing them to discover the magic that can be created using a palette knife and heavy bodied medium such as moulding paste and texture medium.

Website melonykarasmirniotis.com