MEL TAYLOR
Fine Artist
Hello
Mel is an introspective artist whose work emerges from a profound engagement with the themes of mortality, resilience, and the inherent beauty found within life's challenges. Having navigated through significant personal trials, Mel has transformed these experiences into a dialogue that celebrates the complexity of existence.
In her art, Mel melds striking imagery with deep philosophical reflections, capturing the delicate balance between beauty and hardship. Each piece invites viewers to explore the profound narratives of life that coexist with suffering, showcasing the vibrant spectrum of human experience. Her work challenges the perception of darkness, emphasizing that it is through adversity that we truly appreciate the light.
Focusing on the raw realities of the human condition, Mel portrays subjects that embody both vulnerability and strength. The stunning visualizations of bodies marked by struggle—whether through disease, decay, or emotional scars—serve as a testament to survival and the intricate relationship between the self and the challenges that shape our reality.
Rejecting the pursuit of external approval or the imposition of ideologies, Mel instead offers a candid interpretation of her worldview, where even the most difficult aspects of life are rendered beautiful. In this shared space of symbiosis—between the organism and its environment, cognition and physiology—she invites us to reflect on our own existence and the meanings we derive from it.
Through her art, Mel not only confronts mortality but also celebrates the resilience of the human spirit, inspiring viewers to recognise and honour the beauty that can arise from life's most formidable tests.
Awards
2019 Golden Mile Art Exhibition Group Annual Members’ Art Prize Exhibition
Second Prize - ‘Pretty Ugly’, oil on canvas
2020 Shirley Hannan National Portrait Award
Finalist - ‘Owen’, oil on canvas
2020 Golden Mile Art Exhibition Group Virtual Art Prize
Second Prize – ‘Tom’, oil on canvas
Highly commended – ‘Morning Twilight’, oil on plywood
2020 Golden Mile Art Exhibition Group Annual Members’ Art Prize Exhibition
First Prize - ‘Laverton Chook’, oil on canvas
2021 Golden Mile Art Exhibition Group Kalgoorlie Fair Art Prize (public vote)
Third prize ‘Golden Glow’, oil on canvas
2021 Inland Art Prize
Overall winner ‘Owen”, oil on canvas (Open Painting Winner)
2021 City of Kalgoorlie Art Prize
Best work by Goldfields Artist ‘Pride’, oil on canvas
2022 Artgold Awards
Finalist, Visual Artist category
2023 The Jury Art Prize
Finalist ‘I used to dream in colour’, oil on canvas
2025 Collie Art Prize
Finalist ‘Last Love Letters’, oil on canvas
2025 Kalamunda Art Awards
Finalist ‘Soul Scientist’, oil on canvas
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Exhibitions
2016 Solo exhibition, Because We Can, resin works, Kalgoorlie Boulder, WA.
2016 -2022 Group exhibition, Kalgoorlie Boulder Art Prize, Kalgoorlie Town Hall, WA
2017 Group exhibition, Kalgoorlie Boulder Art Prize, Kalgoorlie Town Hall, WA
2017 Group exhibition, Local 14, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, WA
2019 Group exhibition, Kalgoorlie Boulder Art Prize, Goldfields Arts Centre Gallery, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, WA
2019, 2020, 2021 Group exhibition, Golden Mile Art Exhibition Group Annual Members’ Art Prize Exhibition, Black Crow Gallery, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, WA
2020 Golden Mile Art Exhibition Group Virtual Art Prize (online)
2020 Shirley Hannan National Portrait Award
2021 Kent St Gallery ‘Perspectives From the Goldfields’ (with Michelle Warren and Jarrad Price)
2022 Group exhibition, Golden Mile Art Exhibition Group Annual Members’ Art Prize Exhibition, Museum of the Goldfields, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, WA
2022 Group Exhibition, Open Borders – Erosion, ArtGold Gallery, Kalgoorlie- Boulder
2023 Group Exhibition, The Jury Art Prize, 2023, The Courthouse+Gallery (and virtual exhibition), Port Hedland, WA
2025 Group Exhibition, Darlings of the Scarp, Zig Zag Gallery, Kalamunda
2025 Group Exhibition, Collie Art Prize, Collie Art Gallery
2025 Group Exhibition, Kalamunda Art Awards, Zig Zag Gallery, Kalamunda