Claire Melli
Painting
e-mail: claire.melli@umconnect.edu
website: http://www.clairemelli.com
Bio
Claire Melli graduated from the University of Central Florida with a BFA in painting and an art history minor. While in Orlando, Claire divided her time between work and school, and volunteered regularly with local animal shelters. She is now pursuing her MFA in painting at the University of Montana, where she plans to spend less time waiting tables and more time working out the kinks in her art.
Statement
I am foremost a painter and derive great joy from the simple act of applying paint to a surface. I believe that the physical and mental process of making a painting or drawing is as important as the final, tangible result, and find no satisfaction in naturalistic representation or demonstrating technical mastery. I am strongly inspired by Art Brut and American Abstract Expressionism, and attempt to synthesize my art historical influences with my own inclinations and experience. My current body of work reflects my interest in documenting the fleeting and lingering trains of thought and emotion that occur within various levels of consciousness. Automatic drawing is a vital tool in this endeavor, and I employ acrylic, oil, charcoal, ink, and other media to create highly personal works that often contain recurring characters and narratives that I have yet to fully decipher.
