About Melissa
Melissa Carey is an established Contemporary Artist, originally born in Perth WA, and is based in South East Queensland, Australia and often travels for her art projects and workshops to Brisbane, Gold Coast, Northern Rivers and Sydney.
After completing her visual art studies after high school, she worked in Project Management, Quality Assurance and Training in several industries for 12 years, while she continued her art practice part time. In 2013, she took the plunge to follow her art career full time, successfully undertaking art commissions and art projects within the community.
Her style is intricate, detailed & contemporary in it's various forms of sculpture & installation art, balancing her feminine elements of rope & textiles with her masculine elements of timber & metal, and encompasses themes of connection. She has a strong focus on managing all elements of her projects from design concepts, fabrication and installation, and has a hands-on approach to making her artwork. She is passionate about sharing knowledge and encouraging creativity through teaching, and has taught thousands of people at her art & modern craft workshops in her studio & events Australia-wide.
Melissa’s work has been showcased internationally, and some highlights of her art career are: completing an art residency in Berlin, Germany, being an invited artist for Strand Ephemera sculpture exhibition in Queensland, designing 2 key artworks for award-winning restaurant 6HEAD in Sydney Harbour, and working with leading brands & locations, such as Google, Ikea, Seafolly Australia & US Swimwear brand, Salvation Army, Atlassian, Market City Shopping Centre, and more.
Melissa regularly volunteers within the community - she recently volunteered at the Sydney Children's Hospital teaching craft in the Mental Health Ward, and a past highlight was working in the art room at Princess Margaret Children’s Hospital in Perth, WA.
Scroll down the page to view Melissa's Art CV.
Melissa Carey - Art CV
EDUCATION & TRAINING
2013 – Project Management Diploma (PMBOK), Safetynet Management Solutions, Australia
2006 – Visual Art Advanced Diploma, Central TAFE, Perth, Australia
ART AWARDS
2021 “Damien Lacey Indoor Sculpture Award” for “Spiralling Up” Sculpture, at Brisbane Sculpture Festival, QLD
ART RESIDENCIES
2016 Art Residency, Huttenpalast studio, Berlin, Germany
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2016 “Connections” exhibition to showcase art residency work - Studio Baustelle Gallery, Berlin, Germany
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2021 Sculptors QLD Group Exhibition, Brisbane Sculpture Festival, QLD
“Welded Hearts” Art Exhibition with Colleen Lavender at The Centre, Beaudesert, QLD
2019 Invited Artist, Strand Ephemera Sculpture Exhibition – Townsville, QLD, Australia
2015 “Fibre Art Exhibition” - Create or Die Gallery, Sydney, Australia
2011 “Artists On The Walkpath” Eric Singleton Bird Sanctuary, Riverside Gardens, Perth, Australia
“Connections” - Exhibition at Riverview Gallery Space, Perth, Australia
2010 “Sculptures by the Swan” Sculpture Park Exhibition, Sandy Beach Reserve Perth, Australia
“Artists On The Walkpath” Toni Di Scerni path, Bardon Park, Perth, Australia
2008 “Seven Sensational Sculptures by the Swan” Sculpture Park Exhibition, Perth Australia
“Fine Art Auction” – Central TAFE Art Gallery, Perth, Australia
‘Material Pleasure’ – Exhibition at Heathcote Museum & Gallery, Perth, Australia
2007 ‘Sketchpo’ – Exhibition during Artopia, at the Fibonacci Centre, Perth, Australia
2006 “Breakthrough” Graduate Exhibition, Central TAFE
“Red Hot Art Auction” – Central TAFE Art Gallery, Perth, Australia
2002 The Angelico Exhibition (Award Winner), the Forrest Centre, Perth, Australia
GRANTS
2019 Burning Seed Art & Music Festival – Grant for Key sculpture for Friday Night Art Burn, NSW
Confest Art & Lifestyle Festival – Grant for sculpture & community workshops, NSW
PUBLIC ART & COMMISSIONS
2021 Private Commission - Snake Sculpture for Art Collector, Queensland, Australia
2019 Cow Head Sculptures - 6HEAD Restaurant, Sydney, Australia
Rope Art Installation - 6HEAD Restaurant, Sydney, Australia
Ocean Art Installation & Art Workshops - St Clares College, Sydney
2018 “Cotton Conversation” Art Installation – Ikea, Sydney Australia
“Open Heart” Sculpture for “Eat your heart out” festival for Liverpool City Council, Sydney
“Fortune Circle” Art Installation for Chinese New Year, Market City Shopping Centre, Sydney
2017 “Airwave” Commissioned Sculpture, Air Nightclub, Perth Australia
2016 Sculpture Commission – The Pavillion Restaurant, Botanical Gardens, Sydney, Australia
Sculpture Commission – Seafolly Swimwear, 5 locations around Australia & showcased in USA
2015 Sculpture Commission – Oxford Hotel, Sydney, Australia
Commissioned Light Art for Vivid Festival – Keystone Group, Sydney, Australia
2013 Commissioned Painting – Private Art Collection, Bergen Op Zoom, The Netherlands
2007 Commissioned Sculpture – West Coast Blues N’ Roots Festival, Perth (Sunset Events)
2006 Public Sculpture – Mt Narryer Station, Australia
Public Sculpture – Wogarno Station, Australia
Commissioned Sculpture - Hartley Estate Winery, Chittering, Australia
2005 Public Sculpture - Wogarno Station, Australia
Commissioned Sculpture - Hartley Estate Winery, Chittering, Australia
FESTIVALS
2019 Burning Seed Art & Music Festival – Grant for Key sculpture for Friday Night Art Burn, NSW
“Open Heart” Sculpture for “Eat your heart out” festival for Liverpool City Council, Sydney
Bondi Art Trail, Street Art Festival – Invited Artist, Bondi, Sydney, Australia
Confest Art & Lifestyle Festival – Grant for sculpture & community workshops, NSW
2018 “Open Heart” Sculpture for “Eat your heart out” festival for Liverpool City Council, Sydney
2015 “Beams Art Festival 2015” – Public Art Installation in the streets of Chippendale, Sydney, Australia
“Day Of The Dead Festival” – Sculptural Art Installation commissioned by The Artistry, Sydney
2014 “Beams Art Festival 2014” – Public Art Installation in the streets of Chippendale, Sydney, Australia
2007 “West Coast Blues N’ Roots Festival” - Commissioned Sculpture, Perth (Sunset Events)
2005 “Qfest” – Collaborated and Individual Fire Sculpture, Cue, Australia
TEACHING
2014 – current: Teaching art & modern craft workshops independently to both kids & adults, and at events and working with leading brands such as Google, Atlassian, Salvation Army and more.
2019 Waverley Woollahra Arts School – teaching art & modern craft to kids
2018 Teaching art workshops at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Australia
2008 Teaching art workshops at Princess Margaret Children’s Hospital in Perth, WA
CURATED
2016 “Connections” exhibition to showcase art residency work - Studio Baustelle Gallery, Berlin, Germany
2015 “One Sydney” Art auction, raising $7,000 for asylum seekers, Sydney, Australia
“Quantum Science + Art” by Tony Nicotra at The Space Gallery, Sydney Australia
Follow Melissa on Instagram @artistmelissacarey (click below)
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Want more?
To view Melissa's Art Portfolio Click HERE
Visit her online Shop HERE
Contact Melissa HERE
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