Melanie Jai’s art is a visual documentary of her experiences as a mother with a child with Autistic Spectrum Disorder.  The emotionally charged imagery follows the chaos and confusion, magnificence, heartbreak, hope, and light, that is having a child that is different.  Painting became her therapy, her vessel through which to feel what her son feels, to attempt to understand his world in the hope that answers would present themselves.  Using a highly stylized version of herself, the artworks unfold through her eyes, yet tell his stories.  She employs an arsenal of materials and techniques in the creation of these artworks, the textured surfaces fuse materials such as bitumen, shellac, gyprock plaster, wood paneling, paper doilies, gap filler, lemon juice, wood tints, builders tape, and text, are used along side traditional mediums of inks and acrylic paints.   Narrative in style, the rich layers and vibrant colour palette beckon you to touch.  Large in scale, the imagery wraps around you, envelops you into the story, the emotion.  It is raw, sometimes gentle and nurturing, other times blatant and unforgiving, but always real and pure.

Melanie’s artworks have extensively toured through Queensland and New South Wales galleries, and her story and artworks published nationally and internationally.  Her artworks are used as an educational tool worldwide in seminars on Autism Spectrum Disorder and Aspergers Syndrome.  She is available for workshops on various subjects such as Mixed Media, Life Drawing, Concept Development, and How To Tell Your Story Through Art for adults or school groups.  She has a special interest in art therapy for the disabled, and ran classes for this for many years.

Gallery/Other Contacts:

Website http://melaniejai.com/

Phone– 0438 780489