Mel Williamson was born on Salt Spring Island and began her artistic journey with a career in graphic design and illustration. After years of working with a computer, she now loves painting in a way that shows the human hand. Weekly life-drawing sessions have been an important part of her development as a figure painter.

Mel’s paint is presented as a physical substance relating to our sense of touch. The tactile and slippery nature of oil paint is celebrated as subjects emerge like sculptures during the process. The background remains connected, only partially releasing the forms to create tension and animation. She captures in paint the emotions that are held within the figure—the truth expressed through unconscious gesture.