Melanie FerDon Garratt

Melanie FerDon

Melanie FerDon

About the Artist...

Melanie FerDon lives in Auckland, New Zealand and has been a multi-talented painter most of her life. She graduated in 2002 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Whitecliffe College of Art and Design in Auckland, where she is also a Fine Arts Instructor.

She came from an 'artistically oriented' family in New Orleans, Louisiana, (US); where her father had been an artist on 'Jackson Square' during the 1950-1960's. Her mother was a graduate from an Art College in Mexico City under influences from Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. Growing up in a bohemian art studio environment, she had the opportunity to study under the shadow of some New Orleans 'greats' such as the late artist, John Kamas. She sold her first piece of artwork from Brandonburg Art Studios at the age of 8.

She is a contemporary painter using dark, rich colours and utilizes digitized mixed media. In painting, Melanie enjoys working with a very large canvas. You'll see this reflected in her "Bobby Allen Series" which was done in tribute to a well-known female impersonator during the 30's and 40's using the stage name "Bobby Allen".

Her "Gumbo Yaya Collection", (which continues the 'Bobby Allen theme') were the subjects of recent exhibitions, and have all sold. "Gumbo Ya-Ya" is a New Orleans Creole colloquialism that means "A Little Bit of Everything"; and exemplifies the passion of the time and place. With the recent tragedy of Hurricane Katrina in mind, its fair to say that the spirit that embodies New Orleans is alive and well worldwide. The city itself has no choice - it will rise again like the phoenix.

Her BFA Exhibtion "The Third Sex" also contained a series of paintings called "Interiors"; a diversion from the figurative, and delight the eye with angles, colour and shadows. These are included for viewing on this website.

Recently with the emergence of digital media, Melanie has been working with artfilm representations. "les rideaux - a digital video installation" took place last January 2005 at the Randolf Street Gallery in Newton, Auckland NZ and was the substance of her MFA7 Exhibition.

This year she is doing a solo exhibition entitled "From Sea to Shining Sea" to show at Whare Toi Tangata Gallery in Moerewa Northland - New Zealand. This digital print and film installation reflects the displacement of Hispanic communities in the Western portion of what is now known as the United States of America.

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Leader Article Exibition

"Gumbo Ya-Ya" at The Quarry
Yvonne Rusk Gallery
Whangarei, New Zealand

Melanie hopes that you will enjoy
viewing her collections.

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Invitation Panel for 'Sea to Sea'

Invitation Panel for "From Sea to Shining Sea"

Click on images to see details from "From Sea to Shining Sea"

Antonia

Land Grant

Arms - Alamo

Arms - Alamo

Coitus Wall

Coitus - Wall

Fetus Wall

Fetus - Wall

Fetus Mexican Wall

Fetus Mexican - Wall

Hands - Wall

Hands - Wall

Neck - Door

Neck - Door

Skeletons - Roll Door

Skeletons - Roll Door

Skull - Alamo

Skull - Alamo

Vetruvian - Wall

Vetruvian - Wall

Woman - Che

Woman - Ché

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Click on images to see details from "les rideaux - a digital video installation"

Black Pieta One

Black Pieta One

Chair & Lamp

Chair & Lamp

Black Pieta Two

Black Pieta Two

Lamp Number 1

Lamp Number 1

Chair

Chair

Lamp Number 2

Lamp Number 2

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Click on images to see details from "Interiors"

Interiors 1

Interiors 1

Interiors 2

Interiors 2

Interiors 3

Interiors 3

Interiors 4

Interiors 4

Interiors 5

Interiors 5

Interiors 6

Interiors 6

Click on images to see details from "Gumbo Yaya Collection"

Gumbo Yaya 1

Gumbo Yaya 1
~ SOLD ~

Gumbo Yaya 2

Gumbo Yaya 2
~ SOLD ~

Gumbo Yaya 3

Gumbo Yaya 3
~ SOLD ~

Gumbo Yaya 4

Gumbo Yaya 4
~ SOLD ~

Figurative

Figurative
~ SOLD ~

Click on image to see details

Bobby Allen Dressing for Act

Dressing
~ SOLD ~

Dance of the Dead

Dance of the Dead

Bobby Allen On Stage

On Stage
~ SOLD ~

Bobby Allen in Old Age

Sons of Merlin
Private Collection

Naughty

Naughty

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Click on images to see details from earlier installations


Not to be Taken ( Ink )	Nursing Home	Parts ~ SOLD ~	Mother & Child with Chocolate	Boy

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Melanie

Frivilous Maxims

A Gallery of Artists

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Copyright © 2002-2004 Melanie FerDon - All Rights Reserved