Mel Rea

To Mel Rea, where there is clutter, even valuable things lose their value. Where there is too much, nothing stands out. This is the Japanese concept of “MA”, a principle by which she both lives and works. The presence of MA gives her great tranquility and stillness within the moment.

Her paintings are a reflection of the MA philosophy. Without excess, there is more opportunity for the essentials to stand out and have more meaning. Without imagery and with a limited palette of calming hues, she paints to achieve a sense of quiet. Creating marks as her work conveys an event or activity, while the open spaces give room for possibility and hope. Her paintings suggest a day filled with meditation interspersed with subtle collective moments of drift and daydream.