Melinda Schawel is a North American/Australian artist based in Melbourne, known for her abstract compositions that explore the inherent qualities of paper as well as clay, metal and wood. Driven by a profound reverence for process and materials, her practice is a deeply personal and emotional response to natural phenomena and the inherent tension between control and chaos.

Schawel's work is characterized by labor-intensive, experimental techniques, including tearing, drilling, sanding, and perforating heavy-weight paper, often combined with ink, fluid acrylics, and graphite. This physical engagement with the medium creates textured, layered surfaces that evoke a visual ecology, hinting at organic forms, geological landscapes, or microscopic structures. While her works are not directly representational, they are inspired by the rhythms, textures, and cycles found in nature, from the ebb and flow of tides to the interplay of light and shadow.
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