MELISSA HEYES

My abstract paintings are influenced by my own emotions during the time of making them and my personal inner thoughts play a big role when it comes to making decisions when painting. I see abstract painting as essentially, my own visual language. Colour and shapes are one of the significant ingredients in my work and my choices often express my emotions and how I am truly feeling at the time of working on them. Each painting is worked on in the space of a few weeks and when bringing in darker tones on top of brighter tones or the opposite way around, I can see the layers of various emotions going into it. I often overlap harsh brushstrokes and unique marks to create a visual depth that the audience can identify and so that when looking at the painting, it is as though you are entering another world. I have always painted at a fast pace and this is one of the reasons why I love and work in acrylic paint. It allows me to work quickly as it dries fast, and I am able to add more and more layers in a short amount of time. I am still on an ongoing journey finding my own freedom on canvas, I truly love how I have found that I can express myself and let go of my anxieties and emotions into my practise.