Artist Statement
Prepared for Melanie Cheung’s With Heavy Hearts series, presented in 2024.
This series invites you to sit with heavy emotion, if only for a moment, until it starts to diffuse. Sadness is everywhere – stemming from personal struggles, the cruelty of world conflicts, our changing climate, and crises in housing and mental health. These issues keep us up at night and permeate our days with weight. Rather than dismissing these feelings, allowing their weight to work through us can give us what we need to speak out, lend support, and find joy in small, incremental victories—wherever they appear.
This series is about embracing the full spectrum of emotions available as a blurred harmony within us. It is about living with complexity, not complacency. It is about continuing to live our lives to the fullest, nurturing our dreams, and maintaining our hope for the future, with heavy hearts.
Artist Bio
Melanie Cheung is an abstract artist based in Hamilton, Ontario. Her work delves into the elusive aspects of the human experience, casting a light on emotions that often defy explanation such as dreams and subconscious thoughts. Utilizing fluid layers of paint and mixed media, Melanie’s creative process merges thoughtful planning with intuitive expression, resulting in works that are both unassuming and impactful. Working with unique colour pairings and organic shapes, Melanie seeks to capture the quiet narratives of our inner lives.
Originating from Toronto, Melanie holds a Bachelor of Design in fashion design from Toronto Metropolitan University. Having spent twelve formative years in Montreal, working in the fashion industry, she relocated to Hamilton in 2020.
Artist headshot by @sincerelyimage.
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