Johanna Melvin

After many years working as a free-lance illustrator, Johanna Melvin studied BA Fine Art at Guildhall University (1995-1998) leading to a studio practice combined with a role at the Whitechapel Gallery, London as Editions Manager. Throughout this time Johanna continued post graduate studies at The Essential School of Painting, a London alternative art school, returning to full time painting and a further year of studies at Turps Art School, also in London. Jo now teaches abstract painting at The Essential School of Painting, London. Urban landscape, architecture and the grid as a hard-edged planar device -often contrasted with painterly gesture - are her inspiration. Colour - and its ability to summon memory, past experience and sense of place - also plays a part. Other influences include music and story telling. Some paintings could be described as process led, non-linear visual diary entries in response to a given mood or state of mind. Artwork titles are arrived at intuitively, evolving from snatches of conversation, prose or song lyrics, or from past recollections and preoccupations that imbue within the work. Johanna has shown her work many times at The Royal Academy of Art; Flowers Gallery; APT (Art in Perpetuity Trust) in London, and her work is held in many private collections. Public collections include Whitechapel Gallery Archives; The Fitzwilliam Collection, Cambridge; Groucho Club Collection and Soho Home New York, Los Angeles and London.