This exhibition is an exploration of feminist themes from deeply personal experiences. Growing up in a conservative family on a rural property near Gulargambone, Melissa Kelly was raised to be a quiet girl, to obey the patriarch and not question her position. Married young, three children soon followed. Following the expected she was a home-maker, proficient in cooking, gardening, patchwork, and embroidery.

Her marriage disintegrated into domestic violence and after 10 years it was over. Working on empowering feminist themes has enabled Melissa to express her rage at misogyny, patriarchal systems, and how women in general are treated through deeply entrenched historical and cultural biases. Influenced by feminist writers such as Soraya Chemaly, Brene Brown and

Clementine Ford has helped her understand her own trauma, the systems in place that control women and recognise misogynist behaviour. The figurative works in this exhibition explore women undergoing transformative zoomorphism in ways that express their emotions or are protective; Women defending themselves and can pierce the predator with antlers. Others wear a crown, displaying their inner-power and triumph. Floral arrangements for the wildness of nature and a childhood reared on outdoor spaces.

The small pieces are “still life” works, inspired by natural places and landscapes Melissa loves such as the Warrumbungle mountain range and the Barr (Castlereagh) River. They also resonate with her love of making small objects that can fit in the hand to hold and enjoy in the home with family and friends. The carved urns are vessels in which young girlish hopes and dreams are laid to rest and the “body” of the urn are the scars we live with moving forward in life.  “I now have a voice.” – Melissa Kelly

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