Paulette Melanson - Acrylic on Canvas

Paulette Melanson grew up in the Acadian village of Scoudouc, New Brunswick.  Her introduction to formal art education began in high school in Shediac, where she completed two art credits.  At an exhibition in 1971, she sold her first abstract painting, 24in x 36in for $50, a healthy sum at that time. The provincial French newspaper wrote a piece about the young Acadian artist and her painting.  This opened a world of dreams for Paulette.

Although visual arts were in her heart, Paulette believed it would be unlikely for a person from her village to become a practicing artist.  Instead she decided to pursue studies in science and education:  B.Sc. 1975, B.Ed. 1977 and M.Ed 1990.  In 1985 Paulette moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia for work also giving her an opportunity to pursue studies at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design.  The move to NS also brought her closer to her Acadian roots that she was able to trace back to 1664 near Port Royal (Melanson Settlement National Historic Site).

Paulette took as many art courses and workshops as she could fit in her work schedule.  It became an obsession to learn from the masters.  Paints and paper always went in her suitcase as she travelled all over the country for her work as a mediator with Parks Canada.  Finally in 2011, Paulette’s lifelong dream of becoming a fulltime practicing artist came true. She now has a studio in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia where she lives.

Paulette’s preferred mode of expression is abstract painting using an automatism type process to create her work.  She does not work with pre-determined themes or titles.  She finds this limits her creative relationship with the work.  Instead, she unconsciously experiments with the medium for extended periods of time until she finds meaning in the layers of paint.  At that point the painting comes to life and themes emerge.  Her art works are about the forces of nature, the fragility of life and the connectivity of things past and present.

Her current direction is “to create works that will impart messages of joy, optimism and hope as we face our day to day lives in this time of climate change, war and all the other craziness in this world”.   

Public collections:  Canadian Embassy in Paris, France; Nova Scotia Art Bank.

Private collections:  Canada, USA, UK, Denmark and Taiwan