ABOUT IN-AH MELLOR
In-Ah Mellor is a contemporary mixed-media artist based in North Vancouver, British Columbia. Inspired by the natural world, her work explores pattern, texture, movement and the relationships between organic forms. Her paintings combine acrylics, inks, metallics, paint pens, modelling paste and experimental techniques to create richly layered surfaces.
Working primarily in series, In-Ah draws inspiration from the forests, coastlines and waterways of British Columbia. Recent bodies of work include LOTIC, inspired by moving water and the coastal landscape of Tofino, alongside her avian series and the continuing exploration of texture, symmetry and hidden layers that runs throughout her practice. Her work has been exhibited locally and internationally, including exhibitions with MUSA International in Seoul, Korea.
Before returning to fine art, In-Ah worked internationally in feature-film animation after studying 2D and 3D animation at Gobelins, l’École de l’Image in Paris. Her film career included work with studios such as Sony Imageworks, Framestore, MPC and Double Negative on productions including Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, The Tale of Despereaux, Where the Wild Things Are, Iron Man 2, The Smurfs, Guardians of the Galaxy and others. That background in movement, composition and visual storytelling continues to influence her work today.
Q & A:
How did you find your way back to painting?
I have drawn and painted for as long as I can remember. I originally built my career in feature-film animation, working in London, Amsterdam and Vancouver before later moving into teaching. During the pandemic I found myself returning to painting and drawing, and what began as a creative outlet quickly became the focus of my work again. Since then, I have continued developing my practice through a series of increasingly personal bodies of work.
How would you describe your process and materials?
Texture is often where a painting begins. I work primarily with acrylics, inks, metallic paints and paint pens, combined with materials such as modelling paste and crackle medium to create depth and raised surfaces. I also use techniques including decalcomania, pressing painted surfaces together to create mirrored or unexpected forms. I love the balance between control and unpredictability that comes from working this way.
Why do you tend to work in series?
I like taking one idea and exploring it from different angles. A series allows individual paintings to speak to one another while still standing on their own. Themes often begin with something observed in nature — a pattern, movement, texture or form — and evolve as I work.
What inspires your work?
Much of my work begins with the natural world. Fungi, forests, birds, bark, water and coastal landscapes have all found their way into different series. Living in British Columbia has had a huge influence on my work, particularly the forests and waterways of the West Coast. My LOTIC series, for example, grew from my fascination with moving water and time spent around the coast of Tofino.
What are you exploring in your current work?
My recent work has moved increasingly toward the landscapes and wildlife around me. LOTIC explores water, movement and depth, while my avian work looks at birds and the environments and cultural associations connected to them. I am also beginning to explore trees, bark and old-growth forests through a new body of work.
Do you create commissioned work?
Yes. I love creating commissioned pieces. Clients can choose a direction based on one of my existing series, and we discuss colour, scale, materials and the space where the work will live. From there, I develop something individual while still keeping the visual language of my work. Depending on size and complexity, a commission will usually take several weeks to complete.
MUSA International - SEOUL, Korea
