Melinda Schawel is an artist who has always been drawn to the physicality of the creative process. Known predominantly for her highly textured works on paper, Melinda captures the grandeur and minutiae of the natural world in her abstracted compositions. Micro and macro details emerge from the paper through her intense manipulation of the base material, often a thick and heavy paper, using a myriad of techniques.

Born in the USA, Melinda Schawel has received a Bachelor in Fine Art and Communication from the University of California and a Postgraduate Degree in Printmaking from RMIT. Melinda has been a finalist in numerous art prizes including the Fisher's Ghost Art Award and Adelaide Perry Drawing Prize (People's Choice Award Winner in 2017). Her work is represented in many collections including the National Gallery of Australia and Geelong Regional Gallery (Vic).