About
Name/age
Mel Eaton - 43
What medium(s) do you work in?
When it comes to studio work I mostly paint in acrylic but dip into digital, printmaking, collage, sculpture and textiles when the process lends itself to the idea. I also paint large-scale murals, mostly community or commissioned projects in Waimakariri.
Tell us about yourself in 50 words or less.
Mel Eaton is a multidisciplinary artist based in Rangiora whose work plays with perception, value, and nostalgia, turning the familiar into the unexpected. Influenced by Pop Art, Hyperrealism, and Conceptual Art, she blends meticulous detail with whimsical ideas that invite you to look twice.
Who is your favourite artist (living or deceased!)?
That's a tough question to answer! So many to choose from!! One that is sitting in front of mind at the moment is Tom Friedman - I've been circling back to looking at artists that I really enjoyed in my early uni years.
What were your reasons for joining Arts Canterbury?
I value connecting with a creative tribe. It's difficult to keep the creative spark alive in a vacuum and I really enjoy collaborating with other artists and sharing work together. It is motivating to have exhibitions to work towards, a network to lean on and opportunities to learn.
What are three goals for your art this year?
One - Sharpen my studio focus. Continue to carve out dedicated time to develop a more cohesive body of work.
Two - Bring a second solo show to life. I have ideas brewing and 2026 feels like the right time to give them a room of their own.
Three - Go big. Literally. I'm ramping up my involvement with Off The Wall Murals and pursuing more larger-scale public art projects throughout 2026.
Describe your favourite piece of art you have created – and why it’s your favourite.
I painted a large-scale blue diamond back in 2019, part of a series of enlarged gemstones, and it remains my favourite. There's something I love about the tension it creates...up close it's pure abstraction, all geometry and colour - then step back and the object reveals itself. I like the irony in the scale: diamonds being precious partly because of their size, yet push them too big and they become absurd. That tickles me.
Anything else you want to tell us - funny story, about yourself or your art?
I have a habit of chasing ideas before fully thinking through how impossible they might be. Artmart - a vending machine stocked with original art by local artists - is a perfect example. The concept was simple but the execution was a year-long battle of broken machines, refurbishment headaches, programming blocks, and payment puzzles before finally finding a home at Art on the Quay in Kaiapoi. Now I just need art to fill it!
