Melanie Hava

Melanie Hava has always known she would be an artist, and started out selling her work at markets as a teenager. As a Mamu Aboriginal woman from Dugul-barra and Wari-barra family groups in the Wet Tropics of Far-North Queensland, reef and rainforest have always been prevalent in her work. Austrian patterns and use of gold leaf became later inspirations after travelling to meet her paternal family in Austria.

The blend of Aboriginal and Austrian influence produces unparalleled art that in turn creates a perfectly unique gift. Her collection is inspired by the spirit of Kinship. In the outback, she would often see emus travelling through long grasses, and occasionally, two males would join forces to protect their chicks. This banding together in kinship to feed and protect their mob echoes her own Aboriginal culture and is reflected in her work.

“I want people to look at my work and feel joy – if they’re having a bad day and they happen to see my work, that they’d feel a bit better”.