Melanie Brock
Melanie Brock is a Brooklyn, NY-based artist who works primarily in abstract oil painting. She was born and raised in Columbus, IN, and holds a master’s degree in architecture from Indiana University, where she was part of the inaugural cohort. Throughout the program, she participated in dual architectural and visual art studios. Melanie has exhibited her work in Indiana, Pennsylvania, and New York. Currently, her work explores the relationship between the built environment and people. The city plays an integral role in her process, reflecting her personal experiences through the urban fabric of Brooklyn.
Artist Statement:
My work explores the effects of the built environment in Brooklyn on human experience and behavior, specifically within the transitional zones between public and private spaces. These zones often manifest in my paintings through energetic fluidity and compositional layering. They explore the edges of urban development, including the ground plane, architecture, nature, objects, and human contact. I frequently explore themes of tension, density, and physical interaction in these spaces, considering individual access, shifts in boundaries, and visual and auditory privacy within a constantly evolving environment. My paintings, with their unexpected color palettes, various scales, and compositions, are built up from experiential observation. My immersion within the city manifests in my work, directly expressing my appreciation for the city’s ever-changing qualities.
What initially sparked your interest in art?
I went to Indiana University for my master’s in architecture, where I was part of the inaugural cohort of students. This program is unique in that it combines architecture with visual art throughout the duration. I came from a background in business and project management, so a degree rooted in creative endeavors was both exciting and intimidating. About halfway through the program, something in me was unlocked, and I began to dig deeper into the visual art side—pursuing art-related research, new mediums, and multiple independent study courses. Once I began oil painting, I just never stopped.
What connects your work together, and what keeps you creating?
Living in the city is the thread that ties my pieces together. I am often inspired by the constantly changing urban environment, human interactions, and the endless supply of architectural context found across New York’s neighborhoods. My day-to-day experiences are always evolving, bringing about a vast array of inspiration and new lines of questioning along the way.
Describe your work using three words.
Energetic – Colorful – Urban
What are you most proud of as an artist, whether it's a specific moment or who you are as an artist?
For me, it was the moment I decided to pursue being an artist full-time. Once I committed to painting as my path, everything else fell into place. Moving to New York and immersing myself in the art world has been an incredible experience. It’s had its challenges, but I am grateful to my friends, family, and myself for taking the leap in the first place.
If you could be in a two-person exhibition with any artist from history, who would it be and why?
Richard Diebenkorn, specifically his Berkeley series. Since I developed my passion for abstract art, Diebenkorn has been a significant influence, and I often find inspiration in his work and writings. The site-specific nature of his Berkeley paintings, his wonderful colors, and the semi-organic feel of his pieces resonate with the work I’m currently pursuing.
