Tracing a Line 


Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
Royal Park
Wellington Street, Launceston, Tasmania
​
8 Sept 2023 - 12 Nov 2023

The creative practice of Melissa Smith is an alchemy of reflective thoughts and indelible memories of landscape underpinned by a strong connection to and affection for the discipline of the printmaking process. Smith’s art making continually evolves, reflecting past works, and exploring future directions. Her work exists within a signature palette and unique aesthetic that collectively demonstrate the significance of her work as a Tasmanian artist.

Tracing a Line makes reference to the flow of mark-making from the artist’s (heart), hand and touch which transfer from the initial design, to the block and finally to the print. Smith’s responses and reactions to the remote landscapes she has interacted with over the time of her practice illustrate the shifts and changes reflected in her line-work. These threads, together and individually under Smith’s skilled hands capture memory, form connections, and echo her ability to listen to what is innate in these environments. Imbuing emotions and translating experiences that together become an intimate and expressive collection of works for this exhibition.

Image: Collecting Thoughts - Lake Sorell II, 2023, intaglio collagraph and
​carborundum

Print Council of Australia - IMPRINT Blog
https://www.printcouncil.org.au/melissa-smith-tracing-a-line/

Finalist-
​WAMA Prize 

Ararat Gallery TAMA
82 Vincent Street, Ararat VIC
​
19 Aug 2023 - 19 Nov 2023

Image: this hush (night) 2023, intaglio collagraph and carborundum

finalist-
GEELONG ACQUISITIVE PRINT AWARDS 

Geelong Art Gallery 
55  Little Malop  Murray Street,  Hobart, Tasmania
​
29July2023 - 8 October 2023



Image: Collecting Thoughts - Lake Sorell, 2023, intaglio collagraph and carborundum

finalist-
Burnie Print Prize 

Burnie Art Gallery,
77-79 Wilmot St, Burnie, Tasmania
​
21 July2023 - 8 September 2023



Image: Burnie Print Prize 2023

finalist-
​HADLEY'S art prize 

Hadley's Orient Hotel
34 Murray Street,  Hobart, Tasmania
​23 July2022 - 21 August 2022

Honourable Mention
this hush - lake Sorell, 2022, intaglio collagraph  carborundum

​Judges Comments
​This work is beautifully executed. It eloquently captures passages of sound travelling across a lake. Sound is an unusual subject for landscape art. We all admired the articulation of the sonic melody. With its subtle colours and delicate lines, it is quietly suggestive of so many things - the quiver of wind, the landing of birds, and gentle eddies. There are so many layers in this serene work which is evocative of Japanese woodblock printing.

finalist- waterhouse natural science art prize 

South Australian Museum
North Terrace,  Adelaide, South Australia
​3 June 2022 - 7 August 2022

​The Waterhouse Natural Science Art Prize was launched in 2002 and commemorates the birth of the South Australian Museum’s first curator, Frederick George Waterhouse. The prize is an opportunity for artists to investigate the world around them, and present their perspectives on natural science. It encourages artists to make a statement about the scientific issues facing our planet, and offers a valuable platform for them to contribute to the environmental debate.

The natural world

Australian Print Workshop
Gertrude Street, Fitzroy,  Victoria
​9 November 2021 - 29 January 2022

​The first in a series of four exhibitions to celebrate  APW'S 40TH ANNIVERSARY.



FEATURING ORIGINAL FINE ART PRINTS BY: ROSALIND ATKINS, DAVID BOSUN, ANDREW BROWNE, SHANE COTTON, MERCE CUNNINGHAM, PETER ELLIS, ADRIENNE GAHA, ANDY GOLDSWORTHY, PEGGY GRIFFITHS, GRACIA HABY AND LOUISE JENNISON, FIONA HALL, KATE HUDSON, KYOKO IMAZU, TIM JONES, LOUIS KARADADA, JENNY KITCHENER, BARBIE KJAR, HERTHA KLUGE-POTT, TIM MAGUIRE, MARION MANIFOLD, EX DE MEDICI, JANICE MURRAY, PATRICIA PICCININI, LISA ROET, CHRIS DE ROSA, CAROLINE ROTHWELL, 
​MELISSA SMITH, LOUISE WEAVER AND JOHN WOLSELEY. 



Leave no trace I  2016  photolithograph  93.5cm x 67.5cm

Devonport regional Gallery -
​solo commission 2021

Melissa Smith /Anita covella
Exhibition dates: Oct 14 – Nov 8, 2021
​Official opening: Sun Oct 17 from 2pm – 4pm
Queenscliff gallery, Queenscliff, Victoria

​

WINNER -  
​WAMA ART PRIZE

WAMA Foundation -
Where Art Meets Nature
Grampians, Victoria
​18 September 2021 - 31 January 2022 

https://wama.net.au

Listen Deeply - Lake Sorell  2021  
intaglio collagraph  76 x 120cm

FINALIST -  PEEBLES PRINT PRIZE (PPP21)

Queenscliff Gallery
81 Hesse Street, Queenscliff, Victoria
​30 August - 11 October  2021

QVMAG -
​NEW PERMANENT COLLECTION DISPLAY

Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
Royal Park, Launceston, Tasmania 
Opening July 2021 

Melissa Smith's work Bass Strait Circles III, 2015 has been included in the new Permanent Collection exhibition at the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery, Royal Park, Launceston. The exhibition was curated by Ashleigh Whatling, Senior Curator - Visual Arts, QVMAG.

Bass Strait Circles III, 2015 collagraph (triptych), 76cm x 171cm
FROM THERE TO HERE


The Gallows Gallery
Launceston College
Paterson Street, Launceston TAS

 22 July - 3 September 2021

A snapshot of 25 years of Melissa Smith's printmaking practice from her first exhibition in 1996 to current work being produced for the Devonport Regional Art Gallery as the Solo Commission for 2021.



​

Self Portrait with Barbary Pigeon II  1997  linocut  33.5 x 36.5cm
FROM A DISTANCE


Exhibition of contemporary Tasmanian printmakers
curated by Helen Mueller and Melissa Smith

MAY SPACE ONLINE  
www.mayspaceonlin.com
1 - 31 July 2021

CONTRIBUTING ARTISTS
ANTONIA AITKEN • RAYMOND ARNOLD • LEX PALMER BULL • TIM COAD • REBECCA COOTE • MINDY DORÉ • JAN HOGAN • JENNIFER MARSHALL • OLIVIA MORONEY • HELEN MUELLER • JONATHAN PARTRIDGE • NATASHA ROWELL • MICHAEL SCHLITZ • MELISSA SMITH

Lake Whispers #2   2021 intaglio collagraph and stencil  45 x 38cm

INTAGLIO ONLINE EXHIBITION 

Megalo Print Studio, Canberra ACT
2  July - 19 July 2021

​Listen Deeply - Lake Sorell 2021 intaglio collagraph (triptych) 76 x 120cm

FINALIST -
​BUrnie Print Prize 2021

 Picture
Burnie Regional Art Gallery 
Wilmot Street, Burnie
Tasmania

26 March 2021 - 2 May 2021

Herself: Inspiring artists from the Collection

Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery
Royal Park, Launceston, Tasmania 
Opening 5 December 2020 

HERSELF is a sweeping exhibition showcasing works by female identifying artists in the QVMAG collections. Representing artist from 1820 to 2020, works in this exhibition include textiles, photography, painting, prints, video, jewellery and furniture.

​FINALIST -
​blacktown city ART PRIZE 

Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre
78 Flushcombe Road, Blacktown, NSW
28 November 2020 - 28 January 2021

FINALIST -
​tidal.20 

Devonport Regional Gallery 
paranaple arts centre
​145 - 151 Rooke Street, Devonport, TAS 
5 December 2020 - 31 January 2021

FINALIST -
​SUNSHINE COAST ART PRIZE 

Caloundra Regional Gallery 
22 Omrah Avenue, Caloundra QLD  
16 October - 6 December 2020

FINALIST -
​SWAN HILL PRINT & DRAWING AWARD  

Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery 
Horseshoe Bend, Swan Hill  VIC
4 September - 22 November 2020

INTAGLIO ONLINE EXHIBITION 

Megalo Print Studio, Canberra ACT
4 August - 5 September 2020


TIDALECTICS:
​MArine Biology in print

Eveline Kolijn - Portfolio Curator

Eleven international printmakers are connected with eleven ocean and marine biology researchers. The artists created a visual response on scientific research. Science and art share the principles of observation and creativity. Hand crafted prints move the technical talk of science into the emotional domain of public discourse.

School of Art, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA
10 August - 1 October 2020

FINALIST - WOMEN'S ART PRIZE TASMANIA

Makers Space, Burnie - 1 Oct - 1 Nov 2020
Plimsol Gallery, Hobart - 5 Dec - 24 Jan 2021

FINALIST -
​GLOVER PRIZE 2020

Falls Park Hall, Evandale, Tasmania
​6 March - 14 March 2020


​FINALIST -
​MEGALO INTERNATIONAL PRINT PRIZE
Megalo Gallery, Canberra, ACT
​15 February - 28 March 2020
MANLY DAM PROJECT
​
Manly Art Gallery and Museum, Sydney, NSW
​6 December 2019 - 23 February 2020 ​

COLLECTION FOCUS: PRINT COUNCIL ​OF AUSTRALIA​- JOHN CURTIN GALLERY 

​Curtin University, Building 200A, Kent Street, Bentley WA
4 October - 8 December 2019
​
This exhibition brings together a selection of contemporary print media artworks that have been acquired through the Print Council of Australia's annual Print commission...including one of mine!

WINNER
PEOPLE'S CHOICE  PEEBLES PRINT PRIZE (PPP19)

FINALIST - PEEBLES PRINT PRIZE (PPP19),  Queenscliff Gallery & Workshop, 81 Hesse Street, Queenscliff, Victoria
22 September - 24 November 2019

FINALIST - HADLEY'S ART PRIZE

Hadley's Orient Hotel, 34 Murray Street, Hobart, Tasmania 
20 July - 18 August 2019

FINALIST - ST. KEVIN'S ART PRIZE 2019 

KC Smith Hall, St. Kevin's College, Moonga Road, Toorak, Melbourne, Victoria
25 - 27 May 2019

FINALIST -
GLOVER PRIZE 2019

Falls Park Hall, Evandale, Tasmania 
​9 March - 17 March 2019

FINALIST - BURNIE PRINT PRIZE

Burnie Regional Art Gallery, Wilmot Street, Burnie, Tasmania 
22 March 2019 - 5 May 2019

FINALIST - COLLINS PLACE SUMMER SALON

Suite 19, 45 Collins Place, Melbourne, Victoria
​1 December 2018 - 31 January 2019

FINALIST - AUSTRALIAN PRINT TRIENNIAL AWARD

The Art Vault, Mildura, Victoria
17 October 2018 - 12 November 2018

FINALIST (HIGHLY COMMENDED) - TASART 2018 EXHIBITION

Burnie Regional Art Gallery, Burnie, Tasmania
​28 September 2018 - 27 October 2018

FINALIST - INK MASTERS - 4Th BIENNIAL PRINT EXHIBITION

Tanks Arts Centre, Cairns, Queensland
​27 July 2018 - 19 August 2018

FINALIST - STANTHORPE ART PRIZE 2018

Stanthorpe Regional Art Gallery, Weeroona Park, Lock Street, Stanthorpe, Queensland
15 June 2018 - 19 July 2018

FINALIST -  BAY OF FIRES ART PRIZE

Tidal Waters Resort, St Helens, Tasmania
​9 June 2018 - 30 June 2018

The Blue of Distance

Port Jackson Press, 84 Smith Street, Collingwood, Victoria 
​1 - 21 June 2018

HABITAT - WEST THEBARTON GALLERY


24 May 2018 - 24 June 2018
Habitat is an audio-visual exhibition combining the work of nine Australian printmakers with corresponding interpretive soundscapes. It is a space where two senses meet in order to investigate the way in which the idea of place and identity is formed through sight and sound. GW Bot, Jan Davis, Rona Green, Alexi Keywan, Martin King, Bruce Latimer, Melissa Smith, Graham Fransella, Travis Paterson and Jay-Dea Lopez. Opening night: 6pm Friday 25 May 2018.
https://www.westgallerythebarton.com.au/habitat#/melissa-smith/ 

West Thebarton Gallery, 32 West Thebarton Road, South Australia 
​
https://www.westgallerythebarton.com.au

FINALIST -  2018 SWAN HILL PRINT AND DRAWING ACQUISITIVE AWARDS

Swan Hill Regional Gallery, Swan Hill, Victoria
​12 May 2018 - 8 July 2018

BURNIE REGIONAL ART GALLERY: 40 Years,  An exhibition of selected artworks from the City’s permanent collectioN

77-99 Wilmot St, Burnie TAS 7320
21 April 2018 - 27 May 2018

FINALIST -  WYNDHAM ART PRIZE

Wyndham Art Gallery, 177 Watton Street Werribee, Victoria
​28 March 2018 - 11 June 2018

eventide

I was privileged to be one of the thirty-one artists invited to contribute to this unique folio of relief prints titled - Eventide, coordinated by Rona Green. 

On exhibition at the New England Regional Art Museum
17 Feb - 29 April 2018

The Blue of Distance

Handmark Gallery - 77 Salamanca Place, Hobart, TASMANIA
​
handmark.com.au
Exhibition dates 2 - 19 February 2018

summer
​impressions

Several new prints of mine to be shown in this exhibtion in Melbourne over the Summer!
Port Jackson Press, 84 Smith Street, Collingwood, Victoria
portjacksonpress.com.au

AUSTRALIAN PRINT WORKSHOP GALLERY- Current Exhibtion

SPRING FEAST
A selection of original limited edition fine art prints celebrating the essence of spring.
Works by Butcher Cherel, Kyoko Imazu, Deborah Klein, Tim Maguire, Tommy May, Melissa Smith and Louise Weaver.

16 September - 11 November 2017210 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065
T: (03) 9419 5466  
E: auspw@bigpond.com
​
www.australianprintworkshop.com 
Leave no trace I & II   2016 


​FINALIST -  
​2017 BANYULE AWARD FOR WORKS ON PAPER

Hatch Contemporary Arts Space, 14 Ivanhoe Parade, Ivanhoe, Victoria
​5 October 2017 - 2 December 2017

PAPER CONTEMPORARY - SYDNEY CONTEMPORARy

7 - 10 September 2017
Carriageworks, Sydney 

FINALIST -  WHYALLA ART PRIZe

Middleback Arts Centre, 141a Nicolson Avenue, Whyalla, South Australia
​30 September 2017 - 2 December 2017

FINALIST - 2017 GIPPSLAND PRINT AWARD

Gippsland Regional Gallery, Sale, Victoria
​2 September 2017 - 19 November 2017

FINALIST -  BAY OF FIRES ART PRIZE

Tidal Waters Resort, St Helens, Tasmania
11 June 2017 - 1 July 2017

nature

Excited to be part of this exhibition at the AUSTRALIAN PRINT WORKSHOP, Gertrude Street, Melbourne
​
​22 April - 3 June, 2017
Artist Reception 2 - 4pm  13 May, 2017

FINALIST -  WYNDHAM ART PRIZE

Wyndham Art Gallery, Werribee, Victoria
5 April 2017 - 11 June 2017

FINALIST -  BURNIE PRINT PRIZE

Burnie Regional Art Gallery, Burnie, Tasmania  
​18 March 2017 - 7 May 2017

PROOF: THE BEST OF CONTEMPORARY PRINTMAKING: 

November 25, 2016 — December 23, 2016
Port Jackson Press, 84 Smith Street, Collingwood, Victoria
portjacksonpress.com.au

AUSTRALIAN PRINT WORKSHOP

23 - 29 October, 2016
​
A wonderful week at the Australian Print Workshop in Melbourne working with Master printer, Martin King on a Collaborative print project.

SCRATCHING THE SURFACE

October 14, 2016 — November 7, 2016
Martin King (VIC), Milan Milojevic (TAS), Melissa Smith (TAS) & Dianne Fogwell (ACT)

AFTERNOON WITH MELISSA SMITH (TAS) IN THE GALLERY: 22ND OCTOBER
Port Jackson Press, 84 Smith Street, Collingwood, Victoria
portjacksonpress.com.au

WINNER -  MANCELL FINANCIAL GROUP TasArt Exhibition 2016 - City of Burnie Award for Any Medium/Subject on Paper

Burnie Regional Art Gallery, Burnie, Tasmania 
24 September 2016 - 22 October 2016

FINALIST -  2016 SCOPE GALLERIES ART AWARD - Art Concerning Environment

Scope Galleries, Warrnambool, Victoria
​11 June 2016 - 31 July 2016

LOLA GREENO AND FRIENDS

Handmark Gallery, Hobart
27 May - 13 June 2016

FINALIST -  2016 SWAN HILL PRINT & DRAWING ACQUISITIVE AWARDS

Swan Hill Regional Gallery, Swan Hill, Victoria
​14 May 2016 - 10 July 2016

FINALIST -  RICK AMOR PRINT PRIZE 2015

Barn Gallery - Montsalvat, Victoria
3 December 2015 - 24 January 2016

parallel prints

Parallel Prints 2015 NZ/Australia features Mark Graver from Wharepuke, NZ and eleven invited artists from Australia.​

The project takes the same form as the original Parallel Prints 2013 NZ/UK with simultaneous exhibitions and a set of 24 archival portfolios.  The exhibitions will take place at Art at Wharepuke in Kerikeri, New Zealand from  the 3rd – 31st October and at the Art Gallery of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia from 3rd October to 22nd November 2015.

FINALIST -  2015 MILDURA BMW AUSTRALIAN PRINT TRIENNIAL PRIZE

The Art Vault, Mildura, Victoria
28 October 2015 - 16 November 2015

FINALIST -  2015 GIPPSLAND PRINT AWARD

Gippsland Regional Gallery, Victoria
​26 September 2015 - 22 November 2015

FINALIST -  HUTCHINS ART PRIZE - Works on Paper

Long Gallery, Salamanaca Place, Hobart, Tasmania
​8 September 2015 - 20 September 2015

FINALIST -  BAY OF FIRES ART PRIZE

Tidal Waters Resort, St Helens, Tasmania
Highly Commended
​6 June 2015 - 27 June 2015 

FINALIST -  BURNIE PRINT PRIZE

Burnie Regional Art Gallery, Tasmania
​14 March 2015 - 10 May 2015

FINALIST -  GLOVER PRIZE

Falls Park Pavilion, Evandale, Tasmania
​6 March 2015 - 10 March 2015

FINALIST - TIDAL: CITY OF DEVONPORT ART AWARD

Devonport Regional Gallery, Tasmania
12 December 2014 - 1 February 2015
© 2020 MELISSA SMITH