Melissa Bates

Unique, prolific and incredibly talented, the multi award winning Melissa Bates has been stunning the Gold Coast with her exceptionally beautiful cut outs for over 20 years. Working with live models, she rapidly creates forms with a scalpel on the surface of mounting board. The forms are invisible to most, and yet within seconds she will peel back the top layer to reveal the vistas of her extraordinary imagination. The art commentator, Gordon Foulds once said “All who are familiar with her work agree that she is a true original,… a product of the times in which she was born and to which she has responded.” Discover a small sample of Melissa Bates incredible work below.

Melissa is available for portraits and commissions. Phone her on 0420 615 489 or email to discuss. You may purchase some of Melissa’s artwork on T-shirts from cafepress.com.au.

Melissa coordinates life drawing sessions every Monday from 9am-12pm at the Royal Queensland Art Society in Broadbeach, Gold Coast. All welcome.

Melissa also collaborates with Ilia Chidzey to produce ‘im’s – gorgeous laser cut outs of aluminium and brass mounted on acrylic.

You can view her work on Instagram and Facebook.