Skip to main content
Melanie MacDonald in Studio
Melanie MacDonald

I regard my paintings of domestic scenes as visual poems that mark the brief, curious moments that punctuate the everyday.

Melanie MacDonald lives in downtown St. Catharines and is an active member of the Niagara Artists Centre. She has participated in group and solo exhibitions in Niagara, Hamilton, London, Kingston, Western New York and Quebec.

Her work was selected to appear in Carte Blanche 2: Painting, Magenta Publishing’s national survey of Canadian painters. In 2009 she received a Trillium Excellence in the Arts Emerging Artist Award from the City of St. Catharines. She has been the recipient of numerous Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance grants.

 

Solo and Group Exhibitions


2021

Lichen: Field Works (solo)
RiverBrink Art Museum, Queenston, Ontario

2019

Avian Statuary (solo)
Jordan Art Gallery, Jordan, Ontario

2018

Storytellers (group)
Art Gallery Of Burlington, Burlington, Ontario

Up Close And In Motion (group)
Rodman Hall Arts Centre, St. Catharines, Ontario

The Tortoise and The Hare (scenic artist)
Carousel Players, St. Catharines, Ontario

Field and Stream (artist-in-residence)
BACKHOUSE, Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ontario

2017

Recent Work with Rob Elliott
Dennis Tourbin Members Gallery, Niagara Artists Centre

TICK (Scenic Artist)
Carousel Players, St.Catharines, ON

Lowrey Farms/Ravine Winery Mural Project
The BrainFarm, St.David’s, ON

Florida Noir
Dennis Tourbin Members Gallery, NAC, St.Catharines, ON

HOMETOWN – Neil Young concert (scenic artist)
RAMM Design Labs, Omemee, ON

2016

What About Rodman Hall? (group) The Show Room Gallery, Niagara Artists Centre, St.Catharines, Ontario

Recent Work (solo) The Post Office, Thorold, Ontario

Don’t Read This If You’re A Woodpecker: The Scrapbook Paintings (solo) Niagara Falls Museum, Niagara Falls, Ontario

2015

Randy and Friends
Dennis Tourbin Members Gallery, Niagara Artists Centre, St. Catharines, Ontario

Small Feats
Niagara Artists Centre, St. Catharines, Ontario

Recent Work
Jordan Art Gallery, Jordan, Ontario

25th Annual Autumn Art Sale
Mc Michael Canadian Art Collection Volunteer Committee, Kleinburg, Ontario

2014

If Pigs Could Float
The Flying Pony Gallery, Toronto, Ontario

Precious Little (group)
Grimsby Public Art Gallery, Grimsby, Ontario

SCRAPS
Dennis Tourbin Members Gallery, Niagara Artists Centre, St. Catharines, Ontario

DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU’RE A WOODPECKER (solo)
St. Thomas-Elgin Public Art Centre, St. Thomas, Ontario

2013

The Menagerie (solo)
Cobalt Gallery, Toronto, Ontario

The Menagerie (solo)
Jordan Art Gallery, Jordan, Ontario

2012

Pond Life (solo)
Niagara Artists Centre, St. Catharines, Ontario

Grimsby Public Art Gallery’s Bi-Annual Juried Exhibition (group)
Grimsby, Ontario

Seeing Red: An Exploration of the Most Primary Colour (group)
St. Catharines City Hall, St. Catharines, Ontario

Niagara HERE (group) – site-specific animation
Jordan Harbour, Niagara Artists Centre, St.Catharines, Ontario

2011

DO NOT READ THIS IF YOU’RE A WOODPECKER (solo)
Niagara Artists Centre, St.Catharines, Ontario

Liminal Spaces: New Century of the City (group)
Hamilton Artists’ Inc., Hamilton, Ontario

Group Exhibition – featuring Melanie MacDonald and Laura Woermke
Thielsen Gallery, London, Ontario

2010

Game Birds (solo)
Cobalt Gallery, Toronto, Ontario

2009

Do Not Pass Go (solo)
A.K. Collings at 1142 Queen St., Toronto, Ontario

Home Court Advantage (solo)
A.K. Collings, Port Hope, Ontario

Dig it Skid (solo)
CRAM Gallery, St. Catharines, Ontario

Games (solo)
Cobalt Gallery, Toronto, Ontario

Here and Now, A Mano Libera Contemporary Art (group)
St. Catharines, Ontario

2 Groups of Seven (group)
Taller Cultural, Santiago de Cuba and Gallery Larios, Camaguey, Cuba

2008

Made in Japan (solo)
Sadie’s Diner, Toronto, Ontario

New Paintings (solo)
Cobalt Gallery, Toronto, Ontario

NEW! 2008 Niagara Biennial (group)
Rodman Hall Arts Centre, St. Catharines, Ontario

One Dimensional Space (group)
Modern Fuel, Kingston, Ontario.

The Return Of 3-D Exquisite Corpse (group)
Niagara Artists Centre, St. Catharines, Ontario

Queen West Art Crawl (group)
Trinity Bellwoods Park, Toronto, Ontario

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition (group)
Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, Ontario

2007

Go Fly a Kite! Celebrating 50 Years of the Canada Council (group)
Niagara Artists Centre, St. Catharines, Ontario

Watermarks: A Reflection of Our Community (group)
St. Catharines City Hall, St. Catharines, Ontario

Ready, Letraset, Go! (group)
Dennis Tourbin Members’ Gallery, Niagara Artists Centre, St.Catharines, Ontario

Queen West Art Crawl (group)
Trinity Bellwoods Park, Toronto, Ontario

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition (group)
Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, Ontario

2006

The Realtors (solo)
Dennis Tourbin Members’ Gallery, Niagara Artists Centre, St.Catharines, Ontario

Chachka (solo)
CRAM Gallery, St. Catharines, Ontario

Exquisite Small Works: Niagara Artists (group)
Jordan Art Gallery, Jordan, Ontario

The Dirty Show (group)
Niagara Artists Centre, St. Catharines, Ontario

St. Catharines in Person (group)
St. Catharines City Hall, St. Catharines, Ontario

Queen West Art Crawl (group)
Trinity Bellwoods Park, Toronto, Ontario

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition (group)
Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, Ontario

2005

Toronto & New York Square Foot IV (group)
AWOL Gallery & Project Spaceman, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York

Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition (group)
Nathan Phillips Square, Toronto, Ontario

Garden/City: Views of St. Catharines (group)
St. Catharines City Hall, St. Catharines, Ontario

2004

Dirty Dishes (solo)
Niagara Pumphouse, Niagara-On-the-Lake, Ontario

Revealed: Women’s Voices (group)
Rodman Hall, St. Catharines, Ontario

Niagara Ego Exposition: The World’s Smallest World Touring Exhibition (group)
Niagara Artists Centre, St. Catharines, Ontario

Crossing Borders: Exhibit of Works by Canadian Artists (group)
Kenan Art CenterLockport, New York

Distillery Historic District 2004 Art Exhibition (group)
Toronto, Ontario

2003

Lilli-putting: A Site-Specific Miniature Golf Installation (group)
Niagara Artists Centre, St. Catharines, Ontario

Good Morning (solo)
Dennis Tourbin Members’ Gallery, Niagara Artist Centre, St.Catharines, Ontario

Dishes and Things (solo)
Jordan Art Gallery, Jordan, Ontario

2002

Pushing the Envelope (group)
Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario

On the Twelve (group)
Rodman Hall, St. Catharines, Ontario

Spring Run (group)
St. Catharines Public Library, St. Catharines, Ontario

L’eau (group)
Action-Art-Actuel, St. Jean-Sur-Richelieu, Quebec

2001

On the Twelve (group)
Rodman Hall, St. Catharines, Ontario

Gone Fishin’ (group)
Lynwood Art Centre, Simcoe, Ontario and Timber Village Museum, Blind River, Ontario

Hands and Fish Series (solo)
406 Members’ Gallery, Niagara Artists Centre, St. Catharines, Ontario

Lost (solo)
406 Members’ Gallery, Niagara Artists Centre, St. Catharines, Ontario

Collections


 

City of St. Catharines, St. Catharines, Ontario

Rodman Hall Arts Centre, St. Catharines, Ontario

Shannon Passero Design Inc., Thorold, Ontario

Cowherd Chiropractic, St. Catharines, Ontario

Barlow and Associates, Toronto, Ontario

Dr. Ron Casselman, St. Catharines, Ontario

Milleniumsoil, A Division of Vgrove Inc., St. Catharines, Ontario

Awards, Grants and Juries


2021 – Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance

2015 – Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance

2014 – Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance

2013 – Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance

2012 – Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance

2012 – Juror for Brock Student Exhibition “Monitor” Rodman Hall, St. Catharines, Ontario

2010 – Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant

2010 – Co-Juror, Assorted Flavours: Brock Student Juried Exhibition, Rodman Hall, St. Catharines, Ontario

2009 – City of St. Catharines Trillium Awards Excellence in the Arts: Emerging Artist

2007 – Ontario Arts Council Exhibition Assistance Grant

2005 – Co-Juror, VGS05 Brock Student Juried Exhibition, Rodman Hall, St. Catharines, ON

2004 – Ontario Arts Council Material Assistance Grant

2003 – Volunteer of the Year, Niagara Artists Centre, St. Catharines, ON

2003 – Commissioned to create the annual Laura Sabia Award for the Niagara Artists Centre,St. Catharines, Ontario

2003 – Ontario Arts Council Material Assistance Grant

2002 – Juror’s Award, On the Twelve (2nd Annual), Rodman Hall Arts Centre, St.Catharines, Ontario

2001 – Ontario Arts Council Material Assistance Grant

2001 – Co-Juror, Edinburgh Cultural Centre 5th Annual Juried Exhibition, Caledonia, Ontario

2001 – Juror’s Award, On the Twelve, Rodman Hall, St. Catharines, Ontario

Education


 

2000   Brock University, Honours BA English and Visual Art

Selected Publications


 

“Storytellers” (catalogue) by Art Gallery of Burlington, January 2017

“Precious Little Offers Plenty” by Luke Edwards, Niagara This Week, 20 November 2014

“Precious Little: Start Small, Think Big” by Regina Haggo, Hamilton Spectator, 28 November 2014

Eric Bunnell’s “People” St. Thomas Times Journal, 27 June 2014

“Niagara Artist’s Water Studies” by Angela Scappatura, St. Catharines Standard, 4 October 2012

Interview with Mike Landry from Things of Desire – Canada’s Alternative Art Weekly, 10 December 2009

“DO NOT PASS GO: Melanie MacDonald Opening Tonight” by Murray Whyte, Toronto Star 17 December 2009

“Gathering Niagara’s Best New Artists with New!” by Michael Di Risio, Brock Press 25 Nov. 2008

p. 1. Jane Urquhart and Clint Roenisch. 2008

Carte Blanche v.2: Painting  (Toronto: The Magenta Foundation, 2008) p. 80, colour plate, p.307, bio

“CRAM Presents Local Artist Melanie MacDonald” by Christine Forde, Brock Press 19 September 2006

“Popular Culture and the Local: Photo essays” by Nicole Maggio and Zorianna Zurba curated by Alisa Cunnington, a conference held 12-13 May 2006, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario

“Artists in Residence” by Mary Wiley, Niagara Magazine, May/June 2006 p.38

“Tiny Space, Big Dreams” St. Catharines Standard, 2 March 2006

“Dishing Out a Message: Artist Finds Beauty in Her Kitchen” by Chris Waters, St. Catharines Standard, 8 October 2004