Krystii Melaine is a figurative and portrait artist, currently exploring the lives of the people of the American West. Classically trained in the realist tradition of the old masters, Krystii captures the essence of each personality and provides us with a glimpse into their lives, using the richness and subtlety of oil paints on linen to tell their stories. ​

Born in the Australian town of Bairnsdale, Victoria, Krystii Melaine was a quiet child who carefully observed the people and animals encountered in her life. Announcing at the age of four that she was going to be an artist, Krystii won her first art competition at seven. By the age of fourteen, she was selling paintings and accepting commissions. Following university studies in painting, drawing, photography and graphic design, Krystii established her own fashion design company, and in nine years she developed it into one of the largest bridal and evening-wear companies in Australia. Through the process of designing and fitting gowns for individual clients, Krystii gained an intimate knowledge of the human form and the structure of clothing, which informs her portraiture and figurative paintings today.

A burning desire to return to painting led Krystii to five years of study in traditional tonal realism and the oil-painting techniques of the old masters with renowned Australian artist, Graham Moore. Drawing on Moore’s 80 years of artistic experience provided her with a strong background in portraiture, figurative and still life painting. Krystii’s fascination with people and animals naturally made them the major focus of her paintings. A trip to the USA in 1998 was the catalyst for her ongoing personal journey of exploration and discovery of the American West. Krystii’s paintings capture the many individuals encountered on her travels, recording moments in their contemporary lives, or re-creating the lives of their ancestors who shaped the history of the region. Horses are an integral part of this rich tapestry of Western life, whether as the working partner of cowboys or an essential element of survival and culture for Native Americans. The distinctive wildlife of this region is another facet of Krystii’s repertoire, rounding out her telling of the stories of the West.