Melanie MacVoy

"When I take a deep breath of this atmosphere, rich with oxygen and life, my spirits are renewed and I’m inspired to paint.”

Melanie was born and raised in Southern Ontario. Her creativity and love for the outdoors were nurtured from a young age. Melanie’s grandmother was a prolific muralist, painting scenes on the doors, walls and entire rooms of her home. Annual camping trips to Algonquin Provincial Park cultivated MacVoy’s appreciation for the Canadian landscape and her intrigue with artist Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven.

Melanie studied Fine Arts and Arts Administration at the University of Waterloo. Tony Urquardt being her most influential professor. During a summer co-op placement, Melanie relocated to Vancouver where she completed her Fine Arts degree through UBC and Emily Carr University.

While exploring the Coast Mountains and rainforests on Vancouver Island, Melanie fell in love with the outdoors lifestyle. Her connection to the cedar tree was fostered while trail building in pristine wilderness areas threatened by logging.

Seduced by “legendary” powder skiing, Melanie joined the small mountain community of Fernie, BC in 2000. Like many travellers, she “came for the winter but stayed for the summer” due to the discovery of exceptional mountain biking trails and fly fishing rivers.

Melanie worked for over 10 years at Island Lake Lodge, a backcountry skiing and hiking destination near Fernie. The resort, nestled within a pocket of Interior Cedar Hemlock old growth, provided Melanie with the opportunity to study her subjects intimately throughout the seasons. Driving along ridgetops and through alpine bowls as a Snowcat Operator Melanie was awarded with inspiration from “the best office views imaginable.” Island Lake Lodge commissioned several paintings by the artist to adorn the walls of their luxurious lodges while also expanding the international market for her work.

Proficient in acrylics, Melanie’s paintings feature interior old growth cedar trees and rocky mountain landscapes. Moving forward, Melanie is keen on expanding her portfolio by immersing herself in more artist residencies and learning from other professional artists. Recently adopting the practice of outdoor painting has inspired much of her new work and a period of artistic growth.