Pause Painting

Melanie Biehle is an abstract painter whose work explores the emotional and sensory experience of place. Born in Louisiana and now based in Seattle, Melanie studied abstract painting at Gage Academy of Art. Drawing on a background in psychology, writing, and photography, she creates layered compositions that blend memory, architecture, and nature into abstract interpretations of travel and landscape. Her paintings explore both fluid, expressive forms and precise, composed structures, reflecting the balance of freedom and intention that travel inspires. Melanie often distresses her surfaces with natural materials like shells and stones, grounding her work in the physical textures of the landscapes that inspire her. The ocean is her deepest well of creative energy. Whether shaped by the misty tones of the Pacific Northwest or the warmth of Southern California, her paintings invite calm, curiosity, and connection. Inspired by Richard Diebenkorn’s mastery of light and space, Melanie’s paintings explore the delicate balance between abstraction and place.