Karlee Mackie

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MLAK (Karlee-Anne Louise Mackie) Always the artist, was “ born with crayons in her hands “ so to speak.

Her fearlessness in self expression has been shown throughout her formative years.

Always painting and expressing her ideas through words and imagery from a very young age.

Karlee was Australia’s first female professional free surfer turned artist based in Byron Bay NSW. The artist approaches painting organically, adapting and evolving to create work that plays with motif in space. Dynamic, youthful and fun, MLAK translates across scale, articulating in an original voice.

MLAK has had the opportunity to assist the extremely talented Angus McDonald, an Australian contemporary visual artist, refugee advocate, columnist, and documentary filmmaker. He continues to be a mentor to her, for her career and life.

Surfing all around the world, she started to paint her fellow athletes' surfboards on the world qualifying tour, which led to collaborating with International brands.

Her first trip to NYC to film a surf film for the Brand Globe, was one that marked the beginning of the notion, you can create a life being an Artist.

A naive 20 yr old, MLAK was luckily exposed to a life changing situation, when she was recommended to...

Life and the ocean has been my earthly school.

EXHIBITIONS
Solo exhibition, A Spot of Genius, Studio Tropico, Byron Bay
2018
2022
Collaborative exhibition, Hold on Commodore, Gallery Alchemy, Milton
2022
Collaborative exhibition with Jake Pedro, Here and Now, Twenty Twenty Six, Bondi
2022
Collaborative exhibition, Make My Daisy, Twenty Twenty Six, Bondi
2022
Collaborative exhibition with photographer Portia Sarris, B Eve, Thom Gallery, Byron Bay
2022
Collaborative exhibition, Hold on Commodore, Gallery Alchemy, Milton
2022
Collaborative exhibition with Jake Pedro, Here and Now, Twenty Twenty Six, Bondi
2022
Collaborative exhibition, Make My Daisy, Twenty Twenty Six, Bondi
2022
Collaborative exhibition, I Came to the Sea to Breathe, Gallery Alchemy, Milton
2023
Affordable art fair Melbourne /sydney
2024

Pretty bones, Thom Gallery
Affordable art fair Brisbane / sydney