Melissa Ladkin

Bio / CV

Melissa is a multidisciplinary artist and a proud descendant of the Awabakal, Wonnarua, and Bundjalung peoples, living on Bundjalung Jugun. Her practice spans painting, sculpture, weaving, and curation, with each forming a testament to her deep connection with Country, community, and conservation. Rooted in Indigenous knowledge systems, Melissa’s work is grounded in the ancient, sentient energy of ochre - a sacred medium she reveres as alive and alchemical, rich with ancestral spirit and wisdom learned over deep time. The earth has so much to tell us, if we choose to listen. My work celebrates the wisdom of Country, inviting viewers to be present, learn, and honour her stories. Reciprocity with Country and community are the guiding threads that weave through my practice. This intentional engagement informs my process, where each piece created is an offering. It is a slow, transformative progression that unfolds over time, guided by what these sentient beings want to share. Each artwork reflects the multi-layered history of my people and our enduring connection to Country. To me, ochre holds memory and spirit. It is a mirror of the land’s resilience and guidance, preserving stories and showing a path forward. Through my art, I hope to inspire you to walk upon the land with openness, respect, and an appreciation for the profound cultural knowledge and spirit it holds. I acknowledge and honour the deep connection that my people and all traditional owners have to this ancient medium, respecting the diverse cultural practices, protocols, and spiritual beliefs associated with ochres. This reverence guides my practice, ensuring it remains grounded in respect, care, and the wealth of knowledge that has been passed down.

Exhibitions

Melissa’s work has been exhibited both locally and internationally, sharing the cultural and artistic significance of ochre with audiences around the world. Some of the highlights include:

‘Wula Wula Lee La’ at the Ninbella Art Gallery – Bundjalung / Bangalow, NSW [December 2024]

‘Ochre’ at Amarina AARI – Bundjalung / Lismore, NSW [May 2024]

International Women’s Day at The Australian Embassy – London, UK [2024]

‘Jugun’ at the Ninbella Art Gallery [December 2023]

‘Caring for Country’ at the Bundjalung Nation Group Exhibition – Bundjalung [August 2023]

Wild Pigment Project – Group Show at the New Mexico State University (NMSU) Art Museum -New Mexico, USA [June 2023]

‘Ganuu’– Bangalow Film Festival Featured Artists Collaboration with Nickolla Clark & Coedie

McCarthy at the Ninbella Art Gallery [January 2023]

‘Earth’– Group Show at the Ninbella Art Gallery [2022]

Wild Pigment Project – Group Show at Form & Concept Gallery – Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA [September 2022]

‘Balmy’- Group Show at Gallery Raye – Meanjin/ Brisbane, QLD [April 2022]

Lethbridge Landscape – Finalist Salon des refusés Art Prize [2022]

‘Perspectives on Country’– Group Exhibition at Ninbella Art Gallery [April 2022]

Yapang Art Prize – Finalist, Museum of Art & Culture (MAC) – Awabakal/ Lake Macquarie, NSW, [December 2021]

‘Terambamba’– Rising Ground, Ninbella Art Gallery [November 2021]

‘Heal Country’- Group Exhibition at Bunyarra Culture Collective – Bundjalung [July 2021]

‘Precious Commodities’- Solo Exhibition at Ninbella Art Gallery [December 2020]

Prizes

Lismore Regional Gallery – Highly commended

Finalist for Koori Mail Award [2024]

Museum of Art & Culture (MAC) – Finalist for

the Yapang Emerging Art Prize [2021]

Lethbridge Landscape – Finalist Salon des

refusés Art Prize [2022]

Commissions

Underwear for Humanity [2024]

Elle Davidson Zion Management [2022]

Ledlin Ashes Piece [2022]

Byron Bay High School [2021]

Ivan Motley – Informed Decisions [2021]

NAIDOC Week Fundraiser Auction [2021]

Bunyarra Collective [2021]

Various private commissions via Ninbella [2021-2025]

Curation

Reopening of Lismore Regional Gallery –

‘Buruugaa Garaa Buruu Garaa Budgeramgali’ [2024]

Lismore Base Hospital Care Unit –

‘My Place is

Your Place’ Waiting Room and Family Room [2022]

Features

Bed Threads – 23 Inspiring First Nations Artists to Follow on Instagram [2024]

Monster Children – 10 Australian Artists that Should be on Your Radar [2024]

Heidi Gustafson – A Guide to Ochre, Pigment, and Raw Color [2023]

Home Beautiful – March 2023 Edition [2023]

The Design Files – 10 Emerging Artists You Need to Have – Bea Taylor 2023

Urban List – 10 Incredible Aboriginal Artists You Need to Support This Year [2023]

Wild Pigment Project – Gayuli (Long Way) [2022]

‘Home By The Sea’ by Natalie Walton – Hardy Press hardcover [2022]

Salt Magazine – Down to a Fine Art [2022]

Presentations

Caring for Country, Byron Bay High School, March 2021

How to care for Country Byron Bay High School, Naidoc 2021

How to care for Country, Byron Bay Primary School. Naidoc 2020

Workshops

With a strong belief that our pathway to a sustainable future lies within our young people through cultural education and truth telling, Mel spends a large part of her year on Country mentoring high school students through Country as Teacher on Bundjalung Country (Northern NSW) and Culture College on Yolŋu Country (Arnhem Land, NT).

Passionate about guiding Bundjalung and Indigenous youth and reconnecting threads back to culture, Mel regularly facilitates workshops including:

‘Connecting with Country Through Ochre’ at The Returning Culture Camps with Ella

Bancroft [2024, 2022, 2021, 2020]

‘Ochre Workshops and Curation’ at Lismore Regional Gallery [2024]

‘Weaving Waterways’ with Delta Kay to support cultural practice, revive waterways, and heal

Country [Ongoing since XX]

‘Connecting with Country Through Ochre’ at ATSI Byron Bay High School [2023]

‘Painting with Ochre’ at Culture College [2023, 2022]

‘Ochre Healing Workshop’ at Bunjum Aboriginal Corporation [2022]

‘Painting with Ochre’ at Arts Northern Rivers, Lismore Regional Gallery [February 2021]

‘Painting with Ochre’ as part of NAIDOC Week at Byron Bay High School [July 2020, June 2019]