Artist Feature: Interview with Melanie Biehle

Artist Feature: Interview with Melanie Biehle

At Gioia Wall Art, we are proud to collaborate with artists whose work captures emotion, beauty, and a strong sense of place. This month, we feature Melanie Biehle, an abstract painter based in Seattle whose art explores the connection between travel, architecture, and nature. Through layered compositions and thoughtful use of colour, Melanie translates her experiences into paintings that invite reflection and calm.

In this interview, Melanie shares her creative journey and how she draws inspiration from her surroundings to create abstract interpretations of place.

What first drew you to painting, and how did you come to focus on capturing the emotion and essence of a place?

I had been interested in art and artists since my late teens, but I did not begin to explore it on my own until I was 40. I was working as a freelance writer and photographer for magazines and often covered art and design. One of my assignments was a weekend workshop at an art school in Seattle, and I enjoyed it so much that I signed up for an abstract painting course for the fall semester.

I began focusing on place unintentionally. I realised that the things I am most inspired by, such as the sea, natural patterns and colour palettes of shells and rocks, architecture, and light, all come together to express the essence of place. I began to see how the details fit into the bigger picture.

Coastal Traditions, Style A

How have your experiences with travel or different environments influenced the way you see and interpret the world in your art?

I am a mood collector. I take many photos when I travel and when I explore close to home. The images on my phone may not look significant to anyone else, but to me they capture an experience. Textures of walls, short videos of waves meeting the shore, patterns in sand, close-up shots of rocks, shells, and driftwood, or the colour palettes of building exteriors all serve as inspiration references when I start new paintings or when I get stuck.

Are there particular moments or memories that tend to inspire your work most?

I feel most myself when I am near water. Exploring coastal environments brings me the most peace and joy in my life and in my work.

Casa Yellow, Style A

Your paintings often blend fluid, atmospheric qualities with more structured, composed elements. How do you approach balancing these different moods in a single piece?

I am open to bridging these two distinct points of inspiration in a way that feels natural, but at the moment they remain separate. Earlier this year I released Seeking Solace, a painting collection that celebrated the duality in my work and brought both styles into one series. The architectural pieces and flowing abstract landscapes are part of the same story, but they do not overlap on the canvas yet.

Your art evokes a strong sense of place and emotion. What do you hope people feel when they experience your paintings in their homes?

More than anything I hope that people feel connected to the work and that the energy of the painting becomes part of their home and life.

Pause, Style A

How do you think a painting can transform a space or bring a sense of connection to the environments it represents?

One of the things I find interesting about creating abstract work is that my own travel inspiration can be completely different from the experience of the person who brings the painting into their home. There is a transfer of emotion that happens in the energy of a piece, but it does not need to be based on the same experience.

I could paint something inspired by a garden I visited in France, and someone else may love it because it reminds them of their honeymoon in Italy. Paintings are personal to both the artist and the collector, and they transform spaces in unique ways depending on lived experiences.

Looking ahead, are there new ideas, places, or experiences you are excited to explore in your work?

I am boarding a plane to Greece this afternoon. I am attending an art retreat on the island of Lefkada, then spending a couple of days exploring Santorini. I have a brief layover in Corfu as well. I am looking forward to taking in new inspiration from islands I have always wanted to visit. Santorini especially seems to hold something special in its blend of architecture, mountains, stone, and sea.

Last Splash

Melanie’s work embodies a thoughtful exploration of place, movement, and memory. Each piece invites the viewer to experience a quiet moment of connection through form and colour.

Explore Melanie Biehle’s collection of fine art prints, available exclusively at Gioia Wall Art