By Johanna M. Blume, curator of Western art, history and culture

Krystii Melaine, winner of the 2023 Quest for the West® Artist of Distinction Award

This fall, alongside the annual Quest for the West® Art Show and Sale, the Eiteljorg will present a special exhibition of works by longtime Quest artist Krystii Melaine, the 2023 Quest Artist of Distinction winner. Opening to the public Sept. 7 in the museum’s Paul Gallery, the exhibit of Melaine’s work continues through Oct. 13.

Born in 1963 in Bairnsdale, Victoria, Australia, Krystii Melaine knew from a young age that she wanted to be an artist. At only four years old, she announced to her family that’s exactly what she planned to be when she grew up. Her family, and in particular her mother, encouraged her creativity, love for art, and ambition throughout her life. Having started her career in fashion design before pursuing her passion to be a Western art painter, Melaine moved from Australia to Spokane, Wash., in 2010 to be closer to her subjects in the American West.

Krystii Melaine
Tornado, 2022
Oil on linen, 30 x 30 inches

With a self-proclaimed “rebellious streak,” Melaine pursues creative opportunities and follows artistic paths that appeal to her. As a result, she has had a rich and varied career, painting a wide variety of subjects, from portraits to wildlife to abstracts. She enjoys a challenge, and doesn’t like to be constrained by anyone’s expectations, including her own. She often experiments with new techniques and styles with no expectation of where they might lead. Inevitably, she learns something new from the process, which she is able to integrate into future works.

“I try new things. I don’t like to be put in a box and told what to do . . . . I’ve still got plenty of Western and wildlife paintings in me, but they’ll be different because my ideas and my influences are shifting all the time. I don’t keep looking at the same things and being inspired by the same things.”

The exhibit, titled Beyond Boundaries, will feature approximately 25 paintings, borrowed from Melaine and many of her loyal collectors. The versatility and breadth of her experience will be showcased by the works selected. Both exhibit and artist will be celebrated the evening of Friday, Sept. 6 as part of the Quest for the West® opening weekend festivities.

Krystii Melaine
Within Life’s Circle, 2018
Oil on linen, 36 x 18 inches
2018 Quest for the West® Harrison Eiteljorg Purchase Award. 2018.14.1

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in the June 2024 issue of Storyteller magazine.

Read a profile article about Krystii Melaine in the August-September 2024 issue of Western Art & Architecture magazine:
https://westernartandarchitecture.com/august-september-2024/the-trailblazer