"I reconstruct interiors and garden motifs through ideology and memory. Collecting imagery inspired by serene, untroubled days spent in island cottages and Roman villas, I present material objects that appear close at hand and can be seen and touched in the imagination. Flowers, which represent tenderness, center most of my work. The presence of birds suggests curiosity and wonder, sometimes allegories of fragility, sometimes euphoria. I’m looking for visual lushness. Contemplation. By alternating tonal moods and vivid ornamentation, I aim for discovery within the still life genre, sensations of consolation, longing and desire." -Melanie Parke