Melanie Banayat

Through the years I’ve discovered that, as an artist, what is in my heart is an unquenchable need to capture human emotions onto canvas. As stated by the character from the book and movie, “Forest Gump” Life is like a box of chocolates – you never know what you’re gonna get." How true a statement! Every life lived has a myriad of chapters and stories to tell. It’s the stuff that inspires me to paint.

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine that my life journey would have taken me down the roads I have traveled. But in retrospect, it is simply the life of any modern day American women. Surviving through the death of my father as a young child and being raised by a single mother, along with two older brother’s with polar opposite personalities, then enduring two failed marriages spanning nineteen years, while owning and operating an art business for 12 years, and then owning and operating a fishing resort for another 11 years, in addition to raising four kids…… I feel as though I have experienced enough human emotions to give me enough material to work from for the rest of my life! Although I must say that I do favor the good emotions over the bad ones.

I’ve also discovered that I am particularly intrigued by patterns, shapes, textures, and bold colors. Perhaps that comes from growing up in Arizona where my surroundings were saturated with images of Mexican and Indian culture, as well as the Filipino culture that I was exposed to due to my own heritage.

I’m a mixture of nationalities, like most American’s, which greatly influences my interest in capturing all walks of life. I don’t fit into one category, and neither does anyone else. That’s what makes life so interesting!

As a contemporary artist I feel all artists have a certain obligation to provide some kind of a moral conscience for society. There is already plenty of ugliness in the world, so I like to focus on what is beautiful, what is peaceful, and what is inspirational. It is my mission to use my work as a means to provide bits and pieces of joy and happiness in life. For me, painting is a form of thinking. It is a way of living. It is a mission. It is a connection to something greater than myself.