Melanie Vugich’s journey is one of quiet determination and creative resilience. Rooted in the vivid landscapes of Broken Hill and shaped by formative experiences in Sydney, Florence, and beyond, Melanie’s work bridges the boldness of Fauvism and the raw beauty of the Australian outback. Each piece tells a story of connection—between objects, memories, and emotions—capturing the extraordinary within the everyday. Melanie’s artistic evolution reflects a life dedicated to honing craft, embracing challenges, and finding healing through creativity.

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Can you pinpoint a single moment in your life when you realized art was not just a passion but your purpose?

When I sold my HSC (Higher School Certificate) major works to a friend in my small hometown who displayed them in his fashion store. I had been drawing and painting since I was four years old, and it was the only thing I was ever completely focused on and passionate about. Selling those works as I was about to leave school gave me the confidence I needed to imagine a future as an artist. 

Have you ever felt drawn toward a conventional career path? What made you take the "creative leap" despite the risks?

Never! Even though I grew up in a very remote part of Australia in the 1970s/80s, didn’t know any female artists and had never visited any major art galleries, I somehow knew I would be an artist. The great thing about being fairly unworldly was that I was never conscious of the risks. Also, when I relocated to Sydney I was always prepared to do anything for work as long as I had enough spare time to draw and paint. Moving to Florence at the age of 22 was the giant creative leap my art practice was calling for. I couldn’t speak the language and worked as a cleaner and waitress, but it was rare for me not to paint and draw every day. My work started gaining a small following among my new friends, and before long I was introduced to Susan Nevelson, who was the Creative Director for fashion and homewares label Ken Scott and was looking for a studio assistant. 

 

Susan was in her sixties at the time and had worked as an artist her whole life, which was so thrilling to me. She instantly became my great friend and mentor and taught me everything there was to know about colour mixing, light, working with oils and fabric design – her goal was to make sure I could always be a working artist. I went on to design fabrics for several prominent Italian fashion labels, which gave me the freedom to experiment with colour and strengthen my skills. Many people might never have heard of Susan, but she had a huge impact on the fashion and homewares scene during the sixties and seventies – her sense of colour was extraordinary, and her glorious prints look just as contemporary now as they did then. Susan’s willingness to mentor me was such a generous and affirming gift to me as a young artist, and I think of her every single day.

What do you think is the most meaningful role an artist plays in society today?

Whether an artist’s work is groundbreaking, political, controversial, humorous or just plain beautiful, I think the most meaningful thing it can do is to make people pause for a moment and lift them out of the monotony of daily life.

How do you measure the impact of your work—by its reception, its personal meaning, or something else?

It makes me profoundly happy when someone sends me a photo of my work hanging in their home and tells me it brings them daily joy. What I particularly love is when people resonate with a particular aspect of a painting, which might be a flower, a book, a piece of lace cloth or even my old Bialetti. These things might serve as a reminder of a time and place, or of a beloved family member, and a lot of the people who own my work say they have experienced this sense of connection.

What unusual or unexpected sources of inspiration have deeply influenced your work?

Broken Hill (my outback hometown) and Jean-Michel Basquiat. Outback Australia is incredibly beautiful – the weather is extreme, the earth is scorched red, the sky is the bluest blue you’ve ever seen, the wildlife is abundant and the starry night skies are absolutely magical. The vast sense of space and bold hues I grew up with have definitely influenced the way I use colour and composition in my work. Basquiat has long been a great source of inspiration for me, and I often turn to his paintings when I’m working towards a new show. I was so lucky to see his work in the flesh for the first time in my early twenties and it was mind-blowing – the scale, the bold brushstrokes, his absolute originality and fresh use of colour, the powerful social messages he conveyed in a single painting. His art books regularly appear in my work as a small way of honouring him.

Can art be truly therapeutic? Have you experienced its healing power personally, or seen it impact others?

Definitely! When my family suffered an unbearable tragedy in 2018, painting became my refuge and I was prolific in the months that followed – so much so that this is when I made the decision to stop taking kid’s art classes and devote my days to painting full-time. This is also when my older sister, Lisa Doust, starting working as my manager and my career started to flourish. It was an extremely challenging time, but we used it to create new opportunities via my art practice and that was so healing for us both.

Name five pivotal lessons you’ve learned that shaped your artistic journey.

✧ Trust your instincts: This goes for the work you create and for the people you entrust to represent you. Looking back, I’m proud of the fact that I believed in myself and found my way at a time when the Internet and social media hadn’t even been dreamed up.

 

✧ Finding your own style takes time and dedication: My advice to younger artists would be to really take the time to work on technique and style before putting their work out into the world – this will make so much more impact than work that is lacking in skill or derivative. 

 

✧ Networking with other artists is important: I love the relationships I’ve developed with several of my fellow Australian artists – we support each other in small but meaningful ways and it’s really inspiring to see their work develop and their careers expand.

 

✧ Mentors can really change the course of your career: I had never even thought about seeking out a mentor, but having Susan come into my life at such a pivotal point was completely life-changing and has had wonderful long-term implications.

 

✧ Becoming a full-time artist can be a long and slow journey: I considered myself an artist in my early twenties, but even though I was painting for work and had exhibitions in Italy, I didn’t have my first solo show in Australia until I was aged 55. The great thing about this is I know exactly what I’m doing when I sit at my easel, my style is very defined and I can now spend the rest of my life doing exactly what I always wanted to do.

If you could step back into any artistic era, which would it be and why?

I spent a lot of time in the south of France with Susan and this is when I fell in love with Fauvism and still life art. Matisse is my all-time favourite Fauve artist, so I would head straight for Nice in the hope that I could observe him working up close.

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Melanie Vugich’s art transforms personal experience into universal resonance, celebrating color, form, and memory with an enduring authenticity. Through decades of dedication, her work has become a testament to the power of persistence, mentorship, and the healing potential of creative expression. Melanie’s paintings serve as a reminder of art’s ability to connect, inspire, and elevate, leaving a legacy deeply rooted in passion and purpose.