The Art of Seeing

At 22, she is part of a new generation of creatives finding their own voice – not through grand declarations, but by patiently observing, continuing to learn and approaching each blank page with curiosity.

By day, Melandri works as a graphic and UX/UI designer. After hours, she swaps the screen for charcoal, graphite and, occasionally, oil paint, immersing herself in the delicate art of realistic portraiture. For her, the act of creating is not a separate part of her life – it is woven into who she is.

“Creativity isn’t just something I do; it’s how I move through the world,” she says.

When she is not designing or drawing, Melandri enjoys the simplicity of everyday life. She crochets, sews and loves to read, describing herself as a calm, grounded person who feels equally at home within familiar walls or in new places where fresh inspiration awaits.

Although creativity has always been part of her life, she remembers how taking Visual Arts in Grade 10 changed her perspective.

“That was when I realised art is about so much more than making something beautiful. It changed the way I think, what I look at and how I interpret everyday moments.”

That new way of seeing would eventually shape her love for realism. Today, she works mainly with charcoal and graphite, focusing on portraits – not simply to capture how people look, but also the details that make every face unique.

“The longer I draw someone, the more I start noticing the little details that make them unique. It almost feels as though I get to know the person simply by observing them.”

For Melandri, a new artwork usually begins with a simple question: Can I capture this? It might be an interesting face, a photograph or even just a composition that catches her attention. What follows is hours of patience, problem-solving and a willingness to trust the process.

Ironically, the hardest part is still starting.

She recalls how her high-school teacher would sometimes simply make the first brushstroke for her when she got stuck.

“She would just say: ‘There, now it’s started.’ I’ll never forget that.”

It is a lesson that has stayed with her – that perfection is not the starting point of creativity; taking the first step is.

Like many creatives, she is also familiar with the voice of self-doubt. But rather than comparing herself with others, she has learnt to look back at her own growth.

“Instead of comparing myself with artists who have been creating for decades, I compare myself with who I was yesterday.”

That mindset has helped her approach the pressure of social media differently. Although it is easy to compare yourself with others, she also sees it as a space where inspiration is endless.

“I’m constantly amazed by what people create. It reminds me that there is always something new to learn.”

When people see her work, she does not hope they experience one specific emotion.

“I just want them to feel something. Whether it’s curiosity, nostalgia, joy or even discomfort – if my work makes someone pause for a moment, then it has done what it was meant to do.”

Of all her works, a realistic portrait of Jack Parow remains one of her favourites. Not necessarily because it is her best-known work, but because it represents the hours of practice, patience and growth that have shaped her love for portraiture.

She finds inspiration everywhere – in people, nature, music and art history. She admires Caravaggio’s dramatic realism, the light and atmosphere of the Impressionists, and draws just as much creative energy from musicians such as Fokofpolisiekar as she does from artists she discovers online.

For Melandri, the future is not about a fixed destination, but about discovery. She wants to explore new mediums, experiment with different processes and eventually bring the worlds of traditional art and digital design closer together. She does not yet know exactly what that will look like – and that is precisely what excites her.

For young creatives trying to find their own voice, her advice is simple:

“Don’t wait for the perfect idea. Stay curious, keep experimenting and let every artwork teach you something. That’s how you grow.”