Melissa Shekinah Wong | B.1987 Malaysia

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​Since young, Melissa has develop strong passion for arts. After she graduated in Fashion Art & Textile design, she hopped into the fashion industry as a high fashion model & pageantry. However, her venture into modelling was cut short due to her spinal injury. She eventually moved back to her hometown for rehabilitation, while serving as an art tutor for living.

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After her recovery, she founded an event and wedding planning company that operated for five years.​ 

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In year 2014, she started a chained coffee house in her hometown together with her siblings. Melissa was a co-founder and served as art director. In the mid-2020, Melissa decided to pick up her young time dream, inspired by her late uncle who was an artist, sculptor, muralist serving in Europe countries. She became self-learned artist and got herself heavily involved in artworks, painting on canvas. 

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Her artworks from 2020-2022 are in freestyle. From realism art, figurative, semi-realistic to impressionist and contemporary art. In year 2023, Melissa takes the initial idea of including love shape elements into each of her art pieces and starts creating symbolism expressionism artworks under her own project - “BUT FIRST, LOVE. “ which she believes, the purpose of life is to love & to be loved while love is the essential foundation of all life & dreams.

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Painting is a way for her to express creativity and emotions, to find inner peace through colours. Her art journey is also a self-discovery journey. She begin to understand more about her inner-heart and callings.  

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​In year 2024, Melissa spent half year residency in New Zealand, exploring and immersing in nature. She starts painting abstract expressionism art which involved in the idea of healing in nature, incorporating nature elements and implementing her art practices. Her creative process is guided by intuition, subconscious and unconscious which offers therapeutic and healing energy.

 

Melissa is a member of Sibu Contemporary Arts Association, Sarawak Artist Society, British Art Therapy Association, and International Expressive Arts Therapy Association. 

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2022–2025
   •    Participated in multiple joint art exhibitions in Malaysia
   •    Charity art auction exhibition for the  Autism Association, Sibu Sarawak Malaysia
   •    Charity art exhibition for Malaysian Society of Neuroscience 
   •    Solo exhibition in Sarawak year 2024, titled [But First, Love.]
   •    Brunei-Sarawak joint art exhibition 
   •    China-Malaysia exhibition​​​