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MELISSA SHEKINAH
BUT FIRST, LOVE.
首先，爱
"But First, Love" is the debut collection by Melissa Shekinah, a series that embodies her belief in the transformative power of love. This series originated from the simple yet profound idea of incorporating her favourite heart-shaped elements into each artwork, symbolizing love’s presence and influence.
For Melissa, love is the essential force that breathes life into dreams, relationships, and aspirations. She seeks to remind viewers of life’s true purpose: to love and to be loved. Each piece radiates warmth and compassion, inviting the audience to reconnect with the core human experience of love as a source of healing, strength, and inspiration. “But First, Love” serves as both a personal expression and a universal message, celebrating love as the ultimate creative and spiritual force in the world.
"首先，爱 。" 是玫莉莎。舍吉娜的首个系列作品。这个系列源于一个简单却深刻的理念——将她喜爱的心形元素融入每一幅作品中，象征着爱在生活，生命中的存在与影响。
对艺术家而言，爱是人们存在的基础——是为梦想、关系与抱负注入生命的核心力量。通过这一系列作品，提醒观众生活的真正目的：去爱与感受被爱。每一幅作品散发着对于“爱”的不同诠释。邀请观众感受到它作为疗愈、能量和灵感源泉的深远影响。
BELOVED挚爱
2023
60cm x 80cm | Mix Media on Canvas
“Beloved” evokes a sense of beauty, tranquility, and hope. This painting celebrates love in all its forms—whether for friends, family, or oneself. Heart-shaped patterns fill the sky, and flowers blossom in vibrant colors, symbolizing the warmth and joy of love. The vivid palette reflects an enduring message of hope, connection, and affection that radiates from the canvas, inviting viewers to embrace love in their own lives.
“挚爱”寓意为无论是对朋友、家人，还是对自己的一份关爱和守护。 这幅画运用鲜明色调，满是心形的天空背景传递着持久的希望与连接，邀请观众在自己的生活中拥抱爱。
MIDNIGHT MELODY 午夜旋律
2023
150cm x 100cm | Acrylic on canvas
Midnight melody evokes imagery of a serene, stillness and the beauty that found in solitude which can only be fully appreciated in the quiet moments of the night. The painting blurs the line between reality and imagination, invoking thoughts of dreams, fantasies, and artist experiences.
It also symbolize moments of emotional depth and spiritual clarity, when thoughts and feelings flow more freely, leading to personal revelations.
“午夜旋律” 唤起了宁静、静谧之美的意象。这种美只能在夜晚的安静时刻中感受到。这幅画模糊了现实与想象之间的界限，引发人们对梦境、幻想和个人经历的思考。
ONCE UPON A TIME 在某个时空
2023
120cm x 120cm | Arcylic on Canvas
Once upon a time, there existed a hidden garden — a place where the sky kissed the earth in shades of blue and gold, This secret garden was alive with vibrant colors: trees with ethereal blue canopies that whispered ancient secrets, lush grasses swaying softly in the breeze, and delicate flowers blooming in shades of pink and red, their petals shaped like tiny hearts, as if each one was offering a piece of love to those who passed by.
The garden breathe with life, whispering promises of renewal and the quiet assurance that every heart could find its way back to love & light.
在某个时空，天空与大地相拥，呈现出蓝金交织的色调。这里有座色彩缤纷的秘密花园，树木覆盖着空灵的蓝色树冠，似乎在述说着古老的秘密；茂密的草在微风中轻轻摇曳，粉红与桃红色的花朵在此绽放，花瓣是小小的心形，仿佛每朵花都在为路过的人献上一份爱。花园中充满了生机，传递着每一颗心都能找到回归爱与光明之路的信念。
SWAN LAKE 天鹅湖
2023
120cm x 100cm | Acrylic on canvas
This painting appears to be a serene depiction of two swans gliding through a tranquil water scene filled with water lilies shaped in heart. The use of soft blues, greens, pink & purples along with the reflective water gives it a calming, impressionistic feel, reminiscent of Claude Monet's famous water lily series. The influence of Monet’s style, combined with signage of artist hometown Sibu, Sarawak — the swan, creates a blend of natural beauty and local cultural significance.
这幅画描绘了两只天鹅在湖面畅游，水面上盛开着心形的睡莲。柔和的蓝色、绿色、粉色和紫色的色彩运用，加上水面的倒影，营造出一种平和的印象派氛围，令人联想到克劳德·莫奈著名的睡莲系列。莫奈风格的影响与艺术家家乡砂拉越诗巫的象征 —— “天鹅”相结合，融汇了自然之美与当地文化的意喻。
REFLECTION OF TRANQUILITY 宁静的倒影
2023
120cm x 100cm | Acrylic on canvas
The interplay of soft pastel colors and nature’s elements brings forth a deep sense of serenity. The floral motifs and delicate heart shapes floating upward evoke feelings of love and peacefulness, merging seamlessly with the background. The reflections in the still water act as a metaphor for self-reflection, where the viewer is invited to look inward, finding calm in the natural world while also reflects the peace within oneself. The scene becomes a reminder of how love, nature, and reflection are interconnected, offering balance and stillness in a chaotic world.
“宁静的倒影"这幅作品使用柔和的粉彩色调与大自然元素的交织，营造出一种深沉的宁静感。画中花卉和代表鸟儿飞行的心形符号传递出爱，平和与自由的情感。平静水面上的倒影仿佛是自我反思的隐喻，邀请观者向内探索，在大自然的静谧中找到心灵的慰藉。
BREATHE 呼吸
2023
80cm X 80cm | Oil on canvas
The gift of life and spirit comes from breath because it represent life, without breath, we cannot live. It is way too easy to take the things for granted that have become second nature and automatic. They are so much a part of our everyday existence and can easily go unnoticed. Breathing is a prime example of this. Luckily for most of us, breathing is controlled automatically. It's a great practice to increase awareness and appreciation of even the most basic of human functions. Appreciate every breath we take. Nurture precious partnership with oneself. Embrace the essence of authenthic self.
生命与灵魂的馈赠来自于呼吸，它象征着生命的延续。然而，我们常常容易忽视那些已深深融入我们日常生活，几乎不被察觉的事。“呼吸”便是其中最显著的例子。这幅画寓意着“自爱”，感受，探索与爱护自己，感谢我们能够安然呼吸，生存的每一个当下。
SECRET GARDEN秘密花园
2023
120cm x 100cm | Acrylic on canvas
Its a place to unwind one’s mind. A secret hidden hideaway for healing and transformation. The secret garden symbolized peaceful & eternity love. Melissa painted this painting while she was having her downtime in life, however she turned her desperation moments into beautiful flowers, gardens and spaces that heal herself within.
秘密花园是一个放松心灵的地方。艺术家在人生低谷时，设想有一处能慰藉自己心灵的地方，于是有了这幅画的产生。这里有着如梦境一般的画面，摘不完的葡萄寓意永恒的希望，成双成对的鸟类，象征爱情。艺术家也邀请观赏着感受画里细节的表达。这幅画也将映射观赏者的内心世界。
ENCHANTING RAFFLESIA 莱佛士花
2023
120cm x 100cm | Acrylic on canvas
Rafflesia flowers are found at artist hometown-Sarawak. The painting depicts large, enchanting Rafflesia flowers in a mystical forest setting. The striking red blossoms, with their characteristic fleshy petals and dotted patterns, stand out against the cool, greenish-blue tones of the background, evoking a lush, tropical Borneo environment.
The Rafflesia flower has a remarkably short lifespan. After months of growing as a bud, it blooms for only about 3 to 5 days. This fleeting existence, despite its grand scale, reflects the delicate balance between beauty, growth, and impermanence in nature.
莱佛士花是一种 生长在艺术家的家乡 —— 砂拉越，的巨型花。这幅画描绘了神秘森林中巨大而迷人的莱佛士花。鲜红的花朵配有肉质的花瓣和点状花纹，在背景清凉的蓝绿色调中尤为突出，生动呈现了婆罗洲热带雨林的丰茂景观。
莱佛士花的生命极其短暂。它经过数月的蓓蕾生长，却只盛开3到5天。这短暂的绽放，诠释了自然中美丽、生长与无常之间的微妙状态。
DREAMER'S LAND 梦之地
2023
60cm X 80cm | Mix Media on canvas
The “Dreamer’s Land ” inspired and conjures an image of a mystical version of my hometown Sarawak, one of Malaysia’s most breathtaking regions, known for its dense rainforest and rich biodiversity. In this dreamlike painting , the jungle is both real and imagined, blending Sarawak’s native & also household plants. In the rainforests of Sarawak, heart-shaped plants such as aroids, taro and flora such as birds of paradise , pitcher plants can add a sense of beauty and symbolism to the rich biodiversity.
These plants, create a connection between nature and the emotions they symbolize. In this “Sarawak Dreamer’s Jungle,” plants & flora would not only be a part of the natural environment but also hold deeper symbolic meanings, representing connection, love, and harmony with nature.
"梦之地 “ 灵感来之艺术家家乡---砂拉越。这里有马来西亚最令人叹为观止的地区之一，以其浓密的雨林和丰富的生物多样性而闻名。在这幅梦幻般的画作中，丛林既真实又虚幻，融合了砂拉越本土与常见植物。在砂拉越的雨林中，有许多心形植物如鸭跖草、芋叶等，另有天堂鸟、猪笼草等植物，增添了雨林的美感。
这些植物创造了自然与情感之间的联系。在这片“家乡梦之地”中，植物与花卉不仅是自然环境的一部分，也承载着更深的象征意义，代表着与自然的连接、爱与和谐。
FLAMES OF LOV E 燃之爱
2023
100cm x 60cm | Mix Media on Canvas
Flames of Love presents a striking contrast between darkness and vibrant, fiery colors that symbolize the intense and transformative nature of love. The red flowers evoke the delicate yet fierce aspect of love—like flames that burn brightly and intensely, they bring warmth and light to the cold, dark world around them. The yellow and purple tones woven into the base of the image add an additional layer of emotional energy, signifying vitality, creativity, and perhaps the complicated, multifaceted nature of love. In this work, love is portrayed as both fragile and powerful—its presence elevates everything around it.
”燃之爱“呈现出黑暗与鲜艳火焰色彩的强烈对比，象征了炽烈的爱和力量。红色的花朵既柔美又强烈，犹如燃烧的火焰，在黑暗冰冷的世界中带来温暖与光亮。画作底部编织的黄色与紫色调，为画面增添了一层情感的能量，象征着生命力、创造力，以及‘爱’的复杂、多面的特质。
在这幅作品中，爱被描绘为既脆弱又强大。作品可能也反映了艺术家个人对爱的理解和成长旅程，象征着将内心的火焰转化为视觉艺术，让他人也能感受到并产生共鸣。
INFINITE HORIZON无限地平线
2023
100cm x 80cm | Mix Media on Canvas
This painting captures the boundless and endless nature of existence, where colors and emotions blur the lines between the tangible and the abstract evoking a feeling of continuity, where no end can be seen, symbolizing infinite love, energy, and life that extend beyond the canvas, beyond time.
这幅画捕捉了无边无际与永恒。色彩与情感模糊了具象与抽象之间的界限，表达仿佛看不见的尽头，象征着超越画布、超越时间无限的爱、能量与生命。
HEARTSTRINGS 心弦
2023
80cm x 80cm | Mix Media on Canvas
This vibrant artwork exudes the warmth and joy of love, where colourful hearts float amidst a swirling sky of purples, blues, and yellow. The field below is filled with an array of colourful flowers, but it’s the Rafflesia, a nod to the artist’s hometown, that anchors the piece.
Symbolising love’s deep roots and the blossoming of connection to both people and place, this painting captures the heartstrings that tie us to love in all its forms, both near and far.
这幅艺术作品散发着活力与欢乐，五彩斑斓的心形图案漂浮在紫、蓝与黄色交织的旋转天空中。田野里盛开着各色鲜花，以及艺术家家乡之花---莱佛士花。
这幅画象征着人和乡土之间的情感，艺术家表达个人与家乡之情紧密相连的心弦，无论是在近处还是远方，爱将以各种形式存在，比如思念，牵挂和祝福。
UNDER THE STARRY NIGHT 在同一片星空下
2023
100cm x 120cm | Arcylic on Canvas
The painting evokes a sense of wonder , connection with the universe and the emotions beneath the stars. The stars represent uncharted possibilities, inspiring dreams of exploration and inviting a spiritual connections, or a higher power. The heart shaped flowers represent individuals that carries different stories , life experiences and dreams.
这幅画表达了宇宙与星空下，大地和一些生命体的情感联系。星星代表着未知的可能性，又或者是一种引领。这幅画为要激发人们对于梦想的探索，邀请观赏者与更高的力量建立联系。心形花朵象征着那些携带着不同生活经历与梦想的我们，在浩瀚无垠的星空下，经历着各自独有的故事。
THE MESSAGE 信息
2023
120cm | Mix Media on canvas
Poem / Melissa
A unique stone by the riverside,
Colors of patina, unpolished love’s raw shape.
The waterfall sings, the leaves and wind play,
Burbling, bubbling, rustling, whistling.
A school of fish, butterflies in a dance,
Moss on stone, dry branches bare.
Time’s precipitation.
Life’s wandering path.
Far from here, a broken home, a dry well.
Maroon and black, searching for peace.
Gunshots echo, children’s cries resound,
People flee, fighters strike.
Cracked roads, burning forests ablaze,
Human greed, life’s grief.
Where is peace?
JOURNEY OF LIFE 生命的旅程
2023
80cm | Mix Media on Canvas
“Growth“ symbolizes the early stages of life—the tender days when we first arrive in this world, innocent and filled with curiosity. The circular composition reflects a sense of continuity and fresh beginnings, while the expanding rings can represent the gradual unfolding of a child’s world, layer by layer.
“Energy” reflects the artist’s life from ages 10 to 20, capturing the essence of a period filled with energy, boldness, and resilience. The fiery red and deep orange hues exude a sense of passion and intensity.
By revisiting this period, the artwork honors the memories and lessons of youthful days, carrying forward the inspiration to stay young at heart and to face life’s journey with enduring courage and enthusiasm.
“Stillness” . In her 20s and 30s, Melissa realized the importance of learning the art of stillness—of cultivating inner strength and establishing inner peace amid chaos. During this time, she faced many life challenges that left her feeling depressed and detached from her life and dreams. Seeking a way to improve her life, she recognized the need to transform and grow within herself by practicing the art of stillness.
"Awakening" reflects the artist's life in her 30s which gradually led her to the stage of spiritual awakening in life and a deeper connection with faith. She practices self- consciousness which involves cultivating an awareness of her own thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and understanding that every moment in life is just timeless. She comes to a transformative experience that shifts her perception of life and the world while developing her sense of interconnectedness with the universe.
《生命之旅》——“成长”象征了生命的初始阶段——那些我们初次来到这个世界时的温柔日子，充满了天真和好奇。圆形的构图反映了一种连续感和新的开始，而扩展的圆环可以代表孩子世界的逐步展开，一层一层地扩展。
《生命之旅》——“能量”反映了艺术家在10至20岁期间的生活，捕捉了充满能量、勇气和坚韧的时期的本质。炽热的红色和深橙色调散发出激情和强烈的感觉。通过回顾这个时期，这幅作品致敬了年轻时的记忆和教训，带着对年轻心态的坚持和勇敢面对生命旅程的启发。
《生命之旅》——“静心”。在20岁到30岁的时期，艺术家意识到静心艺术的重要性——在混乱中培养内在力量并建立内心的平静。在此期间，她面临了许多生活的挑战，感到抑郁并与自己的生活和梦想疏离。为了改善生活，她认识到需要通过练习静心艺术来进行内在的转变和成长。
《生命之旅》——“觉醒”。这幅画代表艺术家在30多岁时逐渐进入精神觉醒的阶段，并加深了对信仰的连接。她练习自我意识，这包括培养对自己的思想、情感、行为的觉察，并理解生命中的每一个时刻都是永恒的体验。在各种生命经历，探索和反思，改变了她对世界和宇宙的认知。
林中小河畔，遇见一块特别的石头。
青铜金灰蓝，尚未雕琢的爱。
流水声的旋律，树叶与清风低吟。
潺潺淙淙，沙沙飒飒。
鱼儿奋力前行，蝴蝶空中飞舞，
石头上的青苔，枯枝静默。
时间的沉淀，生命的轨迹。
远方小屋旁，有座干枯的古井，
红灰赤银黑，仍未遇见安宁。
四周枪声响起，孩子在母亲怀中哭泣，
扑通扑通，乒乒乓乓。
人们逃亡，战机轰鸣，
道路裂痕，森林烈焰吞噬，
人性的贪婪，生命的哀叹。
平安在哪里？
HEALING BLOSSOMS
2023
100cm x 80cm (sample) | Arcylic on Canvas
Healing blossoms symbolizes the process of emotional, physical, or spiritual healing, parallels with the way flowers bloom and grow. Healing, much likely the growth of a blossom, takes time, nurturing, and patience. Natures are healers. Flowers connected to nature’s ability to heal, both physically and emotionally, reminding us of the restorative power of natural elements like beauty, tranquility, and renewal.
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