Melanie Siegel

Travellers coat, 2024

9 x 7 inches

Embroidery, mixed media

Melanie Siegel

The traveller’s coat serves as a metaphorical exploration of the human experience, illustrating how each step in our journey contributes to our personal evolution and potential for redemption and renewal. The materials creating the coat, such as recycled fabrics, and symbolic elements further emphasize the concept of repurposing and transformation, highlighting the power of reliance and adaptation in life journey. 

Melanie Siegel, a graduate of the Ontario College of Art, is a textile artist, educator, and exhibition coordinator. Her work in textile creation is innovative yet simple, with the magical transformation from recycled material to the creation of a new textile in its essence. Siegel’s inspiration comes from the shape, colour, and abstract patterns of the natural environment.  As an Artist-in-Residence and the Ontario Arts Council education grant recipient for the York Region District School Board, she created permanent legacy projects in felting workshops with the participation of over 700 students. Melanie has received several awards for her work, published articles, and exhibited her work across Canada, the USA, France, Switzerland, Ukraine, Bratislava, and Hungary.