Bio

Melina Cossío is a Mexican artist based on Canada. Born in Tapachula, Chiapas, México. She has travelled worldwide to study and perfect her craft in stained glass sculpture and oil painting.

In 1993, while living in Guadalajara, México, Melina discovered that she had a gift for the arts. As a teenager, she quickly became recognized for her murals and abstract art, which led to her showcasing her work in different venues and locations.

Art as a profession was not an option for Melina when she left high school. She studied business administration from 1996 - 2000 at Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara (UAG). Although she excelled at business management, her art kept calling her. So, in 2003 - 2007, Melina moved to Finland, where she started her fine art studies at Ylöjärvi Institute and gained specialization in abstract and contemporary stained glass sculptures. During this time, she worked with prestigious Finnish artist Tuula Lehtinen, creating grand mosaic art installations in Tampere Pikkupalatsi using ceramic and Murano glass. She also worked with Matti Kuronen on
an environmental art project, Keinutori.

In 2007 – 2014, Melina learned how to weld metals to refine her stained glass sculptures in Santiago de Chile. To further her passion for art, she continued her oil painting and carbon drawing studies with Martin Soria at the Martin Soria Academy from 2007 to 2011. Here, she honed her portrait and figure drawing skills. Her success led to several art exhibits featuring her glass sculptures and oil paintings, and she was commissioned to complete private works worldwide.

Since 2014, Melina has been living and creating art in Ontario, Canada, where she has participated in several art fairs and gallery exhibitions, including, Visual Art Mississauga, RAW showcase, Paint Ontario at Lambton heritage Museum, Summer and Grace Art Gallery, Toronto Outdoor Art Fair, a personal exhibition of her work with singer Arlene Paculan, won a bronze award recently at Camelback gallery, among others.

Artist Statement

Melina's Art career has evolved over the years, focusing on finding joy in the small moments of life. She takes pleasure in creating art that captures the beauty of nature and urban landscapes while delving into the connection between life and humanity. Melina brings her artistic vision to life through her oil paintings, showcasing her work on various platforms such as social media and exhibitions. She also offers commissioned oil paintings and acrylic murals.

Inspired by various artists, including her favourite, 19th-century painter Albert Edelfelt from Finland, known for his naturalistic style approach to capturing daily life atmosphere, Melina's art endeavours to explore the beauty in life, she seeks to convey the emotions and sentiments of present surroundings through vibrant oil paintings. Drawing inspiration comes from the pictures she captures on her road trip surroundings. Melina's work creates a soothing and inviting atmosphere, using various styles and techniques, often incorporating vivid colours and intricate brushstrokes. Her process begins with an abstract base of gestural lines and shapes, which she then builds upon using a combination of traditional brushwork to focus on the main idea and a glaze technique to create blurriness. With her artwork, Melina aims to offer a perspective on present life, connecting with others' feelings and bringing and fostering an appreciation for the beauty found in the world.

Melina's hope is for the collector not just to be drawn in by the objects or figures seen but to be in touch with the universality of the emotions we all feel and the atmosphere that inspired her to create the art piece.

Melina is fluent in Spanish, Finnish, and English