Hi G’day! Goededag!

I’m Merel May Tieland, a Dutch-born artist currently based on Bunurong Land*, the Mornington Peninsula. My immigration to Australia in 2023 was a transformative experience, allowing me to fully dedicate myself to my art. Drawing from formal education in Fine Art and Design at ArtEZ in The Netherlands and a Master’s degree in International Development Studies with a focus on sociology, my artwork examines how human experience, environment, and cultural narratives shape one another.

Human interactions with nature are a central source of inspiration in my art. Moving between realism and impressionism, I explore subtle moments of beauty and thought-provoking subjects that invite reflection. My recent paintings focus on the impact of climate change on younger generations. Although the subject itself can feel absurd and almost abstract, I approach it in a realistic and detailed way. In contrast, with my Earthlines series, I move away from realism and search for abstraction within nature itself.

Since relocating to Australia, I have actively engaged with the local art community through artist in residencies and group exhibitions.  My work has been featured in e.g. Tangent at Unbound Gallery, Art of Nature at Frankston Art Centre, Footsquare at Aspire Gallery (finalist), and Nostalgia at Untether Gallery. Internationally, my art has been recognized in The Netherlands through exhibitions including Little Art at Caro ART Gallery and as a finalist in Fragile (Breekbaar) photo exhibition at Coda Museum.

In 2025, I was extremely honored to be a finalist in the prestigious Dutch national TV show Gezonken Meesters in the Gerrit Dou category, highlighting my evolving presence in the realist art scene. My work has also appeared in respected publications including Dutch art magazine Uitwaaien, and Australian House and Garden.