Mela Cooke studied sculpture at the Brisbane Institute of Art with Frank Lambert and continued working with him for several years after. Her past life as a physiotherapist is apparent in her strikingly realistic style of sculpture, which pays particular attention to the physical form at rest. Her posing figures are not just aesthetically pleasing they are also imbued with individual human character. Artist Statement:"My sculptures are informed by my enduring interest in portraying and defining the character and beauty of the people in my life. I have always been a ‘people’s person’, and I delight in endeavouring to capture the essence of the personalities of my family and friends in my sculptures. I have been influenced by two sculptors in particular, Constantine Brancusi and Henry Moore, and their work has inspired me to employ strong lines and truthful gestures in order to make my sculptures live. I have worked in various mediums, including marble, but have arrived at the point in my life where my love of the serenity of working in clay, and my appreciation of the beauty and timelessness of bronze, has resulted in my now working solely in this medium."