Growing up in the Dales in North Yorkshire, Melanie enjoyed both riding and handling horses. She rode out with the Bedale and Zetland hunts and frequently visited the moor gallops at Middleham, to watch the racehorses against the stunning backdrop of Wensleydale. 
During her years in London, Melanie enjoyed nothing better than to sketch at rac
e meetings, particularly at Windsor and Epsom. Never has there been a happier day than at stables, sketching and observing the day to day activities and dynamics of the yard, as at race meetings,
three day events or point to points, where action, movement and spectacle are the main inspiration.
Key elements of her equestrian work are the personality and movement of horses and the dynamic between horse and rider/handler. Capturing the specific atmosphere of their environment is also important to her. Melanie possesses the ability and craftsmanship to paint both open landscape and vibrant crowded racing scenes, but is also able to use her trained portrait painter’s eye to focus on the unique character of a horse or rider for specific commissions.
When Melanie visited Liquid Amber Art Galleries in February 2010, she visited her family and friends near Richmond, her family have all been painters at some stage, her great grandfather James Faed RA a member of the Royal Academy, and his two brothers, again members Thomas Faed RA and John Faed RA.
