Campbell Archibald Mellon was born in Berkshire on 16 June 1878. He married and settled in Nottingham in 1903 and remained there until he died in Gorleston on 28 August 1955. He only started painting following his move to Nottingham. Mellon studied under Carl Brenner, nephew of Benjamin Williams Leader amongst other artists. After his arrival in Norfolk he studied under Sir John Alfred Arnesby Brown.
Although Mellon’s worked out of doors, his paintings were believed to be largely composed in the studio, as he re-arrange, eliminated detail he didn’t see fitting and added design to suit his ideas. He was more interested in composing an image that conjured up the atmospheric qualities of happiness rather than a sober pictorial translation of what he had seen. Mellon’s style had developed along simpler lines.
After serving in the First World War Mellon moved to the town of Gorleston in Norfolk and he became well known for these seaside scenes with a mass of clearly defined people. He loved to paint the beach at Gorleston whilst looking into the sun and the play of light on the sand fascinated him.
Mellon’s work can be seen in public galleries in Bristol, Leeds, Sheffield and Great Yarmouth.
