Mel Kadel is originally from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and graduated from Moore College of Art & Design in Philadelphia. After living in New York for a few years, she moved to Los Angeles where she now resides in a log cabin by the 5 Freeway with her partner, artist Travis Millard. She works using coffee-stained paper, micron .005 pens, hand mixed ink wash, pencil, and blades to create carefully detailed and layered drawings of childlike characters exploring, opening up, and overcoming peril with fierce determination.
Kadel’s work has shown in numerous galleries throughout the United States and abroad in London, Sydney, and Denmark. Her work has appeared in publications including Juxtapoz, Monster Children, and LA Times Magazine.