Campbell A. Mellon RBA ROI (GOSH plaque)

Mellon was born in Berkshire in 1876. His birth was registered as Archie Campbell Mellon, but the forename, Archibald, seems to have been dropped or moved to his middle name during his adult life. 

He worked as a travelling salesman after moving to Nottingham in 1903, where he also undertook some artistic training from Carl Brenner, a nephew of the landscape painter Benjamin Williams Leader. In 1918, after service in the First World War, Mellon moved and settled in Gorleston, initially at 2 Upper Cliff Road, moving to 1 Upper Cliff Road at some time during the 1930s. He met and became acquainted with Sir John Arnesby Brown R.A. (1866-1955). For the next three years, Mellon became Sir John’s student and also his friend. Mellon focused on painting seascapes and some of his finest works are of Gorleston beach. He captured the ever changing coastal atmosphere and mood with brilliant tonal qualities, clever use of texture and colour, tending to favour heavy threatening skies. Campbell Mellon became a regular exhibitor at the Royal Academy from 1924 showing a total of 50 paintings. He was elected to the Royal Institute of Oil Painters in 1938 and to the Royal Society of British Artists in 1939. He was also a founder member and the first Chairman of the Great Yarmouth and District Society of Artists.

Although Mellon’s worked out of doors, his paintings were believed to be largely composed in the studio, as he re-arranged and eliminated detail he did not see fitting and added design to suit his ideas. He was more interested in composing an image. Mellon’s work can be found in private collections worldwide and can be seen in public galleries in Bristol, Leeds, Sheffield, Norwich and Great Yarmouth. He died in Gorleston in August 1955.