Melinda Camber Porter facts for kids

Melinda Camber Porter (born September 18, 1953 – died October 9, 2008) was a talented artist from Britain. She was also a writer, poet, journalist, and filmmaker. Melinda was known for mixing different art forms like painting, writing, and making movies. She used oil paints, watercolors, and ink in her art.

Her artwork has been shown in famous places. These include The School of Visual Arts in New York and Oxford University. People really liked her paintings, poems, and films. As a journalist, Melinda interviewed many well-known writers, artists, and filmmakers for The Times newspaper.

Early Life and Education

Melinda Camber was born in London on September 18, 1953. She grew up on a street called Wimpole Street. Her father was a doctor who helped people with their thoughts and feelings. His office was right in their family home.

From a young age, Melinda loved art. She often visited the National Gallery. She spent a lot of time drawing and painting. When she was six, she received a book by William Blake called Songs of Innocence and Experience. This book later inspired her unique writing style.

Melinda went to the City of London School for Girls. She won special scholarships to study at both Oxford and Cambridge universities. To celebrate this, her school gave all the students a day off! This was usually only done when a royal family member died.

She chose to go to Oxford University. In 1974, she graduated with top honors in Modern Languages. She studied French and Latin. After college, she met John Robert Porter. They got married in Paris and lived near the Louvre Museum. Their marriage ended after five years. In 1982, Melinda moved to New York.

Family Life

Melinda Camber Porter married her second husband, Joseph Flicek, on July 2, 1985. They got married in his home state of South Dakota. For their honeymoon, they traveled to China. This trip inspired a series of her paintings. It also led to her novel called Floating Boundary.

Melinda often visited Joseph's family in South Dakota. These visits inspired another one of her novels, Badlands. The couple split their time between Manhattan and Sag Harbor. Melinda and Joseph had two sons.

Later, Melinda became sick with ovarian cancer. Her family then moved permanently to Sag Harbor. This was so she could rest and recover. Melinda passed away on October 9, 2008, when she was 55 years old.

Early Career as a Journalist

When Melinda lived in Paris, she worked as a French cultural reporter for The Times. She interviewed many important people. Some of these included famous directors like François Truffaut and Louis Malle. She also wrote about Mike Nichols and Ingmar Bergman. Many of these interviews were later put into her book, Through Parisian Eyes: Reflections on Contemporary French Arts and Culture.

Public Art Exhibitions

Melinda Camber Porter's art was shown in many places. Here are some of the exhibitions:

• British Consulate New York – A look back at her art and writing – 2006
• School of Visual Arts New York – New Art inspired by William Blake – 2006
• Paul Labrecque Salons New York – The Art of Horses and Lovers – 2005
• Walter Wickiser Gallery New York – The Arousal of Nature – 2005
• Art for Healing Gallery New York – The Art of Healing – 2005
• Oxford University UK – William Blake's influence on her work (with a lecture) – 2004
• Asia Society and Museum New York – Journey to Benares, a Rock Opera – 2003
• The Embassy of France Washington DC – Her French Art, Film & Literature – 1994
• The French Cultural Embassy New York – Her French Art, Film & Literature – 1993

Journalism Interviews

Melinda Camber Porter reported on French culture for The Times in the 1970s and 1980s. Many of her interviews were later published in her book Through Parisian Eyes. She spoke with many interesting people, including:

• Marcel Carné Paris, 1978
• Marguerite Duras Paris, 1975
• Eugène Ionesco Oxford, 1974
• Louis Malle Paris, 1975
• Andre Malraux Paris, 1975
• Octavio Paz Mexico, 1982
• Alain Resnais Paris, 1985
• Alain Robbe-Grillet Paris, 1974
• Eric Rohmer Paris, 1975
• Francoise Sagan Paris, 1978
• Jean-Paul Sartre Paris, 1977
• François Truffaut Paris, 1975
• Wim Wenders Paris, Texas, 1983

What Critics Said

Many people praised Melinda Camber Porter's work. Here are some examples:

• The New York Times said her novel Badlands was "a narrative with a weighty sensuality."
• San Francisco Chronicle wrote that her book Through Parisian Eyes was "like a daylong trip to the candy store." They called it "a well-rounded, intelligent look at the contemporary Parisian spirit."
• Boston Sunday Globe described Through Parisian Eyes as "a particularly readable and brilliantly compiled collection."
• Philadelphia Inquirer said Through Parisian Eyes was "an inviting opportunity to tap into Paris' thinking."