Melissa Hoedel is a Brisbane-based photographer, writer and cultural producer whose work explores the intersection of craft, culture and community. With a background in arts leadership, publishing and storytelling, her practice focuses on elevating quiet, often overlooked narratives and the people who hold them.
Melissa is the founder of Heritage Hands, a long-term documentary project preserving endangered crafts across Australia. She approaches each artisan with deep curiosity and respect — blending portraiture, process photography and oral history to create rich, intimate records of making.
Her work is grounded in place and guided by a belief that handmade traditions carry essential cultural memory. Through Heritage Hands, she hopes to build stronger recognition for artisans, foster intergenerational knowledge transfer, and honour the value of slow, meaningful work.
