Karlee-Anne Louise Mackie — known as MLAK — was creating long before she knew what being an artist meant. Raised on instinct, colour, movement, and fearless self-expression, her world has always existed somewhere between emotion and imagination.

Australia’s first female professional free surfer turned artist, MLAK’s journey has taken her from painting surfboards on the world tour to collaborating with global brands including Globe, Rusty, and Electric. Along the way, a formative trip to New York — immersed in the worlds of Julian Schnabel, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and downtown contemporary art culture — ignited the belief that art could become a life.

Now based in Lennox Head, MLAK creates visually striking works layered with feminine energy, symbolism, colour, and emotional depth. Dynamic and shape-shifting by nature, her paintings move effortlessly across canvas, fashion, print, and digital spaces — art designed to be felt as much as seen.

Her work has been collected, commissioned, exhibited, and worn; from private clients and public figures to collaborations with brands, galleries, and creative institutions. Guided by intuition and a deep love of storytelling, MLAK continues to build a world that is bold, unapologetic, and explosively alive.