Carol Mell

Artist Statement

Follow the Dirt Road in your Soul

I grew up in a wild place. Just behind my house, a creek ran down from the snow-laden mountain and continued on to the great river where prehistoric fish swam in the deeps. As a child, I felt kinship with the trees, the waters and the creatures all around. They spoke to me. But I also grew up with people who lived close to that land—hunters, fishers, farmers, carpenters and hermits.

In all my artistic iterations; writer, choreographer, dancer, photographer and painter I have tried to show what Thomas Berry calls “a communion of subjects more than a collection of objects” for it is a profound belief of mine that spirit is in all things, that the creation is alive. So, I have a lifelong fascination with the natural world and the people who live close to it. I am a mother, and the relationship of humans to the planet is like that of mother to child. I have absorbed this teaching through many years of living with and near indigenous peoples.

My photo encaustic landscapes are lush and sensuous. Hold them close and you can smell the beeswax. They represent perfect hours in the sun and rain. The imaginative journey of the photograph now extends into the realm of painting, collage and mark making. In 2020, I began painting freely, without photo reference, with cold wax medium and oils in an attempt to let my body speak.

In my journey through various art forms I always hoped my work would help people remember our fundamental and spiritual connection with the natural world and so I have exhorted my students, collectors and fans to “Follow the Dirt Road in Your Soul.”