Brother Mel

my daughter Erin and Brother Mel





I stopped by the Arts Company in Nashville recently and had a nice surprise. The entire gallery is filled with art made by a Marianist monk... Brother Mel. As I was told, Brother Mel has been making art for 50 years. He gets up every morning, says his prayers, and then makes art from 8 to 4 then says his prayers again. Six days a week. He is not interested in trying to market or sell his work. It goes into a warehouse. The gallery owner discovered Mel and is working to get his art out into the world.

What amazed me was the VARIETY of media Brother Mel works in. There are tons of watercolors, handmade paper, paintings (abstracts, portraits, religious, still life) sculpture (large welded steel and metal furniture) smaller painted metal sculpture... Brother Mel does it all well. What is inspirational to me is that everything he does is done well, and it makes you happy to look at it. I asked Brother Mel if he sketches out ideas for his work. He doesn't. He just goes to his studio in the morning and starts making whatever he feels like that day. It just happens. Looking at the pictures here doesn't give you the same feeling as walking into the gallery and actually seeing his work in person.

If you want to see more about Brother Mel at the Arts Company click HERE.

Brother Mel also has a website that you can visit. Click HERE to visit it.