Brother Mel
I was on lunch break when I took a "quick" detour into The Arts Company in downtown Nashville. I felt nurtured as I viewed the beautiful paintings, sculptures and mixed media. I took the elevator to the second floor and entered a room containing six "bowls" of various sizes made of welded metal items like nuts, bolts, wrenches, hammer heads, meat hooks, spoons, forks, knives and tractor chains. I stopped in my tracks and my pulse quickened when I saw "my" Brother Mel bowl. I had to touch it. I had to walk around it and watch the way the eastern light spilling in bounced off it's irregular surfaces. I visualized how it would look with a round piece of glass on top of it sitting in front of my fireplace and saffron color sofa. Now, I'm not a girl who spends lots of money on stuff. But I knew this piece belonged with me. And then when I found out that the artist was a Marianist monk and that all of his portion of the sale went to supporting his community, I was further inspired.
I have since met Brother Mel numerous times, and am as inspired by his story and his spirit as much as I am by his work. You can see more of his work at www.theartscompany.com/brothermel
(c) copyright 2009 Pam Mark Hall