Melissa Hull Gallemore

I am a self taught artist, not by choice but by circumstance. I grew up in Yuma, AZ. and upon graduation from high school I spent a year traveling across Europe. This is when I fell in love with architecture and all things artistic in nature. I collected countless books and postcards of all the works of art and museums that I saw while traveling and I would spend countless hours studying them. I very much wanted to go to art school, but no longer had the luxury of youth and now had the responsibilities of a family.

In 2006 I decided to take a weekend art workshop to try and improve the few skills and knowledge of materials that I managed to teach myself over the years. I have been fortunate to work with and learn from Lia Littlewood a truly remarkable artist, teacher and friend and Lu Bellamack, artist, teacher and artistic mentor. These two women helped me find my own vision and the skills to express myself in my paintings. I have been fortunate enough to show my work across the state of Arizona, at various galleries and juried art festivals. These venues have allowed me a real glimpse of my audience as well as precious conversations with my collectors.

As for the subject matter of my work , I have always been interested in the face and figure, I believe this almost primal attraction has led me to question and analyze what it means to be alive. I portray this experience in the form of figurative objects. The raw and rudimentary quality of my work also reflects and is intended to display the inner and most basic nature of all people. Human behavior and the vast territory of the mind and its secret little spaces supply me with endless amounts of inspiration to draw from.

I am becoming increasingly intrigued by abstract painting as well. I have the tendency to take life a bit to seriously at times and find painting abstract works as therapeutic and artistically liberating.

It is always my hope to create a dialogue between the piece and the viewer. I hope that by initiating a dialogue this will lead the viewer into a discussion of sorts, or and introspection of their own experience of being human, and perhaps an affirmation that deep, deep down, we really are all the same.

Exhibitions and Awards

2009 - 2011 Carla Renee Restaurant and Art Gallery, Featured Artist, Yuma, AZ

2010 Art Beat 3, participating Artist, Yuma, AZ

SO-HO Gallery, Featured Artist,October 2010 and January 2011, Tucson, AZ

TAC Art Gallery, Featured Artist August 2010 and May 2011, Tucson, AZ

Che's Art Slam, Featured Artist June 2010, Tucson, AZ

2011 Art Beat 4 "Best of Show" Award Recipient April 2011, Yuma, AZ

2011 Yuma Art Center " Art Walk" Participating Artist, Yuma, AZ