KnoxVan Events is very pleased to introduce Melissa Burgher for our very first Visual Art Salon of Curated and Curious and deeply honoured to feature her Dream Within A Dream Collection premiering this September. Events Coordinator Tracy Chernaske interviews Melissa who graciously tells us about her beginnings, art processes including a speed paint demo, and concludes with an in depth conversation about this brand new collection. Check out the video on this page.
Dream Within A Dream Collection
Artist’s Statement:
For me, creating art is a way of understanding the natural world. I am a visual, spiritual and physical explorer of nature and humanity. I spend a great deal of time in the outdoors where I encounter rugged landscapes and wild animals. In these places I am deeply moved and inspired to create. I keep visual records of nearly everywhere I visit, in the form of small watercolor sketches or photographs. I use these records later to create expressive oil paintings in the studio.
“Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.”
― Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven
Melissa tells us that Raven/Crow and humankind have had varying relationships for thousands of years. The Vikings believed Raven was the messenger of Thor, Raven was also seen as highly intelligent and a good omen before battle. Many Indigenous people’s of Canada have long standing stories of Raven. The Haida knew Raven as a shape shifter, and bringer of light. Indeed, there has been much attention and personification placed on this black bird over the centuries.
As you will learn in the interview, in modern urban society, Raven has become a nuisance to some, a friend and jester to others. She wouldn’t expect any less from a bird who carries so much history. Many people find her squawking unpleasant, her dress too plain, her numbers too grand. However, Melissa believes there still remain a few of us who find Raven fascinating and a spectacle to watch.
The focus of this series is to question perception through the mystical interpretation of Raven. There is no better character I can think of to explore this theme, as Raven has many perceptions surrounding her.
Visit Melissa on her website https://melissaburgherfineart.com/ to learn more about her work, gallery visits and this collection.
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