An Interview with Michelle D'Mello
Date February, 2005 Place Blenz™ Coffee Shop at Burrard & Bute, Vancouver
Reviewer: Ross Michael Pink
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The Yellow Ducati |
Young Vancouver artist Michelle D'Mello has experienced an artistic journey with a few unlikely turns.
Slated for a successful business career and fresh from business studies in Toronto and Milan, D'Mello was well on her way.
However, a powerful interception was waiting in the wings. As the writer Joyce put it so well, "The creative and spontaneous soul has promptings of desire, these prompting represent our true fate which is our duty to fulfill."
"After working in business," recalls D'Mello, "I began to feel restless and bored. I was good at my job but felt no spark"
"I was beginning to let me artistic side come out and brought my early paintings to work and hung them on my cubicle wall. Everyone loved them."
"My workmates used to tease me, calling my work station, 'Michelle's art gallery' but they were all very encouraging about my art."
D'Mello felt the call to art and quit her job. A bold yet affirming decision.
Her first art show in Toronto was reviewed in the National Post, bringing early exposure that is critical.
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D'Mello has a truly unique style. Her work is a blend of vibrant color, popular symbols and thought provoking themes. Comparatively, some of her pieces share the road with the Spanish abstract painter, Joan Miro.
Three D'Mello pieces stand out. 'Ducati Motorcycle' is named for the famous motorcycle in Europe." Motorcycles are masculine and I like to bring a feminine touch to a masculine object. These days , with the metro sexual movement, we need more of a blend between the sexes," explains D'Mello.
The 'Sea Goddess' is mysterious, sensual and free. "I wanted to paint something about the water, which I love. The hair braid of the Sea Goddess also forms a school of fish, symbolizing the role of Mother that the Sea Goddess has," says D'Mello.
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From the red festive shoe collection |
The third painting profiled is 'Shoes.' "My early work depicted shoes. You can tell a lot about a persons from their shoes. Shoes have identity and personality," noted D'Mello.
"I have a 'Royal Shoe' collection of paintings and now am working on the 'Belly Dancer ' collection of shoe paintings."
D'Mello is also working on a fashion line and had her series of handbag paintings picked up by the noted Spanish handbag company, Loewe.
On April 8th, for the launch of fashion week in Vancouver, D'Mello will be the featured artist at the Hotel Opus.
© 2005 Ross Michael Pink