Meleah Gabhart shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning Meleah, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
Before, I probably would have listed energy as my most important attribute.
Staying in integrity is 100x more important now, because by staying in integrity, soooo much less energy is required. For instance, if,as an artist, I make something I think people will like and purchase, more than likely I have stepped out of my integrity. And that thing I make? It will take loads more time and energy because I can never get in flow with it- from the beginning it was not aligned with me.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Just like my life has been a patchwork of pieces of experiences, so I reflect this in my art with wood sculptural mosiacs. They are a kaleidoscope of different shapes from all kinds of wood.
My inspiration for my wood pieces originally came from creating huge original floor tile mosaic commissions. I became restless for more organic shapes and less satisfied with the sharp tile pieces, so I almost accidentally turned to wood when I ran out of a particular tile on the job site. My new art was born within months.
You will see from my art that I mostly use reclaimed wood – often bits and pieces from sawmills or old wood furniture. I choose wood with interesting knots, swirly grain and mottled colors in the wood and incorporate those into my mosaics.
My work is about movement, emotion and creativity. Wood is not wooden in my mosaics, but alive and expressive. I release it from our rigid perceptions.
My portraits representing Frida Kahlo and the Afghan girl demonstrate just how emotive and beautiful wood can be when natural colors and grains are the materials.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
Definitely my relationship with myself. Ultimately that is the only one that matters. Of course having a parent or an aunt or a mentor see that in us first can be helpful, but seeing it for ourselves is when the layers are truly peeled away and we are free.
And this takes a lifetime. How boring would it be if we knew everything all at once? What a journey we’re on of discovering who we truly are!
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Unfortunately, I have learned the most from suffering. And I say unfortunately because I would like to learn from suffering that countless others have had and not replicate their suffering. But often we have to feel it ourselves.
And I did, especially as a little bitty girl being raised in a secretive religious sect that had all kinds of crazy rules; the most pervasive that I was not worthy because I was female.. Conditioning happened without my even being aware of it.
One thing I want to point out is that while suffering can bring about growth, it can also extinguish innocence and joy.
Waking up with joy and great anticipation for what life can bring me THIS DAY is possible, and I no longer tell the suffering stories so that I can feel this again.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What important truth do very few people agree with you on?
I would say a truth that is difficult to swallow and I totally get it, is that we are all responsible for our lives.
In the beginning we do not have any control over what experiences come to us. How we react to what comes to us is what defines us.
Eventually our reactions recreate a pattern in what experiences come to us. For instance, if we are constantly watching the news and continuously saddened by sad things, more sad things will come into our experience to be sad about. Life wants to support whatever theory you have about it. Have the theories that support your best life and refuse to see anything else.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
Hahaha, that’s an easy, yes! However when it comes to art and budgets, I find it difficult to not put EVERYTHING into each piece, whether the client is paying for it or not.
My personal opinion about my art is paramount to me. I’m either proud of it or I am not. And I do not release art that I am not proud of.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.meleahgabhart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/meleahgabhart
- Facebook: Meleah Gabhart
Image Credits
Kent Corley
