Melet, Merrill & Snow

December 9, 2022 – January 7, 2023

Empty Road, Great Tornado | Emmett Merrill

Nice Things for Nice People | Kate Snow

Recent Work | Michael Melet

Buckham Gallery is pleased to present three concurrent exhibitions featuring the works of Emmett Merrill, Kate Snow and Michael Melet.

Emmett Merrill’s work uses the lithographic process to create narrative prints which combine Americana imagery with that of myth and legend in his exhibition Empty Road, Great Tornado. The prints deal with the emptiness of the American landscape, the derivation of ghost stories and local legends, objects of Art History, and the culture surrounding the highway system.

Kate Snow first started experimenting with Nice Things for Nice People in 2019, with a 2021 exhibition in mind. In the wake of so much global pain associated with Covid-19, violence, environmental disaster, and economic uncertainty, was work like this still relevant? Should she be making serious art about serious issues instead?  Then someone reminded her: at present, the stolen moments when things feel normal are a relief and necessary; that art being created just for enjoyment is responsive to these times in its own way. It’s not the same, but it shouldn’t be. It serves a different purpose. These works are silly, irreverent, and absurd. Squares and dots become characters in their own worlds. They move and interact, making friends, getting lost, or just existing as their own little simple selves. It’s hard for her to not find joy in their little antics. She hopes you do too.

To Michael Melet, a studio is where art gets made, regardless of whether it’s in a stand-alone building, a dedicated room, a dining room table, or an outdoor area. He converted his second bedroom into his home studio with his art supplies, working tables, easel, and files. He also finds himself using the kitchen, dining room, and porch tables. He hopes his work is inspirational, magical, convincing, and comfortable to live with. When a piece of art or a book becomes pure décor, it ceases to live its intended life. To paraphrase Paloma Picasso: “As a child, everything is magical. As an adult, you realize how much work goes into creating anything magical.”

Gallery Hours:

Wednesday – Saturday  11 AM – 5 PM

Sunday By Appointment

Buckham Fine Arts Project is supported in part by an award from the MICHIGAN ARTS AND CULTURE COUNCIL and the NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS, the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, and the Greater Flint Arts Council Share Art Genesee Grant Program made possible by the Genesee County Arts Education and Cultural Enrichment Millage funds. Your tax dollars are at work!