Growing up, my mother always said that I was extremely observant of things, especially people. I have always been fascinated by people. Like artist Melanie Norris, it is a person's imperfections that I am most drawn to, the soul exposed through facial details that give life to a person. If you look closely, we all have features that make us unique. But if we only emphasize the attractive features that stand out the most, we can easily overlook aspects of a person's appearance that reveal a more profound beauty. If we neglect the features that make us unique, then, over time, people start to look the same. But the moment you focus on expression, skin tones, shapes and even scars, you began to notice the beauty in the 'flaws'.
Melanie Norris was born in Johnson City, Tennessee. After graduating from Tennessee State University in 2011, she moved to Asheville, North Carolina where she has a studio located in whiteSPACE gallery of the Wedge Studio in the River Arts District of Asheville.
An Excerpt From Norris' Artist Statement
"What sets mankind apart is the broad range of emotions that flesh out their personality; the things that can neither be seen nor described, only felt. In my paintings, I do not strive for a likeness in a technical portrait sense. I try to lay hold of their inner being, the soul that exists within the flash. I seek to show how body isn't existence, but simply a vessel."
I am happy to have come across Norris' work and look forward to seeing her evolve as an artist. I have always believed there are many definitions of beauty, and it is refreshing to find someone who sees the world as you do!
You can see more of Norris' work by visiting her website at
Thanks for reading!
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