Michael Mele’s Invincible Summer at Orcas Center

There will be an opening reception at the Orcas Center on Friday, Aug. 1 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. to launch photographer Michael Gerard Mele’s art exhibition “Invincible Summer,” on display through Tuesday, Sept. 2. Mele says he chose the title of the show from a quotation by Albert Camus, “In the depth of winter I finally realized that within me there lay an invincible summer.”

According to Mele, the exhibition’s centerpiece, “Evening Rock Competition” is emblematic of much of his photographic work as it illustrates his attempt to capture the essence and spirit of a particular moment in time and its emotional connection. In the image, a summer sunset on North Beach and a family skipping stones on the water is memorialized. “The experience spoke to long-past childhood moments that many of us can recollect. A moment where we found joy, innocence, beauty and a connection to friends and family in the simple pleasures found on a summer evening,” he says of the image.

Mele says he drew inspiration for the show from his life successes, progressions and the grief he experienced at the death of his mother, father and his older brother, Joseph, in the 1990s. His brother had been an artistic influence on him while growing up in Dayton, Ohio. His mother was a floral designer and he spent holidays preparing flowerbeds, planting, propagating and nurturing the flowers used in the shop where she worked. Photography and nature exploration were both integral parts of his healing process. He believes his art reflects his deeper understanding of life and loss.

“I hope that everyone who takes the time to view and experience this current body of work will reflect and find inspiration and hope through their own challenging personal passages. The past fifteen to twenty years of living, loving and grieving have led me to my current home and community on Orcas Island where I find myself thriving as an artist and member of this bountiful Orcas community,” Mele says.

More information about Mele and his work is available at www.ClearPathPhotography.com or by contacting his studio at 376-7160.

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read.