Greetings from Alabama!

Hello steemit people of the universe!

I live and make art in the blue dot of Birmingham in the red, red state of Alabama. I'm a vegetarian for 30+ years and mom to three beautiful magic cats & dozens of succulents in a light-filled loft where I make art and watch the clouds/ storms and look for orbs.

I'm always looking for people to connect with and places to show my work.

I'm interested in learning more about how artists can play a role in building a better future for all sentient beings. I believe we are going through a cultural initiation on the planet and that the artistic process is in some ways a mirror of (and therefore perhaps helpful to) this evolutionary process we are undergoing, re: the Anthropocene.

Here is an excerpt from my artist statement:

"What is the artist's role in society?

How can art call into question the quality of the aspirations of our species?

My responses and meditations to these inquiries manifest primarily in the form of images, objects, and installations. For me the answer lies in the liminal realm of spiritual remediation - to repair the broken bond between man and nature and spirit. The knowledge -- that everything going forward must be either an elegy for what we have lost ( biodiversity, etc.) or a celebration of what we have left -- propels me forward. I try to make work that engages with these big ideas and bigger mysteries while fostering a connection and conversation about these ideas with the audience.

My three aims are to elevate the divine feminine, to reflect my belief that everything is connected and inter-dependent, and to promote the evolution of consciousness. I believe that artists can and do serve as tenders and menders of society and can function as portals to the imaginal realms, tapping into the source of the collective imagination, so that we may begin to birth a vision of a new world. "

My motivation in joining steemit is to find people that are interested in engaging with these ideas.

Please let me know your thoughts and to see more of my work, please visit www.merrileechalliss.com and/or @merilka

Thank you!
xo,
merilka