Meet one of our other great artists, Mel Kadel. She is another contributor of our LPP Wallets.

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Hi Mel! How’re you? You were recently here when your boyfriend, artist Travis Millard did “Islands in LA” with us. We’re happy to have you here with us!

Hey, nice to meet you too.  Yea, I was downtown for the good night of “Islands in LA”. It was sweet to see the operation and family you have going on down there, and the very nice view off the roof.

Glad you had a good time. It was a fun night. So how did you get started with art?

Drawing is something people usually stop at some point. But, for whatever reason i kept doing it and want to keep trying at it.

Can you describe to us what’s going on in design you did for the Poketo wallet? What was your inspiration behind that piece

I was thinking about people all being in the same boat. They are determined, but they ended up turning out a little clumsy.

Has narrative always been a big part of your art? And what kind of feelings do you try to communicate through your narratives?

I like having a story anchor what i’m working on, but don’t want it to be screaming out. I like thinking about obstacles and getting over them and turning upside down, and trying to keep running forward.

The characters in many of your pieces face tension in one way or another. Is that something you want to evoke? Are drawing these pieces also cathartic for you?

I want to say it’s cathartic. And, if there is a battle, then i want it to evoke some strength and possibly a good ending.

How long does it take for you to finish a piece?

It depends. In a couple of weeks, I usually work on a few drawings, maybe 3 or 4.

How do you get that tan color in your paper? It also seems like you also use found materials to work on as well. Is that intentional?

I stain almost all of my paper with coffee. Other than the nice color it makes, it’s way easier to have around. Cats can walk across it, you can put your coffee cup on it, spill weird marks, and it absorbs all of the havoc.

What hours of the day do you find yourself creating the most?

In the earlier hours, and the late hours, I get into it the most. There is usually a part of the afternoon that I’m wishy washy about what i’m doing.

If you feel like you’re coming down with a cold, what is the first thing you do? Any remedies?

Raw garlic, tea, water, orange juice, couch, pillow, Judge Judy.

A song that describes how you feel today.

You Can’t Rollerskate in a Buffalo Herd.

Are you looking forward to anything exciting coming up?

I’ll be having a show at Nancy Margolis Gallery, in April. Excited to be going out to NYC for it.

Sounds like fun! Have a good time in NY and thanks for everything Mel.

For more works by Mel Kadel, please vist: www.melkadel.com