Barbara Mehlman
Enter the mesmerizing world of Barbara Mehlman, as she shares her perspectives on the importance of the arts in providing access to modes of expression and meaning-making that go beyond words, particularly in the face of life's difficulties and uncertainties. Her work and teaching philosophy emphasize the value of engaging the senses, the body, and the imagination to navigate the complexities of the human condition.
In this episode of ArtStorming, Lili visits the studio of Barbara Mehlman, a Santa Fe-based artist and innovator who bridges the gap between the digital and physical worlds. Barbara shares her fascinating trajectory from a pioneer in Silicon Valley—where she designed software to compete with Photoshop and envisioned a "visual poetry machine" in the mid-80s—to her current work creating massive, multi-dimensional installations that utilize organza, graphite, and industrial materials. The conversation dives deep into the concept of Blue Studio, her creative sanctuary that she intends to eventually will back to the city of Santa Fe as a permanent artist residency.
Beyond her technical achievements, Barbara speaks candidly about how art serves as a visceral tool for"metabolizing the profound challenges of the human experience, including her own recovery from spinal meningitis and her years spent as a caregiver for her parents and a terminally ill friend. Whether discussing her project on defying gravity by photographing people jumping or her 13-foot grayscale painting of a historical crowd, Barbara explores the responsibility of the individual within a collective and the importance of remaining grounded in the physical body. The episode is a moving meditation on how creativity can synthesize tragedy with playfulness to navigate a world that is "swimming with the unknown.”
