In Situ

The depth of Douglas Mellor's introspective nature is manifest in his photography. Images of clarity, intensity, and thoughtfulness. Not of the school of photography that merely documents (however eloquently), Mellor is an artist who takes inspiration in the promise and beauty of photography's silver mirror, lighting a fire within himself, expressing it within his images. What emerges, what is revealed and discovered, consistently in Mellor's work, is poetry, passion, precision, quiet humor. Warmed by his love for the medium, these photographs glow with a pulsing light born of masterful technique. One not merely applied but magically breathed into the workings of his compositions. Douglas Mellor's photographs are a delightful feast of images, composed of objects well placed and finely etched. His still-life's are never stilted or overly formal, but rather, flowing and playful, while also radiating a somber aura of mystery. Mellor is creator and alchemist, deftly combining the physical objects of his compositions and the transforming aspects of his medium, delivering visual epiphanies, in which both artist and audience revel. His "seeing" is bold, experimental, and explorative. As I have written elsewhere, "At the root of creativity is an impulse to understand, to make sense of random and often unrelated details. For me, photography provides the intersection of time, space, light, and emotional stance. One needs to be still enough, observant enough, and aware enough to recognize the life of the materials, to be able to hear through the eyes." These words can be evoked, emphatically, to describe what Douglas Mellor has achieved through his art.
-Paul Caponigro, Cushing Maine 2003