Family Ties
In their show Family Ties, Melanie Millis Wissel and Mark Millis come together to showcase their close bond through their shared practice of painting. Though they paint many of the same subjects, it is evident that they see the world very differently. While Melanie focuses on specific shapes and colors within a particular area and captures them on her canvas in a geometric, abstract way, Mark leans into pastels, painting the scene with scientific certainty and naturalistic color palettes. Both Wissel and Millis' dedication to their art practice and their involvement in the arts community speak to the importance of actively participating in your community, whether as a creative or just an art appreciator. The fact that their love of art has drawn them even closer in their sibling bond also speaks to the importance of art within our society.
While their father provided for his family as a doctor, he also instilled in the Millis children a deep love and appreciation for the arts through his service to artists in their community of Richmond, Indiana. Dr. Millis even accepted paintings as payment from artists for their medical treatment. Wissel and Millis grew up touring different art galleries and interacting with artists in their spaces. They really developed a mentality of artists as valued and cherished members of their community. This outlook on the arts influenced both Wissel and Millis, who have each collected the work of Indiana artists over the years and eventually returned to art as active participants in the artist community.
Eagle Marsh Preserve by Melanie Millis Wissel
In Eagle Marsh Preserve, we see Wissel in all her impressionistic glory. While she favors using slow-drying oil paints in a studio setting, where she can take her time to capture what she sees, she prefers acrylics when painting outside, or en plein air, because they dry quickly and are easier to build on-site. The blue and purple sky is reflected beautifully in the running stream down the center of the canvas, and the different patches of purple and blue amongst the green of the fields further solidify the marshy wetness of the nature preserve. While others may see an ordinary expanse of wetlands, Wissel captures its inherent beauty with her brushes and palette knives; there is movement and joy in every stroke.
Wissel attended DePauw University, where she studied different forms of studio art under several acclaimed artists. After interning at the A.I.R. Gallery in New York City, the first gallery created by and for women artists, Melanie returned to Indiana to pursue library science, where she built a career spanning several decades. Since rediscovering her love of painting after retiring, Wissel has made a name for herself in the art world and participated in several juried exhibitions. Wissel has also served on the Hoosier Salon Board for several years. Since picking up the paintbrush again, Wissel has bonded with Millis through this shared love. "We talk almost every day," Wissel shared.
artwork by Melanie Wissel
artwork by Mark Millis
While he loves using both acrylics and oil paints in the studio, Millis favors pastels for plein air work. The way he creates a beautiful, naturalistic scene with precise, careful strokes that feel very painterly is a perfect example of the hard work Millis has put into his artistic practice. Because of all the workshops he has attended and the videos he has studied, Millis estimates he has received about a year and a half of college-level art education. When he is working in the studio, he first sketches the image in quick-drying acrylics and then builds the scene with oil paints, which give him more time to create the scene and colors because of their longer drying time.
After spending his career working in the education industry, Millis began painting while recovering from several surgeries on a broken leg and ankle. Seeking more active pursuits than reading or watching TV, Millis started taking classes from painters like Donna Shortt. Once he felt more confident in his skills, he began participating in the Southside Art League's plein air group events in Southern Indiana, even winning some awards. Millis has established himself in the Southern Indiana art community by serving on several boards, including as an officer at the Southside Art League and the Indiana Plein Air Painters Association. Millis seeks out subject matter that holds personal or emotional significance, either lush landscapes or historically significant architecture.
Dusk on the Bluffs by Mark Millis
His painting Dusk on the Bluffs depicts a hilly area overlooking the Mississippi River at sunset. The soft pink sky is reflected on both the river and the land. He paints from a scientific perspective, creating naturalistic, highly representational images. Also comfortable with shorter timeframes in competitions, Millis can capture scenes quickly. He has developed a painting style that also emulates the great Impressionists like Monet, Pissarro, and Degas, but with a softer touch than Wissel. Comparing these two pieces by Melanie and Mark helps us to see how their unique styles create contrast in their finished works.