15 in x 17″
chalk pastel on board
Item is located in Bloomfield Hills, MI. Local pickup available. Shipping unavailable.
Meli Bandera (they/he) (b. 1996) is a Chicano multi-disciplinary artist and educator based in the Midwest. They are from South Bend, IN. Their work focuses on the interaction of pre-colonial indigenous fiber techniques and contemporary practices, such as Chicano Tattoo traditions to investigate colonialism and its impact day to day in modern life. Through the triality of black and gray linework, bold saturated color, and story driven narrative, Meli explores Mexican and Catholic histories, and family legacy. In addition to their studio work, Meli is an educator, they were a preschool teacher for 3 years. They hold a BFA in Drawing and Painting from Indiana University South Bend and currently are an MFA candidate in Fiber at Cranbrook Academy of Art.
In 2018, Meli was an artist in residence at the South Bend Museum of Art and will be an artist in residence at Praxis Fiber Workshop this summer within their Digital Weaving Residency with the TC2 loom. Meli’s work has been exhibited regionally in the Midwest at the Box Factory for the Arts, South Bend Museum of Art, Colfax Cultural Center, Notre Dame Center for Arts and Culture, The Scarab Club, and Buckham Gallery.