Local artist to speak at TEDx San Diego

Internationally recognized artist Kelly Mellos, an Encinitas Coastal Rotary Club board member, has been selected to be a guest speaker at TEDx San Diego on Oct. 22 at Copley Hall.

The topic for the 2016 TEDx San Diego is “The Age of Magic,” a theme that celebrates those aspects of life that fill us with a sense of awe and wonder, according to a news release.

Mellos, a recipient of numerous awards including the Selected Artist Butler Institute of American Arts, Laumeister Fine Art Competition, Portrait Society of America’s Cecilia Beaux Mentorship and Art Renewal Center International Competition, will be sharing her own personal story “At Peace in a Portrait” which details the power of portraiture in peace-making.

“Art breaks down barriers, teaches us to celebrate both our differences and similarities, makes us comfortable with ambiguity, teaches us to take risks and allows us to communicate in a universal human language, where words often fail,” Mellos said in the release.

Mellos’ journey began with her involvement with the Hands of Peace organization, an interfaith organization that brings young people together from Palestine, Israel and America and empowers them to raise their voices as leaders of change. Through the power of dialogue, these teens partner in regular workshops to pursue peace, equality, freedom and justice.

“I first became aware of Hands of Peace when Scott Silk, San Diego Site Director of Hands of Peace, spoke at the Encinitas Coastal Rotary Club four years ago.” Mellos explained. “I immediately decided to get involved in this peace process and offered to conduct an art workshop for the young attendees.”

In her San Diego workshop, held once a year in July, Hands of Peace attendees go through a visual presentation of portraiture over the years. They learn that studying portraiture can be an interesting way to learn about humanity.

“We all share similarities in the proportions of the skull and the six universal emotions that can be detected on the face of any human being,” Mellos said.

Students then sit knee to knee and draw one another, and the outcome is the real magic that Mellos will share during her TEDx San Diego presentation.

For more information, visit www.tedxsandiego.com or www.kellymellos.com.

— Submitted press release