The Art of PeeMonster & Michele Melcher at The Dark Art Emporium

Michele Melcher and PeeMonster Exhibit at Dark Art Emporium

Michele Melcher's 'The Villagers' at The Dark Art Emporium

PeeMonster's 'The Hybrid Children' at The Dark Art Emporium

The Dark Art Emporium has unleashed its latest exhibit, which is a double feature highlighting the works of PeeMonster and Michele Melcher. After nearly two years since my last visit, I was elated to return to the gallery for the opening reception. The show brought together elements of the ethereal and macabre and definitely satiated my appetite for dark art.

PeeMonster’s ‘The Hybrid Children’
PeeMonster’s “Bellael” and “Dael”
PeeMonster’s “Rosael”
PeeMonster’s “First Born”
PeeMonster’s “Havenly Father”
Vamp Jenn and PeeMonster
PeeMonster Merch

Deidre Morton, better known as PeeMonster in the creative realm, has been creating art for more than two decades and specializes in producing pieces with graphite pencil. She debuted her series titled ‘The Hybrid Children,’ and it has a touching mystical story attached to it. The narrative centers on an angel and demon who share an affection for each other. Since they cannot be together due to rules outside of their control, the angel ultimately sacrifices himself and disintegrates into pieces that transform into offspring encompassing the demonic and angelic. For the full story, check out the artist’s Instagram post.

Each piece contained shades of black and gray, accompanied by stunning gold details that emphasized the union of light and shadowy worlds. Every figure also bore a pair of horns and a gilded halo symbolizing their hybridized lineage. The gazes of the children with blank eyes communicated the most. Their stares emanated both innocence and wisdom. In “Havenly Father” and “Mother, May I,” the artist showcases the deep bond between these beings in an enchanting way; it was beautiful to see, especially when connecting it back to the origin story she’s woven for this collection.

Michele Melcher’s ‘The Villagers’
Michele Melcher’s “The Lamplighter” and “The Gossip”
Michele Melcher’s “The Mesmerist” and “The Professional Mourner”
Michele Melcher’s “The Eggler” and “The Ocularist”
Michele Melcher’s “The Ratcatcher” and “The Resurrectionist”
Michele Melcher’s “The Leech Collector”

On another wall of the gallery hung ‘The Villagers’ by Michele Melcher, who is a dark surrealist painter influenced by the concept of memento mori and the supernatural. Her series was inspired by unusual occupations people held in the past, and a few characters one meets include “The Lord Mayer” and “The Lady Mayoress,” “The Leech Collector,” “The Ocularist,” and “The Lamplighter.” I was amazed at how she took mundane professions and reimagined them in a delightfully morbid manner with a touch of humor. The vibrancy of the colors, the garb and the scenery imbued the skeletal figures and the work they do with so much life, oddly enough. My personal favorite was “The Professional Mourner” who embodied Victorian mourning.

The Dark Art Emporium
The Dark Art Emporium
The Dark Art Emporium
The Dark Art Emporium

The PeeMonster and Michele Melcher exhibition will be up for a limited time, so pay The Dark Art Emporium a visit, if you can, to view this amazing show in the flesh. The gallery also has a ton of other stunning original artwork on display and available for purchase, as well as art prints and all sorts of oddities for sale.