by James Mellor
If Fire Could Dream
Jessica Purdy holds an MFA from Emerson College. She is the author of STARLAND, Sleep in a Strange House (Nixes Mate, 2017 and 2018), The Adorable Knife (Grey Book Press, 2023), and You’re Never the Same (Seven Kitchens Press, 2023). Sleep in a Strange House was a finalist for the NH Literary Award for poetry. Her poetry manuscript, Lung Hours,was a finalist in Codhill Press’ Guest Editor Poetry Series 2023, The Granite State Poetry Prize, and The Dryden-Vreeland Book Prize. Her poems and micro-fiction have been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, Best Spiritual Literature, Best New Poets, Best of the Net, and Best Micro-Fiction. Her poetry, flash fiction, and reviews appear in FERAL, About Place, On the Seawall, Radar, The Night Heron Barks, SoFloPoJo, Litro, Heavy Feather Review, and elsewhere. Facebook and Instagram: jessica.purdy.735.
The use of mixed media in their art allows James Mellor to channel the multifaceted nature of mental health. It reflects on the diverse and often fragmented elements of our psychological landscape. Just as the human psyche is an intricate interplay of thoughts, emotions, memories, and external influences, their artistic process incorporates an array of materials, textures, and techniques that seek to mirror the layering of emotions and experiences that shape our mental well-being.