(meh-ra-kee) to do something with soul, creativity, or love; to put something of yourself into your work

Meraki, originating from both artists’ need to creatively express their inner battles, is a duo exhibition with Kelly Hymes and Maly Pel that features their recent interrelated works involving the themes of family, trauma, and coping in response to monumental life moments. Hymes’s work is a glance into her internal struggles with her mother's previous breast cancer diagnosis. She defines her work as a coping mechanism that enables her to finally acknowledge a moment that left her mentally drowning in flashbacks of specific markings. The dots in Hymes’ work references three, small, blue, dots used for radiation treatments. Pel’s work focuses on the tension between the rigid boundaries of her Khmer upbringing and modern day values. Throughout her life, some traditions and standards were imposed on her that contrasted with what she was led to believe. Her art metaphorically and literally carves a path to new beginnings and burns away pieces of herself. The use of Khmer text in her work references memories, both raw and meaningful, between herself and her parents.

The exhibition will be on display at The Stables, located at 7 Rathbone Dr., Savannah, GA 31415 on Thursday, March 12 - Friday, March 13, 2020. A reception will be held March 12 from 6-8 PM, food and beverage will be provided.

Kelly Hymes (b. 1996, North Carolina) is receiving a BFA in painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design in March 2020 and received an AFA in visual arts from Fayetteville Technical Community College in 2017. She has exhibited her work in group exhibitions in both North Carolina and Georgia. She was a guest speaker at Fayetteville Technical Community College after placing in the top three in a juried show. Hymes is currently living and working in Savannah, GA.

Maly Pel (b. 1998, Connecticut) is a first generation Cambodian-American artist who will receive her BFA in painting at Savannah College of Art and Design in May 2020. Pel has exhibited in several group shows, and most recently was included in the Winter 2020 edition of Under the Bridge. Pel is currently living and working in Savannah, GA.