Crystallized Trees, North Cheyenne Canon by Melani Tutt, Photograph
Artist Statement
The solitude of photography is my respite from the busyness of life. It allows me to put my voice quietly out into the world. It is my way of sharing the grace I see with others.
In my work with nonprofits, my camera allows me to be a bystander. It lets me observe and subtly connect with individuals of all ages and circumstances. I can share in and present each unique, and often poignant, story with insight.
In nature there is a sacredness, even in the profane. Immersed in a burn scar, I revel in the contrast of light and dark; fire blackened and whiteness of snow; heat and cold; death and rebirth. All are beautiful and compelling.
My photographs are a part of my legacy and a testament of our time.
Artist Biography
Melani Tutt is a graduate of Brooks Institute of Photography in California with a Bachelor of Arts degree in large format film photography. She has worked commercially for over 30 years, most recently devoting her photographic efforts exclusively to helping nonprofit organizations in the Colorado Springs area, including Early Connections Learning Centers, Habitat for Humanity, Boys and Girls Club, Pikes Peak Community Foundation, the Tactile Gallery at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center and many others.
Finding our natural surroundings a place of respite and reflection, Melani worked with Garden of the Gods Resort and Wellness Center to create fine art images for their rooms, casitas, and cottages reflecting that ethos. This project led to the publishing of her first photography book The Sacredness of Everything. Her next book on Cheyenne Cañon will be available in December of 2024.
Melani’s images are intimate portraits of the simple beauty which surrounds us daily. Turning tragedy into beauty, many of her recent pieces are taken in burn scar forests and printed on fine art photographic paper. She is a purist who works in black and white as well as color. Each print is archival matted, numbered, and signed.
