Becoming

Becoming, by the award-winning artist, teacher, and TEDx speaker Kelly Mellos, is a gift to others to help them discover their creative potential in their lives. The creative potential that was planted in us at birth continues to have a larger impact on us as we age. Throughout Becoming, Mellos showcases forty-seven of her original oil paintings and explains their origin and significance and how they can help us to strive to become better versions of ourselves.

Her paintings and commentary take us on a journey, a story of an unknown character who learns how we must learn to shed the weight of the pre-conceived thoughts of our appearance and actions by others, thus allowing creative ideas and energy to freely run through us to shape us into the person we are meant to be by our own standards. By living life with blinders on, we are missing all of the beauty and opportunities around us because we are running down a straight road instead of walking and checking out the side roads along the way. When we are our own unique selves, we are making beautiful art in our lives, but when we are able to work with others, the colors and orchestra will be that much brighter and louder.

Learning to be different can be hard, but it might be the one thing that someone needs in their life to realize there is beauty in being different and decide to make a change for the better. Being the best version of yourself through your chosen art form will take self-discipline, good intent, being comfortable with vulnerability, authenticity, and steadfastness.

Being full of many good pieces of advice, this book is both entertaining and thought-provoking. The words of wisdom from Mellos can be applied to anyone’s life, which makes it all the best advice since it can help nearly anyone who wishes to abide by it. The story in the back of the book of how these images came to her was interesting and kind of surreal; perhaps she was chosen to be another guide for someone through their life to make the most of it, thus helping many others in the process. I can see this book being featured in multiple venues, or at the very least a thought-provoking read at the coffee table. I would recommend Becoming to anyone struggling through the monotony of life, wanting to add more color and adventure.