A Chat with Don Bell

I don't remember how I met Don Bell. I'm going to go ahead and assume that it was via Instagram, but in any case ... he exhibited in the gallery a couple years ago and I've been wanting to get some more of his work back in!

Check out our chat below ...

What’s one everyday moment that always brings you nostalgia?

Brewing morning coffee. I’ve fallen in love with the process: the vibration of the bean grinder in the palm of my hand; the moisture rising from the hot kettle; the slow and careful circular pour of the hot water over the paper filter. And finally… enjoying a cup in my leather lounge chair with a photobook at my finger tips. There’s hope, stillness, and peace in every sip. It’s all an act of self -love and gratitude. 

If your art had a soundtrack, what song or artist would it be?

Whew! You got me with this one! There’s no single soundtrack or artist that comes to mind. 

But the work reminds me of the old mix CDs I used to make growing-up. A steady mash-up and medley of music that produce an emotional groundswell you can feel in your chest. D’Angleo “The Line” on Track 1. Meshell Ndegecello “The Way” on Track 2. And because there’s an element of surprise… the CD is on shuffle and occasionally skips.

What’s a childhood object or photo you still think about?There’s this picture of my dad in his native Jamaica when he was in his late teens or early 20s. He’s leaning against - what we would now consider a classic car - in bell-bottoms, a fitted v-neck t-shirt and an Afro reaching towards the heavens. The rich colors that film produced back then are unmatched today. Toss in the aging process and the photo drips with character and personal  history. It leaves me emotional. I’m proud of that kid and all that he was, all that he would become, and all that he is. 

Do you see your work as capturing Philly right now or preserving Philly’s past?

Both. And that’s something I’ve only recently realized. I carry at least one camera with me at all times and I practice photography daily. I’ve taken countless photos in my life and I mentally disregard most. It’s not until I gain separation of space and time do I realize what I’ve done and what I continue to do. Documenting the present is a gift for the future. 

What detail from the city shows up most in your art — signs, blocks, people, light?

Ultimately, I’m in the people business. I tend to focus on us as humans. The way we carry ourselves as individuals, interact with others and engage with physical space. In most cases, it’s the starting point for my creative pursuits. No two people are the same and there’s something incredibly beautiful and boundless about it. 

When you layer paint or media onto your work, what story are you adding?

Remember Crayola’s 64? The crayons rested in the box like stadium seating. What a time to be alive?! The pure unadulterated joy you felt as a child coloring with no endgame in sight. The purpose wasn’t to produce. The purpose was to play. My mixed media work is about revisiting a childlike state and allowing it to flow through my spirit and into my paintbrushes, pencils, and so forth. It’s about seeing without borders and breathing without restrictions. It’s coloring outside of the lines in a society that wants to keep you in a box. 

In one word, what do you want people to feel when they look at your work?

MOVED. 

Positano Coast by Don Bell

Shop Don's Collection Here