Graveyards Are Museums: Mortal Machine chats with Michelle Melcher

We sit down with dark surrealist painter Michelle Melcher to talk about why graveyards might be some of the most overlooked art galleries in the world—and how death, folklore, and history shape her work.

From memento mori to ghost stories, Michelle breaks down the inspirations behind her latest show at Mortal Machine Gallery and how she balances classical oil painting techniques with eerie, modern themes. We get into the beauty of decay, the storytelling power of cemeteries, and why confronting death might actually make your art—and your life—better.

If you’ve ever walked through a graveyard and felt something… this one’s for you.

Buy Michelle's art from Mortal Machine