ARTIST STATEMENT
Megan primarily works with two mediums: repurposed burlap and tusche washes. Burlap is a renewable resource with rich texture and unique characteristics for making abstract marks and forms. Megan uses burlap in her artworks to represent struggle, imperfection, and sustainability. Tusche wash has unpredictable behaviors, and she enjoys how it moves as if it has a mind of its own.

When Megan is up for a formidable challenge, she draws on burlap with oil pastels to create richly textured art. Megan hand-stretches repurposed coffee bags over wooden frames. She loves drawing on the knobbly surfaces of the burlap — a strenuously time-consuming adventure. It takes hundreds of oil pastel layers to fill each nook and cranny. She’ll overload some areas while leaving other spaces untouched, intentionally exposing the burlap. Megan also uses burlap to create monoprints or sculptural works. She cuts, deconstructs, and reshapes burlap pieces and then presses them into inks on her custom-made gelatin plates. She also paints on burlap, sews, and creates burlap sculptures.

When she feels emotional, energetic, or explosive, nothing excites her more than working with tusche wash — typically a printmaking medium. Watery tusche washes dry into capricious puddles. In contrast, dry tusche wash is like painting with confectioner’s sugar: its powdery and moody behaviors are almost too wild to tame.

—

“My mind is my sketchbook.”

ARTIST BIO
Megan is a fine artist and graphic designer living in Louisville, Colorado. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Megan moved to Fort Collins, Colorado with her family in 1986. Megan graduated from Colorado State University in 1995 with a B.F.A. in Fine Art – Graphic Design. Megan worked as a junior designer at the prestigious Monigle Associates agency in Denver, CO before moving to Steamboat Springs in 1998 to fulfill a lifelong dream of rocky mountain living.  Megan opened Strange Bird Designs as her small graphic design studio in 1999 working with many clients within the Steamboat Springs resort community. Megan returned to Colorado’s front range in 2012, where she owns & operates Strange Bird Designs together with her husband, Jamie, now based in Louisville, Colorado.

COMMISSION ART
I enjoy creating original custom pieces. If you have an image that you would like me to create, please contact me to discuss additional details & concepts.

AWARDS
2022 1st Place for Pastels in the Open Studios Plein Air Event
2021 Special Merit Award for 11th “Animals”Art Exhibition – Online Art Competition
2018 Award of Excellence for “Subterranean” – 40 West Arts – Black, White & Metal, juried art show
2015 Best of Show for “Meet Me at the Market” – Spring Louisville Art Association Member Show
2014 3rd Place for “Tiny Dancers” – Fall Louisville Art Association Member Show

SOLO EXHIBITIONS
January 2021 Valkarie Gallery – Lakewood, CO
November 2022 931 Gallery – Denver, CO

ART EVENTS & EXHIBITIONS
2023 James May Gallery – April/August – Small Works on Artsy.net – Juried Art Exhibition
2023 Firehouse Art Center – April/South Gallery – Juried Art Exhibition – Longmont, CO
2023 Night Lights Denver by David Moke – Month of February – Denver, CO
2023 Valkarie Gallery – Feb. 8-Mar. 5 Two-Person Exhibition with Jennifer Ghormley – Lakewood, CO
2022 931 Gallery – Oct .20-Nov. 20 Solo Art Exhibition “Tomorrow”- Denver, CO
2022 Open Studios Tour – Oct1-2, 15-16, Boulder, CO – Juried Art Exhibition
2022 Southwest Print Fiesta – Printer’s Market, Saturday, Oct. 8, Silver City, NM – Juried Art Event
2022 Printed Matter #3 – The Railyard, Santa Fe, NM, by Tim Jag– Juried Art Event
2022 James May Gallery – Art of Water VI on Artsy.net – Juried Art Exhibition
2022 east window gallery – DISGUST: unhealthy practices, Curated by Todd Edward Herman – Boulder, CO
2022 Valkarie Gallery – March 2022 Art Exhibition with Dona Laurita – Lakewood, CO
2022 Open Studios Pop! Gallery – January 2022 Member’s Art Exhibition – Boulder, CO
2021 Pirate Contemporary Art – The Outsider Show – Lakewood, CO
2021 Pepney Gallery – Juried Art Exhibition “The Secret Garden” – Cavan, Ireland
2021 Core New Art Space Gallery – Juried Art Exhibition “Lost & Found”- Lakewood, CO
2021 931 Gallery – Juried Art Exhibition “Figure Sublime”- Denver, CO
2021 40 West Arts District – Member Showcase – Lakewood, CO
2021 11th “Animals”Art Exhibition – Online Art Competition
2021  NYC/NFT edition of the EVERY WOMAN BIENNIAL – Juried Art Exhibition – New York, NY
2021 James May Gallery – Art of Water V on Artsy.net – Juried Art Exhibition
2021 Valkarie Gallery – Solo Art Exhibition – Lakewood, CO
2020 Valkarie Gallery – Member’s Gallery – Lakewood, CO
2020 Firehouse Art Center – Locavore – Juried Art Exhibition – Longmont, CO
2019 40 West Arts District – Elements Exhibition – Juried Art Exhibition – Lakewood, CO
2019 R Gallery – Darkness – Juried Art Exhibition – Boulder, CO
2019 R Gallery – Boulder Art Association Wall – Juried Art Exhibition – Boulder, CO
2019 R Gallery – Lines – Juried Art Exhibition – Boulder, CO
2019 RiNo Spring Bazaar – Group Exhibition – Denver, CO
2019 40 West Arts District – Member Showcase – Lakewood, CO
2018 40 West Arts “Black, White, & Metal Art Exhibition” – Juried Art Exhibition – Lakewood, CO
2016 Gallery 1505 – Group Exhibition – Denver, CO
2016 Downtown Aspen Art Festival – Juried Art Exhibition – Aspen, CO
2015 Art On The Rockies – Juried Art Exhibition – Edwards, CO
2014 Downtown Boulder Fall Festival Art Exhibition – Juried Art Exhibition – Boulder, CO
2014 ArtCrank – Juried Art Exhibition – Breckenridge, CO
2014 Denver Art Festival @ Sloan’s Lake – Juried Art Exhibition – Denver, CO
2012 Park City Kimball Arts Festival – Juried Art Exhibition – Park City, UT

ART GALLERIES
Valkarie Gallery – Member’s Gallery – Lakewood, CO https://www.valkariefineart.com/
Open Studios – Member’s Gallery – Boulder, CO https://www.openstudios.org/

ARTIST MEMBERSHIP & VOLUNTEER
2020-present Valkarie Gallery (Lakewood, CO) – Resident Artist Member
2019-present Firehouse Art Center (Longmont, CO) – Artist Member
2020-2021 R Gallery (Boulder, CO) – Member Artist
2019-2021 Boulder Art Association (Boulder, CO) – Artist Member
2018-2020 40 West Arts District (Lakewood, CO) – Artist Member
2017-2019 Louisville Art District (Louisville, CO) – Volunteer/Graphic Design
2014-2018 Louisville Art Association (Louisville, CO) – Artist Member

REVIEWS
July 2022 – Seren Vintage Watch Gallery – Printed Matter Festival Review
July 2022 – Southwest Contemporary – Printed Matter Event
March 2022 – Westword – Art Attack – Susan Froyd
January 2021 – Westword – Art Attack – Susan Froyd
July 2021 – M.A.D.S. Art Gallery – PARAÍSO
January 2020 – Westword – Art Attack – Susan Froyd
May 2019 – Show @ Creative Framing & Gallery (Louisville, CO)
March 2018 – Show @ Alfalfa’s Market (Boulder, CO)
September 2015 – Downtown Boulder Fall Festival (Boulder, CO)
September 2014 – Downtown Boulder’s Fall Festival (Boulder, CO)
May 2013 – Ben Delaney @ Bike Radar (Boulder, CO)
August 2012 – Printmaking @ Park City Art Festival (Park City, UT)
November 2010 – Show @ Spill The Beans (Steamboat Springs, CO)
December 2009 – Coloring Book Launch @ Epilogue Book Co (Steamboat Springs, CO)