ARTIST STATEMENT
Using landscapes and forms from the natural world as a starting point, I create process-based works that combine drawing and painting, often on a large scale. I am interested in the physicality of the painting process and how the movements and gestures that I make are recorded on the canvas. Immersing myself physically in the painting is what I love about working on a large scale, and when I stand in front of my work I feel consumed by the world created within it.
I begin a painting with thin layers of acrylic paint, creating washes that absorb into the surface with an almost watercolour-like effect. As layers build on top of one another, the painting evolves organically. Paint gets thicker and more opaque, colours become bold and vibrant, and gestures (often drawn onto the surface with oil sticks or oil pastels) become more energetic. The idea of not being in control of the painting and not knowing what the end result will be fascinates me and is an integral part of the work.
I am concerned with exploring the relationship between control and chance. My painting process mimics life, growth, and the daily rhythms of the natural world. I approach each piece with hopeful aspiration, intending to create something beautiful and real. The contrast in materials used, how the paint is applied, and the variety of marks made on the surface further illustrates the concept that something beautiful is made up of many contrasting pieces. Harshness, subtlety, ugliness, and softness are all vital in the creation of something that is imperfect and beautiful.
BIO
Meghan lives and works in Toronto. Meghan attended OCAD University, graduating with a BFA in Drawing and Painting and winning the prestigious OCAD Medal for Drawing and Painting in her final year there. Her work can be found in private collections across Canada.