

Today we’d like to introduce you to Meagan Hepp.
Meagan, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
My grandmother, Doris, always supported creativity and self-expression. I can remember from a very young age experiencing the sensation of making at her house, whether it was creating a sculpture out of dominos or painting the walls of her basement/studio, we were always making together.
As a teenager, I found myself feeling more comfortable with creative people. The art room became my safe haven where I began to develop my career working with and for local New Jersey artists, knowing full well, this is where I am most successful. Now I find myself early in my own art making career, as well as continuing to work with other Boston creatives.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
The sculptures I make are a way of thinking about control and power. Intimate in experience, they place us in a position of presumed overwhelming dominance while they are, in truth, manifestations of our own innate powerlessness. With a focus on assembly and destruction, verdant nature and decay, my work presents the life we live as one of shards: fear, security, elation, and despair.
Recently, with my new series, Reclaim, my process has changed. I am still constructing and then destroying, but I am giving these sculptures one more chance, building them up again after the destruction. I have also been ‘digitizing’ the sculptures by scanning them on a simple desktop scanner. This allows me to play with space, scale, and perspective differently than solely in the 3-dimensional world. I find they can live a more interesting life this way, becoming a mirror to our own human experience and our innate desire to survive and move on.
Artists rarely, if ever pursue art for the money. Nonetheless, we all have bills and responsibilities and many aspiring artists are discouraged from pursuing art due to financial reasons. Any advice or thoughts you’d like to share with prospective artists?
I am an entry level artist so I try to say yes to every opportunity I can, you never know what will happen or who you will meet. Be gracious, be kind, and work hard. Boston, for example, has a very small art scene; everyone knows everyone. Push yourself to do your absolute best, you never know who will pass along your name for a show or job opportunity.
I make most of my living wage from studio assistant jobs. Those jobs range from consistent weekly work for a select group of artists, to a monthly install at a gallery to a framing job here and there. I am fortunate enough to work and learn from a wide variety of artists in the Boston community; they are a wealth of knowledge and I am grateful for the opportunities I have to work with them. If I can pass anything onto someone else, it would be to work for people who will inspire you to continue your own art making as well as the work you do for them. The artists I work with constantly encourage me to continue making and are always willing to discuss ideas.
The hardest part of being a young artist in the 21st century is that we work many long hours trying to afford to live and do creative work in the urban environments where there is a contemporary art pulse. It is hard, but you have to find little times throughout the day to work, whether it is reflecting on a piece you made the day before, to applying one layer of paint before you go to bed, every little bit helps on the journey to the coveted full studio day.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
Right now, I show mostly at Brookline Arts Center’s gallery. My Reclaim limited edition print series was on display and available for purchase at the Art Off the Wall, Exhibition and Fundraiser, juried by Julie Graham. This fall, I will also be exhibiting in the Faculty Show at BAC. As always, my website is up to date with past and current works. It is a great place to contact me.
Contact Info:
- Website: meaganhepp.com
- Email: meagan.hepp@gmail.com
- Instagram: meagan.hepp.art
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meagan.hepp.art/
Image Credit:
Meagan Hepp
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