“Orange Stand.” Collage on paper. 18″x24″ Order a print
I had a lot of fun working on the wall in the background – I got to get a little carried away with texture. Perhaps I should experiment more with a lot of texture for an entire collage as opposed to just a section of it.
I’ve gotten this question a few times over the past few months, so I thought I’d go ahead and share it with you.
I prefer taking pictures of my artwork myself. That way, if I notice something’s amiss when I zoom in to study a high resolution image of my work, I can easily retake the pictures in the comfort of my apartment. I have to admit though—I slack a little bit when it comes to taking my progress pictures (sometimes I just don’t set up the lighting).
So what do I use?
I used to use a Canon PowerShot SD600 and I’d go outside on an overcast day to take pictures of my work. You’re probably already predicting where things went wrong with this method. Since I was relying on the great outdoors, the lighting was inconsistent and unreliable. I had to wait for good weather before I could go outside for the photo shoot—that means waiting for the rain and snow to go away. And the PowerShot camera is just a simple point and shoot camera so the quality of the images isn’t that great. I noticed that a lot of my artwork often looked washed out and sometimes blurry—something that I only noticed once I lugged all my artwork back inside and uploaded the images to my computer.
Now I use a good old Nikon D3000 and I love it. The image resolution is much better and I have more control over the settings.
I also use a light kit that I got from B&H. It’s a Lowel Ego Digital Imaging Fluorescent light kit that came with stands and tilt brackets. With the light kit, I can control the lighting. And best of all, I don’t have to rely on the weather outside to take pictures of my work.
“Hide and Seek on the Subway.” Collage on paper. 18″x24″ Order a print
Another piece inspired by one of my trips to NYC. Whenever I’m on the subway and there are several platforms, it seems like strangers are off playing hide and seek when you can only see part of them from behind those large beams.
Things have been pretty busy over here – I’m still working away on artwork for my show next month. Gallery meetings, press releases, etc. It’ll be nice when everything has been taken care of and I’ve met all my deadlines. Aside from my exhibition work, I’ve also gotten started with researching MFA programs and trying to figure out which schools to apply to.
This weekend we had gorgeous weather in the area. I had a chance to walk around D.C. and take pictures of the sights. I have a feeling Bosty will have some future pictures to star in. Anyway, I’m off to do a little more artwork for the day.
“The Bikers.” Collage on paper. 18″x24″ Order a print
I finished this piece a few weeks ago but just got around to taking pictures and uploading them to my computer. I’m done with it at the moment – but I’d like to go back in and rework a few areas so it will be ready for the show next month. It was inspired by a trip to New York, when I spent the day at Coney Island.
The weather has been like summer here – I’m not sure what happened to spring. Is it just me, or does spring only last for a couple of days now? Anyway, I prefer the warm weather, but I’m awaiting our building to turn on the air conditioning with baited breath.
And I’m beginning to toy with a few ideas of things to do on my blog. Below you can see the result of one of my projects – Bosty the Boston Terrier. I’m going to post photographs from time to time with Bosty walking in on them.
Lastly, I was really excited because I found out today that I was selected to become a visiting artist at the Torpedo Factory in Old Town, Alexandria. The Torpedo Factory is an art center filled with open artist studios and galleries. As a visiting artist, I’ll share a studio with one of the resident artists for a couple of months – June and July. I’m looking forward to it all – man oh man, will I be busy this summer.
That’s all for now – I hope everyone has a happy Friday and a fantastic weekend!
Below is a Q & A made up from FAQ’s I’ve received via email or in-person:
How long have you been an artist?
I’ve been making art all my life, but I started taking it more seriously about four years ago.
How did you get into art?
I took art classes as a kid at a nearby gallery—dabbling in pottery, sculpture, cartooning, painting—the works. During the summer, I’d create my own paper dolls and illustrate stories. And I always had an art class at school every year. I considered these classes a nice getaway, a way to relax and unwind.
Drawing by Megan Coyle at age six.
How do you get inspiration for your artwork?
I find inspiration from common, everyday things—the bright colors of a farmer’s market, someone making a funny face, animals lounging at the zoo. The world around us is filled with so much color and excitement.
How did you get started with collage?
For several years here and there, I’m sure I made collages the way most people did as a child—by collaging words and photographs to create a jumbled mix of recognizable objects. In high school, I explored a variety of media, including collage, and over the years, my technique evolved. During my senior year of high school, I started making collages the way I currently do—cutting out shapes of color and texture from magazine pages to construct figures. However, I focused more on playing with color and I’d draw over my collages with oil pastel.
How many hours a day do you create?
I typically work on artwork a couple of hours a day every day. I aim for longer than this, but the time I set aside for art fluctuates depending on how much time I need to devote to my web and graphic design work.
How do you recharge your creativity?
When I need to recharge, I usually take a break from work in general. Getting away on a short vacation can help me recharge my batteries. Taking a simple trip to a museum or wandering around town to take pictures can do wonders to my creativity.
What was your first job?
For my first job out of college, I worked at a local art museum as a security guard (believe it or not). The museum only hired art majors or historians for the position, which is pretty odd because I don’t consider artists to be very intimidating people. And I think the general public agreed with this. The hours were long and grueling, and I ended up quitting after a few months because it wasn’t challenging enough. That and I’d rather make art than bark at people to get away from it.
Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
Working away on collages while putting on a solo show about once a year. I also see myself working more with animating my collages. And I hope to crank out a couple of children’s books by then.
I’ll definitely live and breathe art no matter what I’m doing.
What has been your most exciting moment as an artist?
Getting accepted for my first solo exhibition was incredibly exciting. I’m also ecstatic every time I hear from teachers who have used my artwork as examples in their lesson plans. It’s just really rewarding knowing that your art is being used to teach and inspire.
What do you wish you could do?
Help others realize how great art is. One of my life-long goals is to make people think of art the way they think of rock n’ roll.
What other interests do you have outside of visual art?
I’m a junkie for every art form out there. There’s nothing I love more than seeing a great concert, reading a good book, or watching a movie that makes me think more about the world around me.
What gives you hope in the world?
Whenever I’m blessed with the kindness of a fellow artist or art enthusiast—nothing else makes me believe that art is bound for bigger and better things.
“Couple by the Potomac” Collage on paper. 18″x24″ Order a print
I’m really getting into exploring different angles with my people collages – before I was pretty attached to the basic portrait composition where I focused in on the face of the sitter. Here the background has a pretty strong role and the figures are much smaller.
And now I’m off for a day filled with errands while escaping my warm apartment (they haven’t turned the air-conditioning on yet).
I hope everyone had a happy weekend. I spent my Saturday gallery sitting at the Del Ray Artisans for their “What’s Your Bag?” exhibition. The show features artwork that depicts bags in our culture as well as art made from recycled bags. A lot of handmade bags were also included in the show.
Here’s the piece that I had hanging in the exhibition, “The Reader.” There’s a book bag resting on the ground next to the figure spread out on the park bench.
I thought I’d have a productive art-filled weekend, however I was feeling pretty sick and had to spend half my weekend either sleeping or laying in bed. I love keeping busy, so it was pretty difficult for me to force myself to rest up so I could recover. Now I’m feeling much better, and I’m glad I took it easy instead of working away.
“Chow Time.” Collage on paper. 18″x24″ Order a print
April 2nd – 30th, 2010 Arlington Central Library; Arlington, Virginia Map and Gallery Info
Two of Megan’s latest works, “Chow Time” and “The New York Diner,” were on display in Arlington Central Library’s “The Art of Food” exhibition. Both pieces will appear in two of her upcoming solo exhibitions.
“The Art of Food” was a juried exhibition that featured art that used food as a theme or aspect of the artwork, and explored the ideas of “you are what you eat,” what we eat, where/how we eat, who/what eats, the nature of food, where it comes from, how it sustains us/the land, and so on and so forth. Artists were encouraged to use recycled material in the creation of their artwork.
The show was held in conjunction with the Library’s annual Arlington Reads program. The book chosen for Arlington Reads 2010 was The Memory of Old Jack by Wendall Berry. Berry’s book is about the musings of an elderly farmer on the “truth and integrity of the land.” “The Art of Food” exhibition was inspired by the book and explored different ideas and views on food consumption.
“The Reader.” Collage on paper. 18″x24″ Order a print
April 2nd – 25th, 2010 Nicholas Colasanto Center; Alexandria, Virginia Map and Gallery Info
One of Megan’s latest collages, “The Reader,” was on display in the Del Ray Artisans’ “What’s Your Bag?” exhibition.
“What’s Your Bag?” featured artwork by local artists that explored the theme of bags in our culture and everyday life. The show included works that depicted the bag in any form, including bags used for carrying food, taking work home, and travelling away from home.
The exhibition showcased artwork made from a variety of media, including paintings, drawings, and photographs. With images of backpacks, satchels, suitcases, and other bags used for everyday use, the show included interesting angles on a familiar subject matter.
