We were lucky to catch up with Meagan Marsh Pine recently and have shared our conversation below.
Meagan, appreciate you joining us today. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
I knew I was interested in art at an early age, but I didn’t take it seriously as an option until college. I entered my undergraduate program with a lot of college credits due to Minnesota’s Post Secondary Enrollment Option, which allowed me to take college courses for free as a high schooler. Because of this, I entered school at the Junior level, prompting me to need to declare some sort of major in order to enroll for classes. I was freshly 18 and the only field I knew I was interested in was Art, so I became an Art Major, thinking I would change it at some point. Spoiler–I didn’t.
I ended up graduating with a BA in Art, BA in Journalism, and a Minor in Design. I worked in the design and photography fields for a few years before working up the courage to commit to pursuing a studio practice as my main focus. In 2022, I graduated with an MFA from Washington State University and I have been pursuing my studio practice and regularly exhibiting work since.
Meagan, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am an artist from Minneapolis, MN, and currently based in Eugene, OR. I work with both digital and traditional media to investigate issues embedded within the contemporary Western landscape. I have exhibited in both solo and group exhibitions nationally, including the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art (WA), Charles Adams Studio Projects (TX), Century College Gallery (MN), PAPA Projects (MN), and Gallery 263 (MA). I received a BA in Art and a BA in Journalism from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, and an MFA in Studio Art from Washington State University, Pullman, WA.
I am currently the Visiting Assistant Professor in Photography at the University of Oregon.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
For me, the most rewarding part of being an artist is having the space to investigate issues that are important to me. Art provides room to engage with topics that are uncomfortable and allows for exploration within them. Working visually allows me to make connections that I couldn’t put into words and to communicate in a nuanced way with the world around me.
I love sharing my work with others because, despite my deep consideration of what I think people might see in the work, they frequently share thoughts, connections, and reflections that surprise me. We all have our own visual histories, experiences, and perspectives that we bring into our viewing of a work and I love seeing how those experiences shape how my work is perceived. When people share with me, it expands on how I view the work as well. I love how expansive work can be because of this.
Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I think the hardest part of finding opportunities is knowing where to look. There are great (free) websites like collegeart.org which provide calls for art, guidelines for creating a CV, professional practices, etc. You should also look into your state’s arts funding opportunities. I am from Minnesota, which is fortunately one of the best publicly funded states for the arts. There are local websites that post all of the funding and local exhibiting opportunities. look into your local communities and see what opportunities are available.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://meaganmarshpine.com/
- Instagram: @meaganmarshpine
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meagan-marsh-pine-b19a03110
Image Credits
Meagan Marsh Pine