We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Megan Lingerfelt a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Megan, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Some of the most meaningful projects I’ve worked on are not powerful because of the image created, but because it was located in a small town without a lot of public art. These towns always know how to make me feel welcome and appreciated and so the experience of creating these murals is satisfying on multiple levels.

In Viola,TN I was granted the opportunity to paint something I’d been wanting to share for quite some time: a stylized magnolia design. Viola was once the smallest incorporated area in TN and is mostly rural with one small stretch of a downtown along hwy 127. The magnolia mural is right on this stretch and now brightens up what once was a raw concrete wall. Additionally, it was my first project with DMA Events, who I’ve worked with several times since, exclusively in small main streets across the state.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Public art has the innate ability to reach a wide audience. Murals have the capacity to interpret their surroundings; a well chosen image can quickly become a placemaker that defines a corner of the community. I came into mural creation about 8 years ago after many years of traditional painting methods. While living in Seattle I volunteered with a youth focused mural organization and fell in love with the process immediately. It was the combination of working on a large scale, which I had been pushing in my studio practice, as well as the physicality of the process and being outdoors to interact with the environment and people in the area. Not long after, I moved to East TN and dedicated myself to creating murals that bring moments of reflection and color to communities large and small. Thankfully my opportunities here have flourished and I find myself getting to know town after town through my design research and time spent in each place.

Stylistically my work consists of clean lines and layers of color that emphasize how light touches surfaces and the shadows they cast. I’ve really embraced botanicals in my mural work and enjoy exploring common plants as intricate focal points. Prior to my muraling days my work consisted of more utilitarian forms and reflective engineered elements. I jump at the chance to incorporate both of these visuals to show geometric and organic shapes combined; a recent piece in Macon, GA “Honeysuckle and Copper” shows this combination.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Creating for public spaces means having the honor of deciding what a corner of a town will look like for what you hope to be a long time. When I get to paint a mural I always want to make the perfect thing for a place, and when I’m happy with the outcome there’s nothing more rewarding.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

With the public goals I’ve already mentioned, I’m also driven by my own creative pursuits to continue to improve with each project. I learn something new from each piece and want to bring that experience to the next one. I’d love to keep expanding the reach of my work as well and travel further from home to paint new work.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.meganlingerfelt.com/
• Instagram: https://www.meganlingerfelt.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-lingerfelt-64ba8774/

Image Credits

Personal Photographer credit: Whitney Herrington

All mural photos provided by me