An Interview with Megan Lewis by Rebecca Juliette
Artists Work is a BmoreArt interview series that explores the work that artists do to make a living while they work on their ‘real work’ – their art.
Megan Lewis graduated from Ringling College Of Art and Design in 2011 with a BFA in Illustration. Utilizing various mediums, she aims to create works of art that focus upon stories that reflect a critical view of social, historical, and cultural issues.
Lewis is a freelance artist living in her hometown of Baltimore, Maryland, and has executed solo mural design projects at locations such The National Great Blacks In Wax Museum, one of Baltimore’s great historical attractions. She was a 2014 – 2015 Urban Arts Leadership Member of the Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance (UALP) and a fellow/education assistant at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum.
Name: Megan Lewis
Age: 27
Website: meganlewis1illustrator.com
Description of Art You Make:
My current work focuses on controlled narrative on brown women issues. Whether it being about beauty, fashion, body images and most important, historical information that over time has been lost or misinformed. That’s where I am currently.
Day Job: Nordstrom / Freelancer
Hours per week at work: 38 hours plus freelance work
Hours per week in studio:
My freelance work I do at home on my computer because it almost always digital. My actual studio is used for my paintings.
Duties or tasks performed at day job:
Knowing too much about designer brands. When freelancing, I bring other people visions into existence.
Best thing about your day job: My discount.
How does your day job enhance or detract from your studio practice?
When I do have time to create its hasn’t been personal work, commissions mostly, which I am very grateful for of course.
Favorite job ever: Muralist
Job you couldn’t wait to leave:
I’ve enjoyed every job I’ve ever had, and took from it what I needed.
Is it your goal to become a full-time artist? Why or why not?
Isn’t that the point? To make a living strictly off of art? Evolving into a brand? Being Self-employed? Yeah, who wouldn’t want that?
What advice do you have for young artists just out of school, in terms of balancing your work and studio practice?
Surrounding yourself with creative people who are motivated and networking.
“Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today.”
What’s coming up next for you as an artist? What projects are you working on or looking forward to?
I like to speak things into existence, so here we go: artist residency, more murals, more group shows, a solo show with my new art I’m working on, getting published, selling prints, continuing to teach.
