P A I N T

Hey Boston!

2012-02-23T15:18:00.000-06:00

Arriving soon @ Jules' Place in Boston...!!!

Sea Grapes II: 36" x 60", ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2012

Sea Grapes I: 36" x 60", ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2012

New Work @ LRFA [Houston]

2012-02-10T11:49:00.000-06:00

Arriving soon @ Laura Rathe Fine Art!

Orchida [Dusk] I: ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on paper, 2012

Orchida [Dusk] II: ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on paper, 2012

Orchida [Dusk] III: ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on paper, 2012

Sea Change LX : 60" x 48" ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2012

The Fruit I: 60" x 48" ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2012

New @ Ann Connelly Fine Art [Baton Rouge]

2012-02-09T12:30:00.000-06:00

Coming soon to Ann Connelly Fine Art in Baton Rouge...

My Black Wings: 60" x 48" India ink, oil, & collage on paper, mounted on canvas, 2012

Pods [Shore I]: ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on paper, 2012

Pods [Shore II]: ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on paper, 2012

Pods [Shore III]: ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on paper, 2012

Forms in Space / Space in Forms

2012-02-07T12:34:00.000-06:00

When I begin to create a space, I am most often working within a rectilinear framework. Within this space I seek to create an energized composition that is alive. The collective of forms in my work tend to rotate or circulate within the parameters of the canvas, much like plants and animals exist in their natural environments. Though my method of reaching this point is intuitive rather than cerebral, I can still look back at my process upon completion of a painting and follow the series of actions that produced the final result. I say this as it relates specifically to my work, however, I believe the core of this statement holds true to all art forms. All artists are working within a framework of some kind--be it a writer working within the construct of a narrative, utilizing the linear element of time and the form of language, or a musician working within the constructs of meter, verse, and the linear element of time.

What inspired me to write this today is a conversation I had with an architect this morning, whose work I admire very much. I realized as we discussed the ways in which we found my paintings and her architecture complementary to one another that we both approach the same "problem" of framing a space, but from opposite directions. The organic is her virtual canvas, and she infuses the straight lines into this space, where I start with the rectangle and infuse organic forms into that space. I thought it was interesting. I have included some images below that I feel best illustrate the ways in which she has integrated the free forms of nature with the rectilinear framework of a dwelling.

The overall form of the structure, the positioning of it, and the roofline in particular of this Grassland home collectively resonate with and mimic the rolling hillside behind it.

The reflection of the sky upon the metal roof mirrors and changes with the light of the actual sky above.

The infusion of natural light in a way that it seems to actually live and breathe within the framing of the interior space seems to be in perfect harmony with the way that the rectilinear structure exists in the natural site itself.

It is this harmony, this specific, intentional, and particular framing of space that makes a structure a work of art, versus a structure that exists only for utilitarian purposes. Similarly, these same qualities are what set apart an attractive textile or decorative canvas from a painting that transports us internally, causes as perceptual shift, or is somehow a catalyst for bringing to life something that was not there before.

It is a difficult and age old argument to make--the question of quality and the difference between art and object. And it is no doubt, one that is imperfect and filled with holes, but I know for certain that it is true. I personally, do not accept that art is nothing more than a simple matter of our perception. I have been thinking about this quite a bit lately, and it has inspired me to pick up an old favorite book of mine, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. I last read it about fifteen years ago, but look forward to reading it again and hopefully coming away with something new this time around. After all, few things can alter our perception so powerfully as the passage of time, except for maybe...a fountain ;)

The images above depict the architecture of Studio B.N.A., a firm based out of Ocean Spring, MS. You can view more of their outstanding portfolio here: studio.BNA.com

New Work @ Kathryn Markel Fine Art

2012-02-02T15:10:00.000-06:00

I am pleased to present the following new paintings now available @ Kathryn Markel Fine Art [NYC]...

Aegea IV: 30" x 22", ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on paper, 2012

Aegea V: 30" x 22", ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on paper, 2012

Aegea VI: 30" x 22", ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on paper, 2012

Bloom XV: 48" x 48" ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2012

Bloom XVI: 48" x 48" ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2012

2012. It's your year, y'all. Make it a good one.

2012-01-09T12:05:00.000-06:00

Happy 2012, Darlings!

You cannot believe another year has gone by, can you? Yes, I know. Well, here we are at the start of what I hope for me will be a coaster year. Do you know what a coaster year is? It is the opposite of a roller coaster year. It is a year where you do not have a half dozen life changing events occur within the span of a few months. Frankly, I am overdue for one of these. So, in the coming year I look forward to a steady and fruitful studio practice; to enjoying the company of my children; to not being in a huge rush the entire time I am awake; to spending time on the lake; to traveling to a couple of new places; to resuming a dedicated yoga practice; to learning a few new recipes; to reading a dozen or so good books; to spontaneity; and to enjoying whatever other surprises the universe has in mind. I guess life unfolds the way it does, but a little intention never hurts either.

On that note, here is my exhibition schedule for 2012. These events are open to art collectors, enthusiasts, artists, and friends. In other words, everyone is welcome, so if you are in the area during one of these events, then please join us!

Solo Exhibitions:

SOJOURNS @ Laura Rathe Fine Art [Houston]

Opening Reception April 28, 6-8 p.m.

OPEN ROADS @ Smink [Dallas]

Opening Reception: May 19, 6-8 p.m.

NATIVE @ Ann Connelly Fine Art [Baton Rouge]

Opening Reception: September 6, 6-8 p.m.

Three-Person Exhibition:

TBA @ Chicago Art Source [Chicago]

Fall 2012

New @ Laura Rathe Fine Art. H-town!

2011-11-28T14:35:00.000-06:00

Arriving soon (in a rather large Budget truck) @ Laura Rathe....

Ornaments of Grace: 72" x 96" ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

Orchida in Shadow I: 72" x 36" ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal, 2011

Orchida in Shadow II: 72" x 36" ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal, 2011

Orchida in Shadow III: 72" x 36" ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal, 2011

P.S. I am ALL up in the Christmas spirit this year. Not sure why, but I am. So, Happy Holidays, Y'all!!

New Paintings @ Ann Connelly Fine Art

2011-11-03T15:03:00.001-05:00

Coming Soon to Ann Connelly Fine Art ! !

Bloom LI: 30" x22", mixed media on paper, 2011

Bloom L: 30" x22", mixed media on paper, 2011

Bloom LI: 30" x22", mixed media on paper, 2011

Ornaments of Grace IV: 48" x 72" ink, oil, & oil crayon on canvas, 2011

Ornaments of Grace V: 48" x 48" ink, oil, & oil crayon on canvas, 2011

Marina: 72" x 96" ink, oil, & oil crayon on canvas 2011

New @ Laura Rathe Fine Art ! ! !

2011-10-25T12:09:00.000-05:00

Ornaments of Grace: 48" x 48" ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

The Ripening I: 30" x 22" mixed media on paper, 2011

The Ripening II: 30" x 22" mixed media on paper, 2011

The Ripening III: 30" x 22" mixed media on paper, 2011

California, CaliFORnia...(that was Joni singing)

2011-10-13T11:07:00.000-05:00

Helloooo. I am still smiling, rested, and refreshed after an amazing week in beautiful California. The opening reception @ K. Imperial Fine Art was a such a nice evening. I always enjoy meeting and talking with people at these events because the conversation is always stimulating and thought provoking. I was thrilled to finally meet fellow artist Elise Morris there, whose work I have admired for many years. Aside from being a very talented artist and stellar painter, she is a truly a lovely person.

Here are some pics from the opening...

As much as I love San Francisco, most of our time was spent in the wine country, which felt like heaven! At one point while driving on some high, winding back roads, approaching the top of the most luscious green mountain I have seen since the Portland days, I really considered not coming home. And if I didn't have a 1st grader, a mortgage, and a cocker spaniel then I would probably still be there. I love that part of the country and could not help but daydream of a quiet, secluded studio behind a charming cottage in the mountains of the wine country with a few cute little long-haired goats roaming around. (These goats would not eat the large eggplants from the thriving vegetable garden, which is the envy of the entire mountain village.) Nor would they eat the outdoor furniture, which is where friends and neighbors would relax while we drink cabernet from the vineyards below...

Anyway. I am glad to come home to my two sweet boys, to our overfed dog Priscilla, and to our happy casa here in Austin. It's not Sonoma Valley, but it is the beautiful Texas hill country. And that is more than good enough for now, y'all.

These images below are very large, so please click on the photos below to view the full size images. You will not get the enchanted forest feeling if you don't enlarge them, and everyone needs to feel the enchanted forest feeling from time to time, right?)

Isis

2011-09-29T12:36:00.002-05:00

I am pleased to present this new collection of paintings which explores the symbols and mythology of the Egyptian goddess, Isis. The exhibition opens October 6 @ K. Imperial Fine Art.

Opening reception Thursday, October 6, 5-7 p.m. Please join us!

The Feast She Gave Them: 60" x 36", ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

Her Fields Grew Wheat and Flax: 40" x 40", ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

Her Hands Held Lapis Lazuli: 40" x 40", ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

Lotus (Nelumbo Nucifera): 48" x 48", ink, oil, oil crayon, and charcoal on canvas, 2011

Nymphea [In Light]: 36" x 36", ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

Nymphea [In Shadow]: 36" x 36", ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

The Fruit from Her Trees I: 30" x 30", ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

The Fruit from Her Trees II: 30" x 30", ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

The Grapes of Isis: 96" x 72", ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on Belgian linen, 2011

The Ripening I: 30" x 22" ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on paper, 2011

The Ripening II: 30" x 22" ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on paper, 2011

The Ripening III: 30" x 22" ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on paper, 2011

Process & Documentation: Part I

2011-09-15T14:31:00.000-05:00

Ok. Let's talk about process. Where does it even begin? One of the questions artists get asked most frequently is, "How long does it take for you to make a painting?" I usually respond from the practical end, which is, "I usually work on multiple pieces at a time because who wants to sit around waiting on paint to dry?" But the more important thing is that it keeps the energy fresh and is more efficient and comprehensive. Of course it produces more paintings to work in series, but it also allows for a more thorough examination/exploration of a single idea. For example, if I work on a painting, then move on to another, and then come back to it in an hour or so, chances are I have a fresh perspective. At least this is how my mind operates. This manner of working on multiple pieces simultaneously also creates an opportunity to explore more of the infinite possibilities. Like the choose your own adventure books. Well, not really.

But enough about that. The true answer to the question is that it took thirty-five years to make that painting. I am not being facetious or philosophical. However, I still do not think this is really what people want or expect to hear. And I get that, I do. But it doesn't change the fact that this is the truth.

As I was creating the pieces for an upcoming show, I found myself wanting to document the process. Actually, I am finding myself wanting to document things in general right now. Maybe because for the past ten years or so, I have not been a diligent documenter--at least not in the traditional sense. I used to be. I used to document a lot--in the form of writing, sketching, clipping, photographing, and so on. Mostly "insignificant" moments, which have the capacity to convey more truth than any "occasion." And I love going through my old sketchbooks that are bulging at the seams. Why don't I keep a sketchbook any more? At first I thought that there is simply less time to do so, I am in a different place in my life, more going on, blah, blah. But that is not true. Really, my whole life is documented, not only in the paintings that I create, but in other, less literal (and possibly more informative and meaningful) ways. This blog is my new sketchbook. My dishwasher is, too (you'll see, keep reading...). And my iPod. Especially the iPod. For me there is a strong connection between music and memory. You know how an album or a song can take you straight back to a certain place and time in your life? This is big for me personally because I listen to a lot of music every day in the studio, and therefore music is another means of documentation (unconsciously, but still). I make a lot more actual paintings now, too, so seeing a body of work, or sometimes a specific painting I made in the past can have a similar effect.

Moving on. I got one of those little white Fuji cameras that shoots out the little credit card sized photos (a la the Polaroid days). I love it. I rarely take the time to print out any of my thousands of digital pics, but this camera I leave on the kitchen counter, and when something worth $1.50 happens....bang! Instant forever. Plus we love writing little notes on the tab in an Ultra Fine Point Sharpie. (We super love Sharpies.)

This is my happy dishwasher. Stupid refrigerator.

So, here are some in situ shots of the initial process of creating the body of work for an upcoming exhibition in San Francisco. I am excited about the show and even more excited about the process because it is a departure from my norm. I needed that. But the work still draws from that same nest in my head of organic forms and composition and response to things tactile. I am not entirely comfortable posting these images on a blog for all the world to see. Not sure if this is a good idea, and it feels...a little exposing. Or something. But who cares.

* The Lucky Bucket [Circa 1998]

Ok. I can't write anymore. I am not done on the subject, but I will complete this thought later. I don't mean to be rude, y'all, but my head hurts. I think I need new glasses. You've had enough for one day, too? Ok, great :)

Mañana!

2011-08-19T15:06:00.000-05:00

Please join us for the opening reception of ISIS, a solo exhibition of new work @ Bryant Street Gallery!

October 6, 6-8 p.m.

This is the inaugural exhibition at the brand new gallery space inside the 49 Geary Building in San Francisco.

Everyone is welcome, so we hope to see you there!!

Lotus [Nelumbo Nucifera]: 48" x 48" ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

Oops. (Invisible Spectrum)

2011-08-15T12:24:00.000-05:00

I have returned to Austin after a wonderful weekend in Atlanta for the opening reception for Visible Spectrum @ Pryor Fine Art, and it was lovely! I must say the gallery space is fantastic (and huge!), and the staff there could not be any nicer and hard working. It was great being with friends old and new, meeting some of the other gallery artists, and eating more than my fair share of good food. This is the part where I post all the photos from the opening. Except I forgot my camera. If there is a memorable occasion, it is a fact that I will forget the damn camera. Every time. My mom is not happy with me right now. Sorry, Mom! Instead here is a link to the paintings from the exhibition: well, it's better than nothing?!

Deer Regina

2011-08-10T12:12:00.000-05:00

Introducing....Regina Grand.

Mixed media artist (and deer friend) Marcus Kenney created this superb sculpture for me. (S)he is the newest addition to my art collection, and I am sooooo excited to have her!

When you walk in the front door of my house (and you should), the first thing you will see is Regina greeting you from halfway up the stairwell landing. (S)he is not a big talker, but honestly, who needs words with a presence like this?

One of my favorite features is the delicate, feminine leaf imagery on her snout. (Do deer have snouts or is that just dogs? Well, let's just agree to call it a snout, ok? Ok.) I love how the presence of male and female energy in Regina is not combined or diluted--in other words, it does not have an androgynous feel to it. Instead the male and female energy seem to coexist in this piece. I also love the tribal elements that speak to me of ritual, intention, and a dash of mythology.

But most importantly I just like her. (S)he is strong, quiet, peaceful, and beautiful. (S)he is awesome.

Thank you, Marcus, for making this beautiful girl. Boy. Beast. (S)he is lovely.

P.S. The actual title is Libertingua. I named her Regina Grand because I feel like she is kind of alive. Well, (s)he was at one point. Anyway, I thought (s)he deserved a proper name.

Marcus Kenney: Libertingua: 48" x 30" x 30" mixed media, 2011

Bonjour, Louisiane!!

2011-08-08T11:22:00.000-05:00

Bonjour, Louisiane!!

These pieces are en route to Baton Rouge today via the fabulous, the one and only Amy Coe of Ann Connelly Fine Art.

P.S. I would love to have a few of your hot, humid days and heavy summer rainstorms right now. I miss, you, Louisiana, and can't wait to see your warm, damp, delicious face in November!

xoxo,

Meredith

Bloom XXXI: 60" x 36", ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

Bloom XXXII: 60" x 36", ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

Sea Change XXXIII: 60" x 48", ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

La Mer @ Laura Rathe Fine Art [Houston]

2011-08-01T15:27:00.000-05:00

Arriving soon @ Laura Rathe Fine Art...

La Mer: 72" x 96" ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on Belgian linen, 2011

The Face of Beauty: Don't slap it.

2011-07-27T14:33:00.003-05:00

I was talking with my dear friend the other night over margaritas and queso, and somehow the subject of my blog came up in our conversation. She mentioned that I don't write much anymore, and that it could be better. I know. She is right. It is true that I don't write as much as I have in the past, and it is not because I don't want to. I thoroughly enjoy writing about art and the human dynamic and the life in this world that inspires art into existence. I believe this is becoming a kind of hybrid explanation/apology/restitution for simply posting images of paintings and their locations for the past few months. In other words for slacking off on the blog. The truth is, I am very busy. I know, so are you. And so is everybody.

*Side note: I cringe when I hear people say they are "busy." Or worse..."crazy busy." But dammit, sometimes we just are. I also cringe a little bit when single mothers use single motherhood as an excuse for their shortcomings or mistakes. But let me tell you, it is hard as hell being a single mother, and I promise you sometimes it can really cramp our style and turn our otherwise efficient, completely competent, badass selves upside down in more ways than one. You can probably not tell because chances are we are still smiling calmly, especially if we were born and raised in Louisiana where you are expected to smile no matter what, even if you are contemplating something that may be considered...bad manners.

Here is an excellent example. Yesterday, I left the studio early so I could pick up my sons early from Montessori. I thought it would be nice for them to play while I cooked them a healthy dinner of mozzarella meatloaf and sauteed summer squash before doing the whole nighttime routine. Everything went fine and according to plan, and by 7:45 they were tucked in bed, squeaky clean, hair washed, and teeth brushed. We read two chapters of Junie B. Jones: Dumb Bunny and sang a handful of songs. Perfect execution of a perfect plan. Wrong. After the two and a half hours of double kid tears and double kid drama that followed, it was 10:30, and I was beyond exhausted. Freaked out and guiltily pondering my failures, my head was spinning, and sleep was not an option. So I watched a bad indie movie. It was so boring that I pulled down one of my favorite books, Kahlil Gibran's The Prophet, hoping to find some kind of peace or insight in the section on raising children. I ended up reading the whole collection and instead found insight in the section on beauty:

On Beauty

      And a poet said, "Speak to us of Beauty."
      Where shall you seek beauty, and how shall you find her unless she herself be your way and your guide?
      And how shall you speak of her except she be the weaver of your speech?
      The aggrieved and the injured say, "Beauty is kind and gentle.
      Like a young mother half-shy of her own glory she walks among us."
      And the passionate say, "Nay, beauty is a thing of might and dread.
      Like the tempest she shakes the earth beneath us and the sky above us."
      The tired and the weary say, "beauty is of soft whisperings. She speaks in our spirit.
      Her voice yields to our silences like a faint light that quivers in fear of the shadow."
      But the restless say, "We have heard her shouting among the mountains,
      And with her cries came the sound of hoofs, and the beating of wings and the roaring of lions."
      At night the watchmen of the city say, "Beauty shall rise with the dawn from the east."
      And at noontide the toilers and the wayfarers say, "we have seen her leaning over the earth from the windows of the sunset."
      In winter say the snow-bound, "She shall come with the spring leaping upon the hills."
      And in the summer heat the reapers say, "We have seen her dancing with the autumn leaves, and we saw a drift of snow in her hair."
      All these things have you said of beauty.
      Yet in truth you spoke not of her but of needs unsatisfied,
      And beauty is not a need but an ecstasy.
      It is not a mouth thirsting nor an empty hand stretched forth,
      But rather a heart enflamed and a soul enchanted.
      It is not the image you would see nor the song you would hear,
      But rather an image you see though you close your eyes and a song you hear though you shut your ears.
      It is not the sap within the furrowed bark, nor a wing attached to a claw,
      But rather a garden for ever in bloom and a flock of angels for ever in flight.
      People of Orphalese, beauty is life when life unveils her holy face.
      But you are life and you are the veil.
      Beauty is eternity gazing at itself in a mirror.
      But you are eternity and your are the mirror.

These words embody what I have tried to convey in the group of paintings in Visible Spectrum, an upcoming exhibition at Pryor Fine Art. The final verse inspired the title of the final piece for the show, The Unveiling of Life's Holy Face. These paintings are a collective homage to what we see right before our eyes--the image of physical reality simply as it is, rather than how it exists within the bondage of our interpretation or understanding. The image itself as it exists in the brief moment of our initial encounter, in that brief moment before we attach our own meaning to something outside of ourselves. In this brief moment of freedom, there is beauty.

The point is this--that in search of one thing, I found this instead. And after reading last night, I realized for the first time that my sons each have a very real perspective of this world that I had not considered. A monster in the closet is not a joke to a four year old. Starting first grade at a new school with all new friends is very scary. It is really, really hard to stop sucking your thumb after six years, and the frustration that comes with feeling like a failure at the tender age of six can feel monumental. I remembered that there is really no such thing as success or failure. Absolutes are illusions, and our interpretations are simply our stories. To step outside of the fragile shell of our own understanding is to open ourselves up. Not easy, and not always pretty. But it is the truth, and the truth is always beautiful.

The Unveiling of Life's Holy Face: 72" x 96", ink & oil on Belgian linen, 2011

The rest of the exhibition can be seen here (except for Hibiscus I, which was impaled by a 7 foot bronze statue).

New @ Jules' Place [Boston]

2011-07-21T09:57:00.000-05:00

New work @ Jules' Place [Boston] !

SEA CHANGE XXX: 48" x 48", ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

SEA CHANGE XXXI: 60" x 48", ink, oil, & oil crayon on canvas, 2011

SEA CHANGE XXXII: 48" x 48", ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

VIEW FROM ROGUE SPACES XXI: 36" x 60", ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

VISIBLE SPECTRUM

2011-07-15T15:52:00.000-05:00

Visible Spectrum @ Pryor Fine Art

I am pleased and (very!) excited about Visible Spectrum, my upcoming solo exhibition Pryor Fine Art in Atlanta! I am deeply grateful for each and every opportunity to create and exhibit new work, but I am especially excited about my debut in Atlanta. The gallery has just relocated to a fantastic and large new space on Miami Circle in Buckhead. I look forward to seeing the new gallery space and to meeting the great team of people at the gallery.

I hope you can join us for the opening reception Friday, August 12, 6-8 p.m! Bring whomever...the more the merrier!

I will post a few more pieces as the date approaches, but for now, here is a partial preview...

Hibiscus I: 48" x 36", ink, oil, oil crayon on canvas, 2011

Hibiscus II: 48" x 36", ink, oil, oil crayon on canvas, 2011

Leaves I: 48" x 48", ink, oil, oil crayon on canvas, 2011

Leaves II: 48" x 48", ink, oil, oil crayon on canvas, 2011

Leaves IV: 60" x 48", ink, oil, oil crayon on canvas, 2011

Leaves in Light and Shadow I: 48" x 48", ink, oil, oil crayon on canvas, 2011

Leaves in Light and Shadow II: 48" x 48", ink, oil, oil crayon on canvas, 2011

Leaves III: 60" x 48", ink, oil, oil crayon on canvas, 2011

Luminous Flux [Dusk Light]: 60" x 48", ink, oil, oil crayon on canvas, 2011

Sea Change (Lapis): 60" x 48", ink, oil, oil crayon on canvas, 2011

Sea Change (Viridia I): 48" x 48", ink, oil, oil crayon on canvas, 2011

Sea Change (Viridia II): 48" x 48", ink, oil, oil crayon on canvas, 2011

Luminous Flux: 48" x 72", ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

Chaparral @ Laura Rathe Fine Art [Houston]

2011-07-11T15:10:00.000-05:00

Is it clear that I wish I were on a beach somewhere in the Carribean? The sea grape leaves against the bright blue sky, the color of the water as it transitions from deep to shallow, the movement of light and shadow as it bounces off of the tiny waves, and soothing motion of the water as it washes against the rocks on the shore....heaven.

Chaparral: 72" x 96", ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on Belgian linen, 2011

Available now @ Laura Rathe Fine Art

Yo, Chicago!

2011-06-17T15:16:00.000-05:00

Neptunias II, III, V, & VI arriving soon @ Chicago Art Source!!!

I reworked these paper pieces from a year or two ago. It seems that I cannot let a piece of mine come back into my studio and leave again without me messing with it...tweaking the color, redefining forms, etc. Kind of how I do my kids before they go out the door again, straightening their clothes, picking on their hair, wiping their faces with a licked finger (which I SWORE I would never, ever do to my kids because it always made me gag when my mother would do that to me, which was ALL the time...ew, sorry, kids :)

Anyway, that is so not the point. The point is...the pictures.

Neptunia II: 40" x 26", ink & oil on paper, 2011

Neptunia V: 48" x 48", ink, oil, oil crayon, and charcoal on canvas, 2011

MEREDITHPARDUE.COM

2011-06-16T16:45:00.000-05:00

Please visit the new

meredithpardue.com

....redesigned, live, and launched!

YAY!!!

Gerania @ LRFA

2011-06-09T12:02:00.000-05:00

New inventory @ Laura Rathe...!

GERANIA: 72" x 96", ink, oil, oil crayon, charcoal on canvas, 2011

Just Super, Y'all.

2011-06-07T14:06:00.000-05:00

Well, it's another Super Day @ the studio. This painting, commissioned for a Houston residence, was inspired by a previous painting from the Superflow exhibition @ Laura Rathe titled Superflow: Bloom XXV.

Superbloom: 72" x 96" ink, oil, oil crayon, and charcoal on canvas, 2011

In other news, I am eagerly awaiting an email from my graphic and web designer, Hollie (who is super awesome btw) @ Emblem Creative, that says, "Hey, Meredith...guess what?! Your new site is up!!" The test site looks FANtastic. What? Well, it does. Soooooo excited...stay tuned, y'all!

Wow, I am linking the heck out of things today.

Orchidas XX-XXII @ Laura Rathe Fine Art

2011-06-04T14:37:00.000-05:00

I just finished these paper pieces yesterday, and they will soon be in the inventory of Laura Rathe Fine Art in Houston.

Ok, I really cannot get enough of this magenta / fuschia / red-violet color combo. I love the way the pigment separates when it is diluted with water. It is simply magnetic. The thin, delicate borders which form around the transparent puddles of diluted paint are such a quiet, but stark delineation. It is the combination of these two things that continues to remind me of the vivid fuchsia of my orchid plant. It is a small plant, but the color of the petals is so intense that it carries quite a presence in the room.

Orchids are one of very few plants that can usually survive a few months with me. I am going to work on my green thumb this summer. I am! I am going to grow an herb garden--a very simple one--with rosemary, basil, sage, and mint. I am doing to do my best not to murder the rosemary. We kind of have issues. Anyway, I will keep you posted on my progress (if there is progress to share! :)

Orchida XX: ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on paper

Orchida XX: 40" x 26.5", ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on paper, 2011

Orchida XXI: 40" x 26.5", ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on paper, 2011

Orchida XXII: 40" x 26.5", ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on paper, 2011

Happy Saturday, y'all!

Bougainvillea I, II, & III @ Jean-Marc Fray

2011-06-01T16:56:00.000-05:00

Coming soon to Jean-Marc Fray...

Bougainvillea I: 40" x 30" ink, oil, oil crayon & charcoal on canvas, 2011

Bougainvillea II: 40" x 30" ink, oil, oil crayon & charcoal on canvas, 2011

Bougainvillea III: 40" x 30" ink, oil, oil crayon & charcoal on canvas, 2011

2011-05-30T20:55:00.000-05:00

With gratitude we honor and remember you.

Another view from another rogue space...!

2011-04-28T14:34:00.001-05:00

How much did I love making this gigantic painting?? A lot! There are few things more gratifying to me than flinging paint around from the top of a ladder (not a bad workout either). View from Rogue Spaces XX was commissioned for a Napa residence by one of my favorite patrons. When someone commissions a huge painting and pretty much gives you carte blanche on what to do, well...it's bliss.

View from Rogue Spaces XX: 81" x 128" ink, acrylic, oil, oil crayon, and charcoal on canvas, 2011

Now, it's fish taco time. Adios Amigos!

New Inventory @ Pryor Fine Art

2011-04-13T15:54:00.001-05:00

Arriving soon @ Pryor Fine Art in Atlanta...!

Orchida VII: 60" x 48" ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

The World in April I: 48" x 48" ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

Superflow @ Laura Rathe!

2011-04-12T10:53:00.001-05:00

These paintings are a collective from two bodies of work, which together illustrate the ebb and flow of energy as it waxes and wanes, in this case through my hands. The strong geometric power of rotation and revolution of the circular constructions contrast with the whimsical marks and delicate ink stains of the canvases. It is this dynamic that I call the Superflow.

LAURA RATHE FINE ART

Superflow: Flora IV: 40" x 26" mixed media on paper, 2011

Superflow: Flora V: 40" x 26" mixed media on paper, 2011

Superflow: Flora VI: 40" x 26" mixed media on paper, 2011

Superflow: Orchida III: 36" x 36" ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

Superflow: Orchida IV: 36" x 36" ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

Superflow: Pods in Shadow I: 72" x 36" ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

Superflow: Pods in Shadow II: 72" x 36" ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

Superflow: Pods in Shadow III: 72" x 36" ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

Superflow: Flora I: 30" x 30" ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

Superflow: Flora II: 30" x 30" ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

Superflow: Flora III: 30" x 30" ink, oil, oil crayon, & charcoal on canvas, 2011

The Waxing and Waning of My Constitution: 48" x 38", mixed media on canvas mounted on maple, 2010

My Favorite Satellite: 40" x 40", mixed media on canvas mounted on maple, 2010

Mandala I: 53" x 32", mixed media on canvas mounted on maple, 2010

Mandala II: 53" x 32", mixed media on canvas mounted on maple, 2010

The Forbidden Runs

2011-03-21T14:29:00.000-05:00

New @ Jean-Marc Fray in Austin....

The Forbidden Runs: 60" x 90", mixed media on canvas, 2011

I almost said "ink, acrylic, oil, oil crayon, charcoal, spray paint, and collage on canvas"...but you don't want to hear all that!

GOOD BOOTS

2011-02-23T17:21:00.000-06:00

These are good boots, y'all.

SUPERFLOW: RETRO NADA

2011-02-15T16:57:00.000-06:00

I feel like I just gave birth to ten pound triplets with no epidural. Maybe that was inappropriate. So sorry. But after two weeks of obsessively painting, drawing, removing, redoing, pulling hair out, and repeat...I have finally finished these last three paintings in part one of Superflow, the series I will be showing next month at Jules' Place in Boston.

+ Bonus: it is cocktail hour.

SUPERFLOW: RETRO NADA I / 24" X 22" / OIL AND PENCIL ON CANVAS

SUPERFLOW: RETRO NADA II / 24" X 22" / OIL AND PENCIL ON CANVAS

SUPERFLOW: RETRO NADA III / 24" X 22" / OIL AND PENCIL ON CANVAS

Superflow

2011-02-09T14:58:00.000-06:00

The Superflow. Sometimes it rocks. Sometimes it rolls. Sometimes it sets the roof on fire, and sometimes it rains on the parade. But it is what it is, and it can't be stopped. So, I guess we should all just go with it.

P.S. I dig the Superflow.

Translucent Visions

Meredith Pardue & Allison Stewart

Opening March 2 @ Jules' Place [Boston, MA]:

Join us!

Superflow: Orchida I: 48" x 48", ink, oil, oil crayon, and charcoal on canvas, 2011

Superflow: Orchida II: 48" x 48", ink, oil, oil crayon, and charcoal on canvas, 2011

Superflow: Aegea I: 54" x 34", ink, oil, oil crayon, and charcoal on canvas, 2011

Superflow: Aegea II: 54" x 34", ink, oil, oil crayon, and charcoal on canvas, 2011

Superflow: Aegea III: 54" x 34", ink, oil, oil crayon, and charcoal on canvas, 2011

Superflow: Flora I: 36" x 36", ink, oil, oil crayon, and charcoal on canvas, 2011

Superflow: Flora II: 48" x 36", ink, oil, oil crayon, and charcoal on canvas, 2011

Superflow: Flora III: 48" x 36", ink, oil, oil crayon, and charcoal on canvas, 2011

A Few Thoughts on Ethics & Awareness

2011-01-25T12:05:00.000-06:00

A recent commission for a Gulf Coast residence...what a pleasure to make a painting for this lovely client!

Rocks from Canon Beach Ten Years Later III:

60" x 48" ink, oil, oil crayon, and charcoal on canvas, 2011

And here are a few notes on art ethics and awareness...

I have been making art as far back as I can remember. Even as a young child, art has always been a vital part of who I am. My mind has always responded with enthusiasm to that which is aesthetically pleasing, and over the years the language of aesthetics has been woven as tightly into my perception of the world as the language of the spoken word. I listen with my eyes, and I speak with my hands. It makes no difference if I like or dislike this fact about who I am; it simply is.

Because the language of aesthetics--art--is a crucial part of how I perceive and communicate to the world around me, I have dedicated a significant part of my life--over twenty thousand hours--studying art both in terms of history and of the practice of painting. The paintings I create are important to me because they are physical manifestations of my conscious and subconscious thoughts; they are the fruits of my labor, the results of my investigations, and mirrors of my thoughts.

And I believe this is the case for every true artist. An artist does not make art because he or she wants to decorate a space. An artist does not make art because he or she wants to sell a piece to a collector. An artist does not make art because it is the happening thing to do. An artist makes art because he or she has no choice. An artist makes art because that is what artists do.

I was fortunate enough to study art at two incredible art institutions. Like many other college students, I borrowed and spent money I did not have in order to finance my education. And like many other college students, the scholarships and student loans did not cover my tuition, living expenses, and supplies, so I worked various jobs during this time to supplement my income. And it was worth every single bit of it. I am deeply grateful for all of the experiences and opportunities that have combined to allow me to finally have a successful career as a fine artist.

Although I work alone in my studio every day creating paintings, I am also fortunate to work on the business end of things with some very dedicated, professional, and hard working individuals who are as invested in their galleries as I am in my work and career. The gallery owners, art consultants, and interior designers with whom I work do so with the highest level of integrity and a work ethic that matches my own. These are my business partners, and together we are able to place art in the collections of individuals, institutions, and businesses all over the world. My business partners are as passionate about their role in our relationship as I am about mine.

Recently, I have been made aware of some disturbing--and in some cases atrocious--accounts of people copying or plagiarizing the work of other artists. These accounts are verified and documented. In one instance, a person went so far as to copy an artist’s painting as closely as possible and then forge the artist’s signature on the front of the canvas. This blatant theft of intellectual property is shocking and appalling. Of course all artists are all influenced by the work of other artists whose work we admire, which is an expected, necessary, and positive part of the artistic growth process, and there is nothing wrong with that. There is, however, something very wrong with a person intentionally stealing someone’s ideas or work and claiming them as his or her own. And forgery, of course, is a criminal offense.

It is true that with a certain amount of exposure comes a certain level of risk involving varying degrees of imitation. I believe that in most cases, this probably ends up being of little consequence to artists who have devoted a lifetime of study and years of practice to establish an artistic identity. However, when a person copies an artist’s work, then targets a market in which a professional artist is already established, then sells imitations of his or her paintings at a fraction of the price, then it becomes at the very least, a nuisance, and at worst potentially damaging to an artist’s reputation and sales. While the trained eye of a seasoned collector is likely able to discern the quality of an artwork and able to distinguish between a good work of art and an imitation, this is not the case for every viewer. This misconception allows for the appearance of diminished quality of a professional artist’s work, among other things.

I have been asked to write this by one of my art dealers and gallery owners, but I am also writing this because I personally want to make our audience aware that this is happening to me, as well as to other established artists. I also want to make it clear that this is very much a violation. Obviously, a person who deliberately imitates or attempts to imitate another artist’s work lacks imagination or originality. After all, the process of creating of a work of art lies in its creation, which begins at inception--an idea--before it ever becomes physical. And this is the first violation. It is not flattering to an artist to have his or her idea copied and falsely represented by someone else. It is offensive, and it feels every bit like the violation that it is. The second violation is the public display or sale of such, which is also offensive, but feels like an act of aggression; essentially, someone is taking something that belongs to you--your idea--publicly declaring it theirs, and selling it for a profit. This is absolutely unethical, and no artist or gallery with an ounce of integrity would knowingly permit this to occur. Further, any aspiring artist who copies other artists is sabotaging any potential for a career as a professional artist, as they are publicly destroying their own reputation from the beginning.

The intellectual property law states something to the effect that an artwork or design must be altered by at least twenty percent from an original source in order to be considered original in its own right. In the case of fine art, this is almost impossible to prove. Therefore, there is little legal recourse to address this situation. There is however, other recourse, albeit very little. We can make our audience aware of this problem, which is what I attempt to do in this statement. It is my hope that our message will encourage emerging artists to put in the thousands of hours of personal artistic investigation that are crucial for the development of his or her own personal visual language. I also hope to bring to the attention of any emerging artists who may not be fully aware of this issue, or of his or her actions, or of how they may be perceived by the professionals in this field. I would also like to make it clear that it is most certainly not my intention to embarrass or chastise any one particular individual, but to raise awareness about this issue to artists, galleries, designers, collectors, as well as the general public. I write this not with anger, but with the desire that with this information, the professionals in the art business will be fully aware of the intellectual property issue, allowing us to work together with a heightened sense of awareness. Of course there will always be those in every industry who seek to profit from the hard work of others. However, there are many professionals in our field and in our market who are unaware that this is happening, and making these ethical professionals aware of this issue allows them to make decisions that parallel their ethics.

Rocks from Canon Beach I & II @ JMF

2011-01-12T14:42:00.000-06:00

New paintings @ Jean-Marc Fray!!!

Rocks from Canon Beach Ten Years Later I: 48" x 48" ink, oil, oil crayon, charcoal on canvas, 2011

Rocks from Canon Beach Ten Years LaterII: 48" x 48" ink, oil, oil crayon, charcoal on canvas, 2011

Cheers, y'all!!!

2011-01-06T12:46:00.002-06:00

HAPPY 2011 !!!!!!!!!!

A ladder is a nice icon for progress I think. Well, this is my ladder. And this is my progress, as of a two weeks ago, on a large commission for a residence in Louisiana.

Now that I think about it, my second post ever on this blog was twelve months ago. It was me on a ladder in my Louisiana studio working on a commissioned painting this exact size for a Florida residence via Ann Connelly Fine Art. And it was mid-January. And I remember being in a bad mood about it being too cold and wishing I were on a warm, sunny beach somewhere drinking a margarita on the rocks, no salt. Hmm. Well, I'll be damned if I am not going to Florida next week. And I'll be damned if I am not going order that margarita. And I'll be damned if the title of this painting isn't Water's Edge. And no, I did not plan this cute little moment of serendipity, but I like it!

And the last painting of 2010 finished! It will be hanging at Ann Connelly Fine Art until the installation at the end of this month.

Water's Edge: 96" x 96" ink, acrylic, oil, charcoal, and oil crayon on canvas

Now get your margaritas ready...

Here's to a bright, shiny new year filled with progress, possibility, and lots of love for all...CHEERS!!!

Six little babies...

2010-12-17T14:57:00.001-06:00

Six little babies...delivered December 18, 2010 to Ann Connelly Fine Art in Baton Rouge.

La Mer I: 8" x 6" ink, oil, and charcoal on Arches

La Mer II: 8" x 6" ink, oil, and charcoal on Arches

La Mer III: 8" x 6" ink, oil, and charcoal on Arches

La Mer IV: 8" x 6" ink, oil, and charcoal on Arches

La Mer V: 6" x 6" ink, oil, and charcoal on Arches

La Mer VI: 6" x 6" ink, oil, and charcoal on Arches

Ann Connelly Fine Art [Baton Rouge, LA]

2010-12-07T15:10:00.000-06:00

Coming soon to Ann Connelly Fine Art in Baton Rouge....

I Remember the Swamp: 54" x 54", acrylic, oil, oil crayon, and charcoal on Belgian linen

And How the Spanish Moss Would Just Hang There on the Oak Trees:

60" x 48", acrylic, oil, oil crayon, and charcoal on Belgian linen

The Damp and Heavy Moss: 60" x 48" acrylic, oil, oil crayon, and charcoal on Belgian linen

Le Blog + Party Pics

2010-11-23T12:49:00.000-06:00

I am cheating. Because I am tired. And I really need to get on the road to Dallas to visit my parents for Thanksgiving holidays. And I am late, and I still need to take a shower and walk the dogs. So...here are some great shots from last week's opening of Revolutions @ Jean-Marc Fray...courtesy of Le Blog author and my dear friend Cynthia Fray, aka the smokin' hot blonde with the cutest pixie haircut in the history of ever.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!!!!!!!

P.S. Thank you, Blake Oliver, for staying sober enough to shoot all of these great pictures!

And here are a few from our post-show after party (debauchery) @ the East Side Showroom!

They were playing "When the Saints Go Marching In," dancing required if you're from Louisiana.

Jean-Noel Fray, me, and a damn good martini.

Birgitdown.

Blake Oliver

Jean-Marc Fray, Birgit Schroeder, and I

Mia Baxter (owner Metropolitan Gallery) and Birgit

Revolutions @ Jean-Marc Fray

2010-11-19T12:34:00.000-06:00

Thanks to all who joined us last night for the opening reception of Revolutions @ Jean-Marc Fray in Austin, TX! It was a special and spectacular evening with great friends, old and new.

. . . R E V O L U T I O N S . . .

In this aesthetically whimsical body of work titled Revolutions, I use the circle to address the universal issues of time, speed, and change. As a symbol, a circle or sphere could not be more fully loaded, as it represents some of the most powerful and universal elements that exist. Aesthetically, the foundation for this work is the rotation of heavenly bodies--specifically the sun, the moon, and the Earth. In Revolutions I address how the rotations of these heavenly bodies relate to human lives, with specific regard to the passage of time and the changes that occur in between these cycles.

The obvious visual reference to lunar phases and planetary rotation lays a solid foundation for the fusion of one kind of revolution with another. As titles such as Medals from One Long War or The Waxing and Waning of My Constitution suggest, an internal, personal, or political revolution also takes place within the constructs of these temporal revolutions of nature, while the titles Mandala I and II suggest the quest or presence of a spiritual revolution.

I chose to deliver this concept in the form of a colorful palette of mixed media pieces, offering the viewer a playful respite from the gravity of its content. The clean simple beauty of the natural maple both literally and aesthetically supports the rich impasto of the paint and collage. It is my hope that the viewer will find both meaning and beauty in the balance of these two contrasting elements, as well as infuse his or her own understanding to the work, and therefore adding the most important dimension to the artwork--life.

The Waxing and Waning of My Constitution: 48" x 38", mixed media on canvas mounted on maple

Big Time Revolution: 48" x 72", mixed media on canvas mounted on maple

My Favorite Satellite: 40" x 40", mixed media on canvas mounted on maple

Mandala I: 53" x 32", mixed media on canvas mounted on maple

Mandala II: 53" x 32", mixed media on canvas mounted on maple

Bang Bang Universe: 60" x 96", mixed media on canvas

Days: 24" x 48", mixed media on canvas

Phases of the Great Rotation: 48" x 48", mixed media on canvas

Medals from One Long War (Service): 8" x 6", mixed media on canvas

Medals from One Long War (Defense): 8" x 6", mixed media on canvas

Medals from One Long War (Occupation): 8" x 6", mixed media on canvas

Medals from One Long War (Honor): 8" x 6", mixed media on canvas

Asia!

2010-11-01T16:08:00.000-05:00

I am very pleased to present the following paintings, the debut of my work in Asia. The paintings below will soon be en route to Ode to Art Gallery, an exquisite commercial space with two locations in Singapore and one in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I am not only thrilled about having representation in Asia, but also about exhibiting with the incredible artists represented at this gallery, such as American Pop artist Robert Indiana. I was actually viewing an installation of Indiana's paintings at the Musée d'Art Moderne et d'Art Contemporain in Nice, France when I was contacted by Ode to Art, who also represents his work. Sometimes the universe speaks very clearly.

Lotus Pond XX: 60" x 90" ink, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Migration #50: 44" x 40" ink, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Water in Motion (in shadow): 44" x 44" ink, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Part Twenty of a Rainstorm: 48" x 48" ink, oil, oil crayon, and charcoal on canvas

Pages: A True Story by Meredith Pardue

2010-10-22T16:30:00.000-05:00

These pieces comprise Pages: A True Story by Meredith Pardue, a solo exhibition opening November 11 @ J Costello Gallery in Hilton Head, SC. Please join us!

The body of work is divided into three parts: Labor. Life. Fruit. While I am not interested in giving a detailed explanation of the individual pieces, I will state what I believe to be the obvious. Most of these pieces are works on paper, paralleling the title of the show. The use of mixed media combines with the written language in these works to create a diaristic kind of narrative that reminds me a lot of the sketchbooks I used to keep. Both visually and metaphorically, the traces of "work" as evidenced in the used paper towels, stir sticks, etc. serve as a foundation for all that is happening around it. That is my life. This is autobiographical. So, when I say "work," I am literally referring to the physical process of making a painting, the mental process that is occurring constantly (both consciously and unconsciously), and the life that I have constructed upon the foundation that is my work. The idea of using "work" as a platform from which to perceive, interpret, and construct a world is, quite possibly, the very definition of being to an artist.

I think there is something very pure about these pieces. They are beautiful to me because they are traces and fragments of moments that are true. Not all of them pretty. After all, the truth is not always pretty, but I do believe that it is always beautiful.

THE LABOR

The Labor I: 30" x 22" mixed media on paper

The Labor II: 30" x 22" mixed media on paper

The Labor III: 30" x 22" mixed media on paper

The Labor IV: 30" x 22" mixed media on paper

The Labor V: 30" x 22" mixed media on paper

The Labor VI: 30" x 22" mixed media on paper

The Labor VII: 30" x 22" mixed media on paper

The Labor, Part II: 10" x 80" mixed media on canvas

THE LIFE

Installation view

The Life 1: 12" x 12" mixed media on canvas

The Life 2: 12" x 12" mixed media on canvas

The Life 3: 12" x 12" mixed media on canvas

The Life 4: 12" x 12" mixed media on canvas

The Life 5: 12" x 12" mixed media on canvas

The Life 6: 12" x 12" mixed media on canvas

The Life 7: 12" x 12" mixed media on canvas

THE FRUIT

The Fruit I: 60" x 48" ink, oil, charcoal on canvas

The Fruit II: 60" x 48" ink, oil, charcoal on canvas

Marina

2010-10-12T12:02:00.000-05:00

I have finally completed a 24 piece commission for Oceania Cruise Line's newest ship, Marina. This luxurious ship is stunningly beautiful with amenities and details like no other. I am so thrilled to be a part of it. The pieces below will hang on decks 4-12 in the common areas near the elevators. But first let me tell you an ocean story...

I have dreamed of the ocean as long as I can remember, usually in the form of a terrifying, tsunami-like wave that is forever approaching me as I stand paralyzed and heavy on the beach. This dream always happens when I am feeling overwhelmed. When I first started having this dream about twenty years ago, I used to try to run, to climb buildings to get away...but I could never get away from the approaching wave, which somehow never actually arrived, just continued to swell and come towards me like an eternal, gigantic threat.

Then one night about ten years ago when I was living in Portland, the dream changed. The wave was coming at me as it always had, but that night I heard a voice yelling at me to "Ride the wave!" (Cheesy, maybe, but that's what it said.) So, I decided to give in to the wave. I laid on my back, floating, letting the ocean carry me to and from the shore, rocking my body in the same way it would a ship. Pretty poetic, eh? Well, it's the truth. Anyway, I had the dream again last night. The giant wave came toward the shore as it always has, but this time it pulled me out to sea, and the undertow forced me to the bottom of the ocean floor. I held my breath and eventually resurfaced. I took in a deep breath and looked around me to see all of these other people bobbing in the water. They, too, had just been through the tsunami. We were all smiling at each other because we had all just survived the wave. Then I turned around saw land. A different land. I had been carried to another shore. Pretty damn poetic if you ask me.

Dreams are powerful reflections of our lives, and however intense they may sometimes be, I am grateful that both of mine have always been vivid.

For whatever we lose (like a you or a me),
It's always our self we find in the sea.
~e.e. cummings

Now, back to those paintings...

Marina 1: 22" x 49" acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Marina 2: 22" x 49" acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Marina 3: 22" x 49" acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Marina 4: 22" x 49" acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Marina 5: 22" x 49" acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Marina 6: 22" x 49" acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Marina 7: 53" x 34" acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Marina 8: 53" x 34" acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Marina 9: 53" x 34" acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Marina 10: 38" x 34" acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Marina 11: 38" x 34" acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Marina 12: 38" x 34" acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Marina 13: 38" x 34" acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Marina 14: 38" x 34" acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Marina 15: 38" x 34" acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Marina 16: 24" x 22" acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Marina 17: 24" x 22" acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Marina 18: 24" x 22" acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Marina 19: 24" x 22" acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Marina 20: 24" x 22" acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Marina 21: 24" x 22" acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Marina 22: 24" x 22" acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Marina 23: 24" x 22" acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Marina 24: 24" x 22" acrylic, oil, and charcoal on canvas

Austin American Statesman, Glossy "The Shape of Things" (October Issue)

2010-10-04T11:58:00.000-05:00

Here's a recent interview published in the Austin American Statesman, Glossy, October Issue. Apologies for the gigantic size of this image, but it was the only way to make the text readable.

Sneak Peek! (J Costello Gallery, Hilton Head, SC)

2010-09-29T16:34:00.001-05:00

Hola Amigos! I am back in the studio now after a relaxing, refreshing, and very entertaining trip to Cabo with my sweet friend and art dealer, Laura Rathe. What an awesome place. I think I could live there. Maybe I will. Maybe I won't. But right now I have a real big crush on Mexico.

In other news, for the past month or so I have been working on a group of 24 paintings commissioned by Oceania Cruise Lines for the newest addition to their fleet of ships, Marina. I will tell you more about this exciting commission and post photos of the body of work when the last pieces are complete.

I am also working on pieces for an upcoming solo exhibition @ J Costello Gallery in Hilton Head, SC called Pages: A True Story by Meredith Pardue. The opening reception is November 11, and everyone is welcome. The title reflects my desire to convey a personal narrative (almost sketchbook-like?) feeling to the exhibition. I have been collecting random scraps of paper, used paper towels, ruined paint brushes and other art materials to create mixed media and collage pieces on canvas and paper. I also plan to include some of my usual oil on canvas/paper paintings in the show such as these images below:

Bloom 15: 30" x 22" ink, oil, and mixed media on paper

Bloom 16: 30" x 22" ink, oil, and mixed media on paper

Bloom 17: 30" x 22" ink, oil, and mixed media on paper

...and these paintings are from the Tropical Series, a body of work I did a few years ago. I worked back into them with heavy white and black oil paint, which created a stark surface contrast to the high glossed, earthy stain in the underpainting. I am really happy about the way these turned out, so I decided to stop hoarding them in my studio and let them out into the universe. Bamanos, last remaining pieces from my beloved Tropical Series.

Tropical Series II, #10: 30" x 30" acrylic stain and oil on canvas

Tropical Series II, #5: 30" x 30" acrylic stain and oil on canvas

Tropical Series II, #9: 30" x 30" acrylic stain and oil on canvas

Ok, that's all I've got for now. Thanks for checking in with me...now y'all go enjoy this gorgeous fall day!

I'm goin' to Jackson...I"m gonna mess around. Just kidding, I'm not. But these paintings are.

2010-09-21T13:27:00.000-05:00

Hi y'all! It was a fun weekend in the ATX with my dear friend May and her sweet friend Patrick. We had a lot of laughs, a lot of margaritas, and a LOT of Mexican food.

Patrick, Mere, & May @ Malverde (post-feeding frenzy).

Anyway, May is the owner of Lounge Arts in Jackson, MS, a super art gallery that shares a space with the fantastic Lounge Interiors. These pieces are now part of her inventory:

Part Fifteen of a Rainstorm: 40" x 26" acrylic, ink, and oil on paper

Part Fourteen of a Rainstorm: 40" x 26" acrylic, ink, and oil on paper

Part Sixteen of a Rainstorm: 48" x 48" acrylic, ink, and oil on canvas

Part Seventeen of a Rainstorm: 60" x 48" acrylic, ink, and oil on canvas

Bloom 18: 48" x 36" acrylic, ink, and oil on canvas

Bloom 19: 48" x 36" acrylic, ink, and oil on canvas

September 11

2010-09-11T11:41:00.000-05:00

With great sadness I remember the lives lost on this day nine years ago. I pray for peace and for the protection of our troops. God Bless.

Here is a link to Micheal Arad and Peter Walker's Reflecting Absence, the winner of the World Trade Center Site Memorial.

Hello Dallas!

2010-09-10T15:57:00.000-05:00

The paintings below just arrived in Dallas at Select Art.

Part Thirteen of a Rainstorm: 48" x 48" ink, acrylic, oil, and oil crayon on canvas

Part Twelve of a Rainstorm: 48" x 48" ink, acrylic, oil, and oil crayon on canvas

Pods in Fractured Light I: 30" x 22" ink, acrylic, oil, and oil crayon on paper

Pods in Fractured Light II: 30" x 22" ink, acrylic, oil, and oil crayon on paper

Pods in Fractured Light III: 30" x 22" ink, acrylic, oil, and oil crayon on paper

And this just arrived at my parents' home in Dallas. They commissioned me to create this large painting for their living room. I love that my parents collect art! They are awesome in many other ways, too, but I am pleased to have raised them right in the art department.

My Deep Earth V: 48" x 96", ink, acrylic, oil collage, and oil crayon on canvas

P.S. How bout them Saints beating the Vikings last night? Although my buddy Andrew swears they should have beat the daylights out of them. I think they are just warming up.

P.P.S. I know jack about football, so don't listen to me. I don't even really like football. But I do like the Saints. If you are from Louisiana, then you understand my excitement, and if you're not, well, then bless your sweet little heart anyway. Who Dat!

Fall 2010

2010-09-07T19:28:00.001-05:00

I hope everyone enjoyed Labor Day 2010 as much as I did! There is really nothing better than good friends, good weather, and of course good vodka cocktails. But I am quite happy to be back in the studio now, working away on several fall projects. Here are a few upcoming events:

Interview in Glossy (Austin American Statesman) by Becca Hensley, October Issue

PAGES: A TRUE STORY by Meredith Pardue: @ Judith Costello in Hilton Head, SC

Solo exhibition of new work opening Thursday, November 11.

Please join us for the opening reception. I'm talking to you, Savannah, GA!!

REVOLUTIONS @ Jean-Marc Fray:

Solo exhibition of new paintings opening Thursday, November 18

Please join us if you will be in the Austin area. Bring your mama. And your daddy. And your friends, too.

New representation @ Ode to Art Gallery in Singapore/Malaysia.

New representation @ Select Art in Dallas.

September shipment to Ann Connelly Fine Art

2010-08-24T11:21:00.000-05:00

Good Morning!

Coming soon to Ann Connelly Fine Art in Baton Rouge...

Bloom 10: 60" x 36" ink, oil, oil crayon on canvas

Bloom 11: 60" x 36" ink, oil, oil crayon on canvas

Pods XLII: 60" x 48" ink, oil, oil crayon on canvas

Sea Change 12: 36" x 36" ink, oil, oil crayon on canvas

Water in Motion II: 36" x 36" ink, oil, oil crayon on canvas

Birdflight II: 60" x 48" ink, oil, oil crayon on canvas

Spell on the Bayou II: 48" x 48" ink, oil, oil crayon on canvas

Nice is Nice.

2010-08-18T15:01:00.000-05:00

I finished this painting today. The forms and palette were influenced by the black rocky beaches and brilliant blue water I experienced during my recent trip to Nice. You can see the tiny puddles of water that appear to sit on top of the black ground when you enlarge the image. They remind me somewhat of the way the water looked for a split second as it crashed upon the beach.

Water in Motion II: 36" x 36" ink, oil, oil crayon, and charcoal on canvas

Here is a photo of the black rocky beach. The water of the Mediterranean was the most brilliant color of blue that I believe I have ever seen, especially the shallow parts. Very different than the turquoise waters of the Carribean...a cooler shade of blue. Breathtaking!

And while I'm at it...here are a few more water shots. I became obsessed with the Hipstamatic app for iPhone during this trip.

Fishing boats in the harbor.

French Riviera, je t'aime!!!

Guy on a bike.

I just love this image. I woke up before dawn one morning and just started shooting from the balcony. With my camera, that is :)

xox!!!

Totem Series for Michael and Susan Dell Foundation

2010-08-16T11:47:00.000-05:00

It is a good morning! Today I will deliver these commissioned paintings from the Totem Series to the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation here in Austin. This foundation was created to support children living in urban poverty by assisting with health and education needs. Click here to learn about some of their children's programs and to read some very inspiring success stories!

Totem 1: 48" x 48" oil on canvas, 2010

Totem 2: 48" x 48" oil on canvas, 2010

Totem 4: 60" x 36" oil on canvas, 2010

View from Rogue Spaces V

2010-07-29T12:26:00.000-05:00

The newest addition to the inventory of Bryant Street Gallery in Palo Alto...

View from Rogue Spaces V: 48" x 72" ink, oil, oil crayon, and charcoal on canvas