Meghan Doremus is a muralist based in Missoula, Montana. She recently moved from Eugene, Oregon, to enjoy a slower pace of life and spend more time in nature. While living in Eugene, Meghan studied Landscape Architecture, where she developed an appreciation for native plants, design, and urban beautification. Most importantly, she learned the need for community engagement and the importance of public spaces.
Here at Arts Missoula, we had the privilege of getting to know Meghan as she turned our backyard into her creative studio. Meghan spent a week and a half painting a 16ft mural on our new mobile art gallery, the Art Box, which is currently located in our backyard but will be popping up around town. Read our interview with Meghan below for a look into her creative process.
Arts Missoula: How long have you been a muralist?
Meghan Doremus: I began painting murals about a year ago. I painted a large 80′ long fence that was about 7′ tall, down an alley near Hayward Field at the University of Oregon. Since then, I have painted a 16′ x 9′ mural at a house in Oregon and am now working on the Art Box! I have a few murals commissioned for this summer and hope to do a few indoor pieces once the weather cools down.
AM: What got you interested in creating large scale pieces of art? What was your first ever “big” art piece?
MD: I became interested in painting large scale pieces through studying landscape architecture. That field of study encouraged me to see design on a larger scale and in a communicative way. Through making art as leisure, I realized working at a larger scale was also easier for me because I was able to focus on all of the details while also learning how to paint. My first ever big art piece was the fence I painted but I had painted and drawn a few poster sized pieces of work previously!
AM: What is your favorite medium to create in?
MD: My favorite medium are prisma colored pencils. The colors are incredibly pigmented and beautiful and the extreme softness of the lead allows for the colors to blend together nicely. I used to really love ink and I still think linework is mesmerizing, but I think I was just scared of color because I never understood all of the rules and color theory. I let go of that fear and have just been having fun with it and have been doing lots of experimenting.
AM: Can you remember the first thing you ever drew/painted/made?
MD: When I was younger, I absolutely loved drawing portraits. I used to draw all sorts of silly facial expressions with bold and dramatic appearances. I have always loved using lots of color. I remember getting in trouble in elementary school because we were assigned a project to color something in and I filled the page with color and detail, going outside of the lines.
AM: What is your ideal environment to create in?
MD: Any! I enjoy working outside but cannot paint in the rain without any coverings, and the extreme heat makes the paint dry a bit too fast. I like painting in public spaces, I always enjoy the random conversations that come up. Right now I am painting next to a preschool and the peanut gallery is absolutely adorable! I get a bit bored if I am just by myself for a project. I love listening to podcasts and audiobooks while I paint and being in the sun is always really nice!
AM: How do you find inspiration?
MD: I find inspiration through nature. I love going on walks and hikes around town. I love how the light reflects on the water and how all of the different plants grow around one another. I love noticing what natural colors and textures tend to be together and the patterns that arise. I also find inspiration through other artists! There are so many beautiful murals and art galleries in Missoula! It feels like there is a never ending stream of inspiration around here.
AM: As a newer artist in town, what is something you want people to know about you?
MD: I would love to share that I am open to challenges! I would like to continue painting murals in an unconventional way, as I am an unconventional artist! I enjoy the aspect of navigating a unique canvas, like an old fence, a cinderblock wall, and a metal storage container! I think part of the art with murals is playing with the location and surrounding space. I like to think of the mural as being a part of the larger atmosphere and I find that design concept to be really rewarding. As someone who is passionate about architecture and urban design, I see my murals as one component to a larger concept.
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