Artist Feature // 5 Questions for Megan Donnelly

My Artist Feature series continues with Megan Donnelly this month! I love Megan’s work… I first came across one of her paintings at Serena and Lilly and wanted to learn more.

Megan is an abstract painter living in Sausalito, CA. She gets inspiration from natural elements, travel and all types of design. Her paintings are layered and built over periods of time. She applies acrylics, and scrapes, sands and layers until she gets to the final image. I absolutely love the way she uses color and shape — her palettes are so unexpected and the paintings have a great sense of sophistication and whimsy combined.

Below I’ll include my Q&A with Megan as well as some of my favorite paintings of hers!

5 Questions for Megan Donnelly

1) What is your favorite kind of work to do at the moment?

I always use color and design as a way to build my paintings. My paintings are almost all abstract — although sometimes a bit of imagery or shapes that are reminiscent of imagery come into play. Using shape and color I work in layers until the final result starts emerging — it is almost always unplanned. Or maybe I should say, I start with a plan that quickly changes and keeps changing until it starts working. I really enjoy doing small paintings although I’m currently exploring larger sizes just to keep it challenging. 

2) What kinds of things inspire you?

I am constantly looking for, and taking in, great visual images and things that inspire. Here is a short list of things I love (that also inspire me): 

All things French, English and Italian, the desert, travel in general, the ocean, the universe, textiles, gardens, animals, interior design, vintage objects and clothes, and artists of all kinds past and present.

3) Who else do you admire in the art space?

I love Matisse for his use of color and for the feeling he was able to achieve through his paintings. Other artists I love are Basquiat, Cy Twombly, Richard Diebenkorn, Any Warhol, Brancusi, Sonia Delaunay and Agnes Martin.

4) Coolest possession?

Hmmm…. thats a tough one. My husband gave me a vintage art deco bracelet for Christmas that I love. I guess that would be the current favorite object. There is also a small brass horse found on a trip to Paris at a flea market. I’m now taking riding lessons and I think picking up that horse object long ago might have inspired my current horse obsession.

5) Favorite quote or words to live by?

Once again, I’ve got more than one answer for you…

“It’s not who you are that holds you back. It’s who you think you’re not.” —Basquiat

and

“Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if its good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.”
—Andy Warhol

Follow Megan on Instagram or visit her site for more!

Hope everyone has a wonderful rest of the week!
xx — BB