Welcome Megan Jefferson

For Harrison Center studio artist Megan Jefferson, the creative process is so much more than simply putting paint on canvas. Adopting an approach of openness and flexibility, the act of producing her work is a conversation and dance; with the process itself guiding the direction of the piece, changing and growing as the painting develops and resulting in a broad catalogue of beautiful and unique pieces.

Originally from Ohio, Megan’s journey with the arts began with an unexpected change in career and educational pursuits. Having felt a pull towards the arts through much of her teen years, she decided to follow that cue and changed her major from Biology Pre-Med to Art in the final days before the start of her freshman year at Miami University, ultimately following that route to a BFA in 1998. In the years following graduation, Megan made her way to Indy and immediately began looking for opportunities to exercise and channel her artistic abilities, finding meaningful outlets through work with non-profit arts organizations, private commissions, and exhibits throughout the city. As her work became more well-known, Megan began looking for studio space that would afford her a platform to share her work with a wider audience, finding that in the Harrison Center when she moved into her current studio in November 2018.

While many words could be used to describe Megan’s work, one of the first that comes to mind is “peace.” A painter by trade, Megan initially built a reputation as an abstract artist, but in the past several years has shifted gears to working with oil paints to create broad, serene, nature landscapes that are full of soft colors and calming scenes of water, sky, greenery, and sunlight. Often within her work, the finished product is the sum of many interactions with the painting throughout the process of creation. Typically starting with a loose idea of what the piece will look like, Megan allows the painting itself to inform the direction of the work as it is developed, building a relationship that progresses to a conversation with each painting. Megan paints, and follows the prompting of her work as it reveals the trajectory of where each design is headed, ending in pieces awash with life, color, and beauty.

Megan currently lives in Indianapolis with her husband and two sons, and her work can be seen throughout Indianapolis, whether that be her oil paintings, large outdoor murals, or her recent work with watercolors and alcohol inks. Megan is an esteemed member of our community who has made meaningful artistic contributions both to the Harrison Center and the city, and we are excited about the future as she continues her time here as a studio artist!