Today we’d like to introduce you to Meghan Osborn.
Hi Meghan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’m Megh. I am creative and passionate. My dad would call me a “jack of all trades”. My story of how I became an artist started by accident.
Sure, as a child I liked to color and draw and paint. However, I never thought I was any “good” at it, and therefore never pursued it.
During my freshman year of high school, I had initially signed up for the news broadcasting class. My school had a news broadcast instead of announcements over the intercom. But the class was full. Drawing and painting was also full. So I fell into my third choice, photography.
Man, was that a pivotal point in my life. Mr. Sasada, my photography teacher, was legendary. To set the scene, one year in my schooling, he won an award at the National Scholastics Art Awards, for the teacher whose students won the most awards. So like, the man knew what he was teaching. I looked up to him and revered him greatly. I fell in love with the art form, and was advanced to the second, third, and final fourth level of the class throughout my four years in high school. I’d like to believe I became very good at what I was doing. So much so, that I thought I would make photography my career after school was finished. I got into the local community college for visual communications, an associates degree that would build foundations for me as a future photojournalist.
Well that didn’t work out. I hit a rut. I had an existential crisis. I didn’t want to be a photographer anymore. So I changed directions, found a new career path, and now it’’s simply just fun for me.
I’ve always been a writer. It’s always been a part of me. I started writing as a way to cope with mental health challenges in my teens, and in my 20s I started performing my poetry at open mics in my area. That kind of reignited my spark for writing.
For drawing and painting and jewelry making, my therapist said that I needed a hobby. That scrolling my phone and sitting still for four hours after work each night wasn’t considered a hobby. So I tried a bunch of things: knitting, crocheting, drawing, painting, clay, and jewelry making + wire wrapping stones.
Well, it took some practice and some commitment but jewelry, drawing, and painting are what stuck. That was two years ago. Just this past winter I had a thought process shift.
Art doesn’t have to be “good”. It just has to “be”. Any art is good art! Practice and commitment make the artist. I absolutely love drawing, painting, and jewelry making now. When I had that thought shift, it’s like the whole world opened up to me. I can do anything! I am powerful! I am creative! Not every art piece has to be a metaphor.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road to where I am today has been treacherous and so very beautiful. Struggles include but are never limited to art blocks, mental health, and money to be honest. Affording art supplies has been a hurdle. Moving through each phase in my life has been challenging, but one thing has remained consistent, and it’s been art and writing, Art and writing have been my main methods of coping since I can remember.
There will always be someone who doesn’t understand my art. And that’s okay. My art may not be for them. I am still talented, because I didn’t stop practicing. I will never stop practicing.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a photographer, a writer, a jewelry maker, and a visual artist. My work is quirky, whimsical, ethereal, and fun. I am imaginative and raw in my art. I am most proud of overcoming what I have, and still standing here today. I am thankful for my ability to articulate my struggles, and to express my emotions through various mediums.
When it comes to photography, I am known for my artistic portraits. Me and my friends will play dress up and take photos and “make art” often. It’s a favorite pastime of mine.
For my wire art, I am most known for my snails. I love snails and I have accidentally made making snails in any medium my artist statement. They’re so fun to create. I typically use a small gem sphere or marble for the shell, and wrap the snail around the gem. Sometimes the snails have hats, but recently I experimented with a new design and I think it’s so fun. I also think it’s really fun to watch how my art grows and shifts as I grow and shift in my own life.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
A risk I took was changing degree programs and not following through with my photography path. That was the first time I allowed myself to actually quit something. It was so scary. My family thought I was giving up on photography completely. They thought they wasted their money on the equipment they’ve invested in for me throughout the years. They thought it was nonsense that I wanted to give up, that since I started I needed to finish.
Well that’s simply not true.
I never stopped shooting, I just stopped trying to make something work that was not meant to be. I am the kind of person who does not need to profit from hobbies. I keep work and play separate. If doing something fun becomes work, I lose my enjoyment in it.
I am perfectly okay with never making a single cent from art creation.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @lightwitch.creations
- Other: @brilliance.imagery
