Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Pryce.
Megan, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I’m an artist and designer originally from Michigan. I moved to Chicago in 2007 to pursue a fine arts degree at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. During my four years there, I dabbled in almost every department from film to performance and print media. I loved documentary film but resented the time-consuming process. This led me to graphic design, which I naively thought was a much ‘easier’ route to connecting with a broader community. I started taking courses in graphic design which really transformed my path. After graduating, I became more focused in visual communication and did an internship at a letterpress studio in Evanston. This ignited my passion for typography and inspired me to go back to school for a masters. After graduating, I started working as a freelancer which enabled me to work remotely and travel for extended periods of time. Building a unique career that merges all of my interests has been a slow but rewarding process. Now my works spans a vast landscape from murals to UX design. Recently, I started working full-time at an incredible innovation consultancy in the loop where I work on a variety of projects with design researchers, engineers, architects, writers and developers.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
The most important thing for me in making is authenticity. I create work from an emotional space so I hope that the joy I get from creating it, comes across in the final piece. To me, sincerity comes from perfectionism. I strive to only put work out into the world that I’m really proud of. If someone is going to spend time with it, I want my gratitude to show through attention to detail. The longer the audience spends time with my work, the more they will find. It’s a way to say thank you. I’m a perfectionist so I can be very precious and tedious with pieces. That is why most of my subject matter is playful and self-reflective—it takes bit of the edge off of the actual process. I’ve always wanted to be the kind of person who keeps a journal or diary but I can never bring myself to spend the time reflecting so articulately. Therefore, my work acts as a tool for memory. I draw events and experiences that I’ve had throughout my day—mundane or great. When I see the work later, it feels nostalgic, it feels like a frame from that moment in time.
Do you think conditions are generally improving for artists? What more can cities and communities do to improve conditions for artists?
Being an artist is pretty easy if you have the desire. Making a living as an artist is not. It’s important for us to support each other which means compensating people appropriately for their work. Artists and designers are typically very passionate about what they do and therefore, often work for much less than they deserve. Being empathetic to this and recognizing that supporting an artist doesn’t just mean consuming work but appropriately paying for it, is the best way to give back to the community. If you don’t have the financial means to do this, then be supportive in other ways like going to openings, sharing work you like with friends and family, and making smaller investments like donating to organizations around the city that support local artists. Arts of Life is a great one!
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
You can find my work on my website, studiomjp.com. Right now, I have a few murals up around the city—one at Henry’s Swing Club in the loop, one at DMK Burger bar in Lincoln Park, and a rotating mural at 150 North Riverside in the lobby. I’ll also be the mural artist at the Violet Hour from mid-May through mid-June!
Contact Info:
- Website: studiomjp.com
- Phone: 2487632369
- Email: meganjpryce@gmail.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/meganjpryce
Image Credit:
Jose vilchez, Michael Salisbury
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
