Hello.
The name’s Megan, see? Megan QC Gallagher. I’m an artist & designer currently residing in KCMO and I’m constantly trying to find my place in the world.
I did my time at various universities, learning all about Interior Design, Drawing, Painting and Printmaking and somewhere along the line I ended up in the world of graphic design, professionally speaking. I like to think that I did my time there as well and eventually I decided to fulfill my dream of owning my own shop where I primarily sold items that I designed.
Owning my own shop was equal parts exhilarating and exhausting (and sometimes it was just plain horrible) but I was able to learn so, so much from the experience. I happened to open in October of 2019, only a few short months before the COVID pandemic and I also became pregnant at nearly the same time and it was honestly awful. I wasn’t a glamorous, glowing pregnant lady, I was an Amy Schumer brand pregnant lady. I was beyond sick and tired and dealing with a small business and a new baby during a pandemic became just too much so I closed it down at the end of December 2021, two years and two months after opening.
I’m now trying to navigate the world from home as the primary caregiver to my child. I license some of my work through a company called Wild Apple Graphics, I do an occasional collaboration, I sell through various print-on-demand companies, and I maintain and sell my own personal paintings and art prints, while showing at an occasional gallery.
I have A LOT to say about schooling, being a creative person, the patriarchy, capitalism, small businesses, parenting and how all of those things impact what it means to be an artist and what it even means to be an artist but I think I’ll leave it there for now. If you’ve read this far I wanna say thanks for doing so and I hope you continue to follow along with my artistic ventures.
My Inspiration
I’ve had a lot of people wonder why it is that I focus on drawing plants. And besides endlessly having my breath taken away by them, I do have an origin story of how it began. It’s not necessarily happy but uhh, you ready?
I noticed my mom changing when I was in high school. By the time I was 22 she couldn’t speak or write and she hardly knew who I was. I was also 22 when she was diagnosed with dementia, the disease that would eventually kill her.
While she was sick I became obsessed with fungus because its’ purpose is basically to break down dead matter and to me, the way it utilizes and spreads out dead matter is eternal life. Like, dead matter becomes food, which becomes waste, which becomes soil, which creates the nutrients for new life - real circle of life crap, you know?
Anywayyyyyy, I know it’s weird to think about but it was all I thought about at the time and so I primarily made art of fungus. And then when my mom finally passed, I was completely overwhelmed by the amount of floral arrangements and houseplants that were sent to my father’s house. Like, from what I can remember, there were dozens and they were so beautiful. It touched me to the point where I honestly became absolutely, unhealthily manic about keeping the plants alive and acquiring new plants, and learning how to garden.
Don’t worry, I've calmed down about it now and I’m like getting the therapy that I need and yada yada but I genuinely don’t think I’ve drawn or painted anything but plants and flowers since the funeral. Not to say that I won’t ever deviate but I’m not bored of them yet. There are so many species and varietals and I’ve always been a nature gal anyway.
So there you have it, folks. That’s how I landed on painting flowers. I hope they bring you the kind of joy that they’ve brought me throughout the years.
Artist Statement
Megan Gallagher was raised in the chaos of a family of 7 living in a Victorian house under constant renovation in the mountains of Kaysville, Utah. She grew up with an affinity towards all things artistic, from decorating her treehouse and making outfits for her paper dolls to taking art classes at the local community center.
Her love of creativity led her to an art degree focusing on interior design, drawing/painting and printmaking, as well as several digital art jobs, all of which significantly factor into the way she produces art today.
Megan tends to process life through the beauty of nature so choosing to create botanical designs came quite naturally to her. After the death of her mother, Megan was completely overwhelmed by all of the beautiful blooms and plants that surrounded her and she’s been trying to capture the meaning of them ever since.
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