Megan Williamson
Williamson is highly collaborative and the Please Respond project stands out among many accomplishments. With over 150 participants in a creative correspondence, Please Respond may be the most extensive artist’s book collaboration since the Surrealists.
From a recent essay accompanying an Ohio Wesleyan exhibition:
“How does an artist stay connected to a creative community? Megan Williamson began an artistic exchange. In 2002 the Chicago-based painter made a book to send to a fellow artist. She sketched one small drawing on the first page and sent it in the mail with a request for the artist to respond. An artistic dialog emerged as the book was sent back and forth. This one book grew into a continuing series created with friends, colleagues, and acquaintances.”
Ms. Williamson has had residencies at Louisiana ArtWorks in New Orleans and the Ragdale Artist Colony in Lake Forest IL. In 2014 she had an Innovation Fellowship with the National Science Foundation. Megan has taught or was a visiting artist at the Chautauqua Institute, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, The Block Museum of Art, University of Michigan, Lookingglass Theatre, Columbia College, Anderson University, University of Dallas, the International School of Art in Umbria (Italy) and Progetto Perugia (Italy). She has received 3 individual artist grants and a Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events grant from the city of Chicago.
Ms. Williamson received her BA with honors from Knox College. She studied at the New York Studio School for two years, where she was awarded a full, second-year scholarship. She did additional study at Yale’s Norfolk Summer Program and Queens College Landscape Painting Program. She is a member of Zeuxis: an association of still life painters (NYC), The Midwest Paint Group and 7 on Site.
View a Studio Visit with Megan Williamson on Youtube.
Courtesy of White Color Productions.