Teresa Meier

Umbrella Art Center Artcubator Residency

January to June 2019  

Bio

I'm great. I'm an artist, teacher, native Oregonian, beer drinker, cat lover, wayfarer and wanderer. My left eye is lazy, I stick my tongue out when I smile, and I cannot for the life of me figure out the stove top diagrams. I love summer, miss the rain when it's gone and am transfixed by the quietness of snow...

I have always loved puzzles. I like to sift through all the pieces, analyzing their parts, and take immense satisfaction in seeing how they all fit together. For me, a photograph and a concept is an elaborate puzzle--a puzzle that takes me to beautiful landscapes, wandering through antique stores, building in the wood shop, sewing a new costume, assembling props by hand, and painting both traditionally and digitally. In short, photography lets me have it all.

My imagery is printed large through an extensive “stitching” process in Photoshop that requires a custom-built computer, a beast I lovingly nicknamed Thor.

Viewers are enveloped by these large-format works that often leave them suspended in moments of rising tension, and the fantastical subject matter and use of vibrant, luscious colors result in eye-catching and wonder-filled imagery. The use of collage and hand assemblage of props allows me to construct my own world and create my own narrative, while the use of photography tethers the story to this world and place in time. It’s a cathartic endeavor that investigates the wonder of myth, beauty of nature, curiousness of humanity, and above all, strives for hope.

Artist Statement

In a series of autobiographical self-portraits viewers are invited on a fairytale-like journey that explores the internal landscape of the mind through the lens of the surreal. Identity is explored via the interwoven complexities of past and present and, specifically, how the past shapes and dictates our perception of our present self and relationships. Viewers are enveloped by large-format works that often leave them suspended in moments of rising tension, and the fantastical subject matter and use of vibrant, luscious colors results in eye-catching and wonder-filled imagery. The use of collage and hand assemblage of props allows me to construct my own world and find my own narrative, while the use of photography tethers the story to this world and place in time. It’s a cathartic series that investigates the wonder of myth, beauty of nature, curiousness of humanity, and above all, strives for hope.