Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Meaghan Busch's Fairy Tale Thesis

It's thesis show time at many schools! Last year I was so wrapped up in my own that I'm not sure how much attention I paid to what was happening around me. This year I am able to pay closer attention and see the amazing work being produced.
Like Meaghan Busch. She recently had her thesis show at George Mason University. I first met Meaghan at Frogmans a couple of summers ago and have been following her work ever since. I knew she made prints but I did not realize she also made amazing sculptures. Sculpture is definitely a medium I wish I knew more about.
I recently asked Meaghan a few questions to go along with this post.

Q1. You just had your thesis show! Congratulations! What was the title of the show? If you were in an elevator and going from the first floor to the fifteenth and someone on floor two asked what you work was about and they were getting off on floor 26 so you only have 13 floors to tell them about it what do you say? Did you follow that? In other not so weird words, how could you quickly describe your work?

A: The title of my show was "24 Tales" If I had to describe my work work to someone quickly I would tell them that I work with personal imagery that reference my childhood and Grimm fairy tales. My prints are autobiographical and are at first glance simple child friendly looking images but the titles and the content is anything but sweet. My sculptures develop based off the prints and are the images and objects within my work come to life, they are in the scale of children's toys as well.
Q2. Where did you get your master's degree?

A: I am currently finishing up my Master's degree in Fine Art with a concentration in printmaking and sculpture at George Mason University in Fairfax VA.
Q3. Is your thesis work drastically different from your undergrad work? If so, how did your work change and grow? If not... um, I'll email you back with a new question!

A:.My thesis sculptures are similar in material choices but thats really where the similarity ends. I became really self indulgent and started to let myself make things I hadn't allowed myself too in undergrad, two of my printing plates on zinc were altered and based off ones from undergrad as well. The work has become more imaginative and much more personal from my past work.


Q4. What are your plans after grad school? Are you excited? Scared? Nervous?

A. I am currently finishing up and I hope to teach Printmaking and the Fine Arts at the college level someday, my not so secret passion is to write/illustrate children's books and hopefully get them published in the next two years. Its scary being flung from the (college) nest but after a solo show it all seems within my grasp.
Q5. Any ideas for some new themes you would like to start exploring with a new body of work? Any old themes you would like to go back and re-visit?

A. I want to make some tunnel books and prints dealing with personal past and current relationships with family and friends that are all hand printed and bound. I think the themes I have been working with are going to stick around for a while.

You can see more of Meaghan's work at her website here. Thanks, Meag, and lots of luck to you!