photo by Dale McCarthy
Ever since I was old enough to hold a crayon in my hand, I have been awed by the wisdom of the natural world. Growing up, each time I searched for answers about how to grow, grieve, build resilience, adapt, rest, embrace all of who I was – I realized I was surrounded by answers in nature if I was willing to pause and take a look. After all, most of the creatures of the Earth have been navigating the wonderful messy glory of being alive far longer than humans have even been on Earth.
As a visual learner, I soon discovered the best way for me to process complex concepts was to pick up my pencils and turn them into art. Sharing these drawings reminds me that so many of us are also deeply impacted by the lessons tucked into the wild world around us. We pull inspiration from playful otters and interconnected root systems and want to be reminded of these things as we walk through our lives. And that is where my art comes in. One of my favorite things to do is nerd out over different natural science topics and illustrate them, creating accessible visuals that others can easily engage with.
My mission is to celebrate the diversity, interconnectedness, and amazing feats of the natural world.
And now, as an adult as I walk through old-growth forests, bike along my hometown rivers, uncover ancient dinosaur bones, or read about the social habits of my favorite birds, I am overcome with not just awe. As a human living in this time, I feel a drive to use my skills to protect these beautiful beings. In an age when so much green space and its inhabitants are under threat or already gone, my artistic mission takes on a multi-faceted meaning. To celebrate nature is to love it, know it, take joy in it, and to work to preserve it. For me, these things are all wrapped into my artistic process. I hope you enjoy.
Recent Articles:
"...Meg's work is unique in that it celebrates the amazing feats of the natural world while uplifting the viewer through encouraging messages and acknowledging the complexity of our world...."
This is an interview for the Woman of Environmental Arts Award that I was presented in March, 2023.
Photo by Andrew Geller
"...The more we looked, the more bones we found, and the more our excitement grew. We informed the rest of the crew that we had fossils in situ here, and it might be worth it to mount a full excavation at this site! Before long, the site had been given a nickname: “M&M”, in honor of its discoverers Meg and Margaretta..."
This article isn't about my art. It's about a set of dinosaur bones I found with a friend in the summer of 2022. Because that's what I do. I find dinosaur bones.
Photo by Margaretta Walton
"Holding a pen in my hand and pulling it across a piece of paper over and over to create a beautiful image puts me into a uniquely meditative mindset that awakens my creativity, problem-solving and intuition. There is nothing quite like it."
Excerpt from article in TribLive about my creative process and environmental advocacy.
Crop from Water Ways by Meg Lemieur and Bri Barton
"On April 20 local artist Meg Lemieur released an illustrated map of the Lenapewihittuk (Delaware River) watershed, complete with plants and wildlife found in the region. “I’ve been illustrating flora and fauna from the region for 15 years, and most of these animals are some of my favorites,” Lemieur says."
Excerpt from article in GRID Magazine about my map of Lenapehoking / The Delaware River Watershed
Crop from Lenapehoking map by Meg Lemieur
"The [Water Ways] poster criticises the hydraulic fracturing industry through a single panoramic woodland scene in which every detail tells a story, and the activists, politicians and citizens are represented as plants and animals."
-Walter Foley
Excerpt from GRID magazine article covering collaborative project Water Ways.
Photo by Andrew Geller
Testimonials:
"Meg is gifted in many ways! Her talent and artistry are readily apparent. Add to that her personal qualities -- patience, active listening skills, kindness, empathy, and gratitude, among others -- and you have a winning combination. I look forward to working with Meg again."
-Jozef Zebediah; owner of My Grandmother's Table, a bakery in Michigan.
Note: I created their logo as well as a portrait of Jozef's Grandmother to hang in the shop.
"Meg is a collaborative dream! Working with her on Aqua Marooned! revealed an artist who is creatively playful, ethically rigorous and consummately professional. The game simply wouldn't be the work of art it is today without her input and cooperation throughout the process. It's daunting - to say the least - to bring artists on board to create nearly 300 unique images featuring local flora and fauna that will be reviewed by experts in the environmental field plus loads of corresponding design pieces. The final outcome was far and away better than I ever dreamed it might be and is universally beloved by those that we partnered with on its creation."
-Adrienne Mackey
Note: I co-illustrated the card game Aqua Marooned! over a 2-year period, which included about 300 unique illustrations as well as package designs and marketing material.
"I loved how easily my vision came to life with Meg Lemieur. Couldn't recommend her enough!"
-Meenal Raval
Note: I painted a mural for Meenal Raval's bicycle shop. Read her blog about the project by clicking the button below!