Michele Meister
I was born in 1956 on a 100 acre farm in southern Illinois and my earliest memories of childhood are surrounded by impressions of color and movement. Flowing fields of wheat, the sounds of insects, the incredible contrast of sky and earth. My connection to, and fascination with, the land was molded by this early experience and permanently became a part of my life. It's the lens through which I artistically view the world.
My most personal feelings of wholeness, perhaps "centeredness", occur when I am outdoors, in nature. It is that catch in your throat beautiful twilight. The incredible, feverish summer fields alive with sound. The pale ghostly atmosphere. The mysterious marsh enveloped in fog. I attempt, in my monotypes and paintings, to create mood, mystery, and atmosphere. The feeling of light and movement. To perhaps capture the somewhat timeless, thoughtful, reflective nature of my distant memories and impressions. When I am successful at this, I am fortunate to share it with my viewers.
My work has been included in over 85 group and solo exhibitions. I create my monotypes using zinc etching plates and artist's oils. Most of my images are printed multiple times to create mood and atmosphere.