Em Meine makes drawings, paintings, and sculptures as a means of exploring collective memory, storytelling, natural history, and anthropomorphism. The works are often figurative representations of imaginary objects or landscapes. She considers her artistic practice to be a ritual for contemplation and self-care, which enables her to experience a sense of connectivity and communion with everything beyond her self. Em’s process is meditative, allowing her to disengage from the external world, and to instead explore an internal universe.
More recently, Em has been making drawings that articulate vulnerable ideas based on her own experiences with anxiety or grief. With this work, she is exploring how very personal, unique emotions can become relatable and relevant to other people.
Em is a member of CTRL+SHFT Collective, an exhibition and studio space located in West Oakland. As a group of cis-women, trans-spectrum, gender non-conforming, queer, and PoC members, CTRL+SHFT interrogates what it means to build and be a part of a community. Through workshops, exhibitions, and other community engagements, CTRL+SHFT focuses on providing a platform for their ever-growing family, which includes writers, artists, thinkers, performers, curators, allies, agitators, organizers, activists, and teachers who are people of color, women, queer, trans-spectrum, and gender non-conforming folks.
Meine received a BFA in General Fine Arts at Maryland Institute College of Art and her MFA in Fine Art from California College of the Arts. She has exhibited in New York, Texas, Chicago, and California, including shows at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Southern Exposure, and The Contemporary Jewish Museum in San Francisco. Em lives and works in Oakland, CA.
Links:
Learn more about Em on her website and follow her on Instagram.
As always, podcast music is provided by Mr. Neat Beats.
Lennon Michelle Wolcott Hernandez - a Boston-based interdisciplinary artist who works in graduate admissions.
Laura Torres - a bonus ep after she quit her day job!
Elizabeth Amento - follow-up episode after moving from SF to NYC.
Mike Rothfeld - a Sculptor and Arts Administrator living and working in Oakland & San Francisco
Nicole Kita - a NorCal Artist who works as an Educator and Advocate for Artists with Developmental Disabilities
Gabriel Martinez - a Berkeley-based Visual Designer
A Bonus Episode with Christopher Thomas Ford about the Post-Bac Program at SMFA
Christopher Thomas Ford - A Long Beach Artist & Museum Preparator's Assistant
Bonus Ep with Janine Biunno - The MLS vs MFA Degrees
Janine Biunno - A Brooklyn-based Artist & Archivist
Helena Hsieh - A Los Angeles area Artist and Educator
Lisa Jonas Taylor - A San Francisco-based artist who works in art & design higher education
Laura Torres, interdisciplinary artist, tightwire performer, and nonprofit fundraiser
Elizabeth Amento, a self-described Artist with a Day Job
Artists in Offices - Season 1 Trailer
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