Meet the Maker Monday | Meagan Gardiner

Follow Meagan on Facebook and Instagram, and purchase her artworks on Etsy!

What is it that you do artistically?

I make very carefully curated miniature art works containing everyday objects, from shells and wildflowers to gold nuggets and watch parts. Why do you do what you do?

I do what I do because it brings me great pleasure! And over the years of attending trade shows and running social media pages it seems that my work brings others great pleasure as well. When did you start in your industry?

In 1997 I quit my job and started working on my business full time. How would you describe your style?

Creatively scientific! Has your style changed over time?

Yes, most definitely. In the beginning I made greeting cards with a plastic envelope as the centrepiece. The clear plastic envelope had little seeds, leaves, feather etc. trapped inside. They were beautiful and sold very well, but I found them time consuming and not very cost effective.

What does inspiration mean to you and who inspires you?

I think inspiration has come in many different forms for me. Road trips, time alone, other creative types, commissions. Often when someone asks me to make a special one-off piece that really challenges me they’re unknowingly providing me with inspiration without either of us actually realising. That’s the richest form. What memorable responses have you had to your work?

“How do you colour the shells?” (I get that one a lot!)

Last year I was commissioned to make 2 larger works for the foyer of Perth’s new Ritz Carlton Hotel. That was pretty memorable. What have you been working on recently?

Social media and business development. The recent Covid19 restrictions have forced me to address elements of my work that have gone unattended for quite some time! It’s an interesting medium and an important extension of what I do. Using social media well is a beautiful way of capturing the narrative that sits around my work. What is your dream project?

I have 2! The design my own studio space and the other is to collaborate with local artists and community groups to develop a co-operative studio space with individual studio spaces, a retail outlet and a space for group workshops. I even have an existing model, Stackwood, Fremantle. How would you describe the Arts & Culture scene in Albany?

Undiscovered! There’s so much talent and potential in the region. We need to create space for this to blossom.