Spotlight on Local Artists: The Talent Behind ‘Elemental’ Part 2

In this spotlight, we delve into the captivating group exhibition “Elemental: energy flow of life” featuring local artists, Tammi J. Meehan (Curator) and Amy C. Lund.

This exhibit is on view at the Groundwork Gallery from September 3rd to October 17th.

Amy C. Lund is a skilled fiber artist, currently based in New Bedford MA at Hatch Street Studios. She works with natural yarns and traditional weaving techniques, marrying purpose with true craftsmanship. Amy’s age long fascination with fibers, backed by a Masters in Textiles and Related Art, has led her to a distinguished career as a weaver. From her role in establishing the South Coast Artist Tour to her meticulous approach in transforming everyday items into beautifully crafted textiles. Amy’s work celebrates the art in functional objects while practicing time-honored traditions.

Tammi J. Meehan is a New York City-based artist originally from Boston. Meehan’s educational background includes the Parsons School of Design and a BFA from the Massachusetts College of Art, complemented by a Masters of Education in Counseling Psychology. In 2019, she merged her counseling practice focused on Art Therapy with her artistic work, drawing on influences from Jungian Psychology, Neuroscience, Quantum Physics, and Spiritualism.

As an intuitive painter with over three decades of experience, Meehan’s art reflects both primordial and futuristic visions. Her current works emerge from trance-like meditative states, blending cosmic symbolism and archetypal themes into a dynamic dialogue that invites viewers to engage with the deep realms she portrays.

What materials do you work with?

Lund: Hand and machine woven textiles, hand and machine spun yarns, embroidery, lace, buttons, with natural driftwood, stones, shells, beads, found objects, up-cycled recycled materials, and paint on canvas. 

Meehan: Primarily oil paint on canvas, linen or wood panels. I often incorporate dry pigments and the mark making occurs using graphite and oil sticks. For works on paper water-based paints are primarily used and when painting at the beach I use watercolors.

Tell us about your current body of work. What motivated it?  

Lund: I create tapestries, fiber artwork, hand knitting, coiled baskets, sewn bowls and vessels, woven clothing accessories, home decor textiles, and mixed media collage assemblages with natural found objects and up-cycled recycled materials, as well as repair and restore heirloom textiles.  I am motivated by creativity, to build new life and energy using existing resources to give new perspectives. 

Meehan: My daily meditation practice is the mainspring of my current work. Whether it’s a depiction of the challenges of meditating (“Chitta Vritti” (Monkey Mind)) or pulling images as they drift across my mind’s eye while in trance-like meditation, it’s through my process of becoming still that the work comes about. 

Do you work full-time as an artist or do you wear other hats?

Lund: I am a full-time artist.

Meehan: I am also a Licensed Clinical Therapist

How do you integrate art into your life and other responsibilities? 

Lund: I make a concentrated effort to live and work in a conscious and mindful manner of those around me and my environment, to balance my time and values towards positivity and inclusion.

Meehan: As a Licensed Clinical Therapist, I offer Art Therapy modalities through my Private Practice.

How has your art practice evolved over the years? 

Lund: Textiles have been a strong part of my life since childhood. I completed a Masters in Science in Textiles and Related Art from the University of Rhode Island in 1993, and worked in living history and art museums before establishing my own weaving and fiber arts studio and retail gallery in 1998.  My studio and creative work evolved during and since the Covid Pandemic. I am developing and building my artistic perspective, exploring gallery exhibitions and opportunities online that speak to me of similar themes, ideas and visions, to connect my work with new audiences.  

Meehan: Throughout grad-school and establishing a private counseling practice, I did a lot of collage work and mainly painted with watercolor or acrylics from a home studio. Once I found my space at Hatch St. Studios, I was finally able to fulfill a multi-decade dream of being back in an artist’s studio and was able to start working in oil again on large canvases.

At the time, I started making time-lapse videos of my process which I now post on social media and are also accessible on my You Tube Channel “Intuitive Transmissions.” Over time, I’ve decreased my hours at my counseling practice in order to spend more time in the studio. Living 1/2 time in Tribeca, I work mainly with water-based paints, dry pigments and graphite either on paper or canvas. It’s a different experience altogether with a home studio in a loft. Through being in NYC this past year, I’ve had the incredible experience of showing 5x in the Greater Metropolitan area including Manhattan,Tribeca and Brooklyn.

Recent exhibitions include “Works On paper” at the Long Beach Island Foundation of Arts and Sciences in NJ, curated by Kim Conaty, Head Curator at The Whitney Museum of American Art. I’m now a member of both the National and MA chapters of The National Association of Women Artists (NAWA) formerly headed by Faith Ringgold. I currently have work on view at the NAWA MA Chapter’s shows “Permanent Impermanence” on view at the Dartmouth Cultural Council in Padanarum and “Time” at the Moakley Federal Courthouse in Boston. My work will be published in the upcoming issue #53 of Studio Visit Magazine. 

What or who inspires you? 

Lund: My creative work is influenced by nature and universal elements in our surrounding environment: Air, Water, Earth, Fire; the seasons: Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter; the directions of the compass: North, South, East, West; and spiritual expression and experiences, connecting threads of traditional to modern contemporary style.  Colors and textures of art and textiles lift our spirits, feeding our natural energy to help us find our center, to strengthen and align our inner essence. 

Meehan: As a practicing psychotherapist, my interest in Jungian Psychology, Neuroscience, Quantum Physics and Spiritualism are recognizable influences. I’ve a keen interest in Theosophy, Energy Medicine and all philosophies related to yoga, specifically Kundalini.

Who are some of your favorite artists?  

Lund: Henri Matisse, Raoul Dufy, Arshile Gorky, Georgia O’Keefe, Ed Rossbach, Theo Moormon, and countless lesser known and unnamed anonymous traditional and modern textile and fiber artists and craftspeople throughout history, from different continents around the world.

Meehan:  Picasso, Guston, Miro, Klee, Mondrian, Rothko, Brancusi, Pinkham Ryder, Hilma Af Klimt, Judy Chicago, Leonora Carrington among others

How is community important to you as a practicing artist? 

Lund: Art and being an Artist, are as important to community and daily living as all other professions, jobs, skills in society.  All Art and Artists are also connected, each individual brings their own perspective, and style to their work.

Meehan: Connecting with other artists at Openings, Open Studios or just walking down the hallway at Hatch St., I find it helpful to have down-to-Earth conversations about many different challenges or simply to vent about what’s currently going on in the studio and brainstorm. It’s helpful to normalize the sense of self-criticism we all have. Artists are sensitive souls and we tend to isolate so, getting out there, having those conversations helps. It’s how ELEMENTAL came about. Additionally, I love to trade. It’s important to me that the work is seen. I feel trading with other artists is an excellent way for the work to not end up in storage, to be seen and respected by like-minded souls.

What is the biggest challenge you face as an artist?  

Lund: It’s a challenge to be seen and acknowledged, and connect with an interested audience. Supporting my creativity and maintaining the costs of living and a studio are difficult in this consumer driven economy.

Meehan: Time, there not being enough of it. Too many distractions from “real life.”

What are your goals for the future?

Lund: I am always working towards expressing myself better through my work, growing my skills and reaching new audiences.

Meehan: I love the integrity of the artists, artisans and work in art scene in NB. I’ll be looking at a space within the next few weeks for a community gallery. For now however I’ll continue to commute to Tribeca which is where I can devote my time 100% to doing the work with no distraction

Where can people find and connect with you (in person or online):

Amy C. Lund: Handweaver Studio & Gallery: Studio 211, 88 Hatch Street, New Bedford, MA 02745