Meaghan's profile
Meaghan Carpenter is a multi-disciplinary artist whose practice combines aspects of sculptural installation, performance, collage and drawing to create works that comment on our culture of desire, excess and emotional vacancy. Carpenter draws from personally gathered and accumulated collections specific to our economy of want, such as, non-winning lottery tickets, credit card offers, discarded liquor bottles and consumer product waste. Working from these collections she arranges and rearranges, layers and stacks until the pieces transform into their own being(s) complete with a lexicon of signs and symbols derived directly from the found objects. The resulting pieces hint at ritual, are mysteriously familiar but a tad offbeat, and explore notions of the environment, pollution, complacency, gluttony, human connection and loss. By carefully placing and displaying the work she invites the viewers to become seduced in the act of looking and asks the viewer to reexamine their relationship to the immediate world around them and the resonating impact of the choices they make in their daily lives.
In Carpenter’s public performance, TRUST (2008-ongoing), she has created a safe environment within the public context of a gallery setting that allows the artist and one participant a unique experience. By providing a free manicure in exchange for conversation, she breaks down the barrier of personal space and comfort by becoming quickly intimate (holding hands) and emotionally (shared thoughts) invested with a stranger. Asking the question, “What does it mean to Trust?” and affirming the desire we all share for human connection among a society dominated by social media.
Raised in Minnesota in homes of varying degrees of repair. Meaghan Carpenter received her BFA in Painting from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. From there she worked various odd jobs taking as much time as she could for residencies and exhibitions. After a few years of grueling hours and little pay, she packed up her life and drove a 20 foot truck to Baltimore along with her salt water fish to attend graduate school at the Maryland Institute College of Art where she received her MFA at the Mount Royal School of Art. Her work has been exhibited locally, nationally and internationally and has work in public and private collections. She currently resides in her home in Baltimore City which is in a state of a beautiful renaissance with her husband; and dog Earl.
Education
MFA Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD.
BFA Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, MN.
Study Abroad, Burren College of Art, Ballyvaughan, Ireland
Selected Group and Solo Exhibitions
2012
Approach: An Exhibition of Visual Performance Art, Lexington Art League, Lexington, KY, Curated by Rae Goodwin
Sculpture Now 2012, Washington Sculptors Group, Washington D.C. Curated by Sarah Newman
Women: An Exhibition, D Center @ MAP, Baltimore, MD.
Faculty and Staff Exhibition, Decker Gallery, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD.
2011
Untitled (One Night Stand), Private Artist Space, Baltimore, MD.
Regeneration: A show about Sustainability, Baltimore Green Week Exhibition, Baltimore, MD.
2010
Constructed Place, Annemarie Garden Sculpture Park and Art Center, Solomons, MD.
NEW, Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts, Wilmington, DE.
Bits and Pieces, Rosenberg Gallery Goucher College, Artscape satellite exhibition,Baltimore, MD.
2009
Magic,Alchemy and Shamanism, Sweetwater Center for the Arts, Sewickley, PA.
Going Postal, Chelsea College of Art and Design, London, UK.
6th Annual Transmodern Festival: Pedestrian Service Exquisite, Baltimore, MD.
Curated by Laure Drogoul
Paradigm Shift: MCAD Alumni and Friends Honor Kingi Akagawa, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, MN.
2008
Trust, Solo Exhibition, Members Gallery, School 33, Baltimore, MD.
MFA Thesis Exhibition: HOLD FAST, Meyerhoff Gallery, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD.
Archimage, Gallery Four, Baltimore, MD.
2007
MFA Biennial, Delaware Center for Contemporary Art, Wilmington, DE.
The Telephone Project, 37th Annual Pilsen East Artists Open House, Chicago, IL.
Noumenon, 500 Gallery, Studio Center, Baltimore, MD.
NOW: MFA First Year Thesis Exhibition, Pinkard Gallery, Maryland Institute College
of Art, Baltimore, MD.
A Vague Spatial Area, Fox Three Gallery, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore,MD.
2006
The Red Show, ZUNI Gallery, Ferrara, Italy.
Janus, Maryland Art Place, Baltimore, MD. Curated by Sarah Tanguy
LOTTA Art Exhibition, School 33, April 2007, Baltimore, MD.
The Telephone Project, BLOC Studios, Chicago, IL.
Which is Kind of Interesting, Fox Three Gallery, Maryland Institute College of Art,
Baltimore, MD.
2005
New Work, School 33, Baltimore, MD. Juried by Tony Shore, Nora Sturges
Summer Sweet, Gallery Imperato, Baltimore, MD. Curated by Jordan Faye Block
2004
Makin’ Art n' Breakin’ Hearts, Franconia Sculpture Park, Summer Residency, Shafer, MN.
2003
Sweet Dreams, No Name Exhibitions at the Soap Factory, Minneapolis, MN. Juror Franklin Sirmans
Access Only Exhibition at Express, Mall of America, Bloomington, MN.
Target Gallery, Target Corporation Headquarters, Minneapolis, MN. Solo Exhibition
Spyhouse, Solo Exhibition, Minneapolis, MN.
Artist Residencies and Fellowships
Vermont Studio Center, Sculpture/Installation Full Fellowship Residency, Johnson, VT.
MICA Graduate Studio Fellowship, Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower Sponsored by the Baltimore
Office of Promotion and the Arts and MICA, Baltimore, MD.
Franconia Sculpture Park, Painter in Residence, Shafer, MN.
No Name Exhibitions at the Soap Factory, Emerging Artist Studio Residency, Minneapolis,MN.
Awards and Selected Bibliography
MICA Travel Grant, 2012
Sculpture Now 2012 by Sarah Newman, Curator of Contemporary Art, Corcoran Gallery
Washington Post, Sculpture Now, by Michael Edison
What Weekly, Women: an Exhibition, March 2012, Daniel Stuelpnagel & Theresa Keil
Constructed Place, 2010-Honorarium “Best in Show”
Mount Royal School of Art Scholarship, Maryland Institute College of Art
Janus by Sarah Tanguy for Janus at Maryland Art Place
State of the Art, Urbanite Magazine, May 2006 issue, Contributing Critic, J.W.Mahoney
What’s in a Name, Baltimore City Paper April 12, 2006, By Bret McCabe
The “It List”, Baltimore Magazine, June 2005 Issue
Critics Choice: Art, Baltimore City Paper, May 11, 2005
Merit Scholarship, Minneapolis Collage of Art and Design
Selected Public and Private Collections
Ann Hamilton- Columbus, OH.
Dania Miwa, Labrador Design Collective- Minneapolis, MN.
Richard Sweet and Fay Gallus- Sonoma, CA.
Michel Modell- Baltimore, MD.
Franconia Sculpture Park (20 Ton Crane “Makin’ Art n’ Breakin’ Hearts”)
In Carpenter’s public performance, TRUST (2008-ongoing), she has created a safe environment within the public context of a gallery setting that allows the artist and one participant a unique experience. By providing a free manicure in exchange for conversation, she breaks down the barrier of personal space and comfort by becoming quickly intimate (holding hands) and emotionally (shared thoughts) invested with a stranger. Asking the question, “What does it mean to Trust?” and affirming the desire we all share for human connection among a society dominated by social media.
Raised in Minnesota in homes of varying degrees of repair. Meaghan Carpenter received her BFA in Painting from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design. From there she worked various odd jobs taking as much time as she could for residencies and exhibitions. After a few years of grueling hours and little pay, she packed up her life and drove a 20 foot truck to Baltimore along with her salt water fish to attend graduate school at the Maryland Institute College of Art where she received her MFA at the Mount Royal School of Art. Her work has been exhibited locally, nationally and internationally and has work in public and private collections. She currently resides in her home in Baltimore City which is in a state of a beautiful renaissance with her husband; and dog Earl.
Education
MFA Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD.
BFA Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, MN.
Study Abroad, Burren College of Art, Ballyvaughan, Ireland
Selected Group and Solo Exhibitions
2012
Approach: An Exhibition of Visual Performance Art, Lexington Art League, Lexington, KY, Curated by Rae Goodwin
Sculpture Now 2012, Washington Sculptors Group, Washington D.C. Curated by Sarah Newman
Women: An Exhibition, D Center @ MAP, Baltimore, MD.
Faculty and Staff Exhibition, Decker Gallery, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD.
2011
Untitled (One Night Stand), Private Artist Space, Baltimore, MD.
Regeneration: A show about Sustainability, Baltimore Green Week Exhibition, Baltimore, MD.
2010
Constructed Place, Annemarie Garden Sculpture Park and Art Center, Solomons, MD.
NEW, Delaware Center for Contemporary Arts, Wilmington, DE.
Bits and Pieces, Rosenberg Gallery Goucher College, Artscape satellite exhibition,Baltimore, MD.
2009
Magic,Alchemy and Shamanism, Sweetwater Center for the Arts, Sewickley, PA.
Going Postal, Chelsea College of Art and Design, London, UK.
6th Annual Transmodern Festival: Pedestrian Service Exquisite, Baltimore, MD.
Curated by Laure Drogoul
Paradigm Shift: MCAD Alumni and Friends Honor Kingi Akagawa, Minneapolis College of Art and Design, Minneapolis, MN.
2008
Trust, Solo Exhibition, Members Gallery, School 33, Baltimore, MD.
MFA Thesis Exhibition: HOLD FAST, Meyerhoff Gallery, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD.
Archimage, Gallery Four, Baltimore, MD.
2007
MFA Biennial, Delaware Center for Contemporary Art, Wilmington, DE.
The Telephone Project, 37th Annual Pilsen East Artists Open House, Chicago, IL.
Noumenon, 500 Gallery, Studio Center, Baltimore, MD.
NOW: MFA First Year Thesis Exhibition, Pinkard Gallery, Maryland Institute College
of Art, Baltimore, MD.
A Vague Spatial Area, Fox Three Gallery, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore,MD.
2006
The Red Show, ZUNI Gallery, Ferrara, Italy.
Janus, Maryland Art Place, Baltimore, MD. Curated by Sarah Tanguy
LOTTA Art Exhibition, School 33, April 2007, Baltimore, MD.
The Telephone Project, BLOC Studios, Chicago, IL.
Which is Kind of Interesting, Fox Three Gallery, Maryland Institute College of Art,
Baltimore, MD.
2005
New Work, School 33, Baltimore, MD. Juried by Tony Shore, Nora Sturges
Summer Sweet, Gallery Imperato, Baltimore, MD. Curated by Jordan Faye Block
2004
Makin’ Art n' Breakin’ Hearts, Franconia Sculpture Park, Summer Residency, Shafer, MN.
2003
Sweet Dreams, No Name Exhibitions at the Soap Factory, Minneapolis, MN. Juror Franklin Sirmans
Access Only Exhibition at Express, Mall of America, Bloomington, MN.
Target Gallery, Target Corporation Headquarters, Minneapolis, MN. Solo Exhibition
Spyhouse, Solo Exhibition, Minneapolis, MN.
Artist Residencies and Fellowships
Vermont Studio Center, Sculpture/Installation Full Fellowship Residency, Johnson, VT.
MICA Graduate Studio Fellowship, Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower Sponsored by the Baltimore
Office of Promotion and the Arts and MICA, Baltimore, MD.
Franconia Sculpture Park, Painter in Residence, Shafer, MN.
No Name Exhibitions at the Soap Factory, Emerging Artist Studio Residency, Minneapolis,MN.
Awards and Selected Bibliography
MICA Travel Grant, 2012
Sculpture Now 2012 by Sarah Newman, Curator of Contemporary Art, Corcoran Gallery
Washington Post, Sculpture Now, by Michael Edison
What Weekly, Women: an Exhibition, March 2012, Daniel Stuelpnagel & Theresa Keil
Constructed Place, 2010-Honorarium “Best in Show”
Mount Royal School of Art Scholarship, Maryland Institute College of Art
Janus by Sarah Tanguy for Janus at Maryland Art Place
State of the Art, Urbanite Magazine, May 2006 issue, Contributing Critic, J.W.Mahoney
What’s in a Name, Baltimore City Paper April 12, 2006, By Bret McCabe
The “It List”, Baltimore Magazine, June 2005 Issue
Critics Choice: Art, Baltimore City Paper, May 11, 2005
Merit Scholarship, Minneapolis Collage of Art and Design
Selected Public and Private Collections
Ann Hamilton- Columbus, OH.
Dania Miwa, Labrador Design Collective- Minneapolis, MN.
Richard Sweet and Fay Gallus- Sonoma, CA.
Michel Modell- Baltimore, MD.
Franconia Sculpture Park (20 Ton Crane “Makin’ Art n’ Breakin’ Hearts”)
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