Artist finds connection to nature

Shreveport’s Meredith Piper is a local, talented young woman who is finding a way to make a career out of what she loves – art.

Piper said she was first drawn to art by the pure excitement of possibility. “I could get lost in making high-fashion designs and loved my texture rubbing sheets,” Piper said. “There was awe in creating the appearance of texture on a flat piece of paper.

And now as an adult, her passion has intensified.

“I’m no longer a child, and in our fastpaced society, there are very few things left that evoke a sense of wonder,” Piper said. “That’s what creating still does for me – evokes my inner child that still believes she can conquer anything she tries.”

Piper, who is married with beloved “furbabies,” recently transitioned away from teaching art at a local school to pursue her passion full time. “A typical week for me looks like: creating my work and painting commissions during the day, teaching art lessons after school hours and painting live at events on the weekend,” Piper said.

She thoroughly enjoys experimenting with various forms of art and finding beauty in the unexpected. “I’ve primarily worked in oils since college,” Piper said. “But over the past year I have fallen in love with weaving. I get lost in the patterns and shapes the yarn takes on while it is being manipulated between the warp strings on the loom.”

Piper has several different looms of various sizes, and has even built a few. “I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands, be it planting, gardening, wood-working or welding,” Piper said. “There’s something so rewarding about being physically exhausted after creating something with sweat rolling down your face.”

While she’ll never abandon her love of oils, she also really enjoys working with pastels, namely for the convenience. “Unlike oils, there is no drying time,” Piper said. “I can skip and hop back and forth on a piece, which is a nice change of pace.”

She’s even successfully tried her hand at illustrating. “One of my favorite collaborations as an artist has been illustrating a children’s book written by Linda Goodgion titled ‘One Pretty Tulip,’” Piper said. “I hadn’t worked in watercolor in a long time, it was very freeing!” When asked about the secret of her success, Piper was certain. “I’m a very stubborn and persistent woman,” she said. “Art challenges me and pushes me to try new things with new materials. During the first 95 percent of creating a new piece of work, I think it’s a total failure, and I give up mentally five times. But that tenacious spirit perks up within and goes in to overdrive; this is where the magic happens.”

There’s something to be said for that level of dedication and perseverance – and how often that passion can offer a new perspective.

“When I’m creating, I start to see things differently. I learn something new about myself, the subject matter, my materials and the process,” Piper said. “And somewhere in that remaining 5 percent, I become fearless and see the project out to completion.”

Piper said she is driven by faith. “[My faith is] the reason I decided to leave teaching and start my own business. I felt called to [take] this crazy risk that doesn’t always provide stability, but it felt right because that’s what I felt called to do, what I was made for. My artist statement references me being a believer, ‘being made out of dirt’ – it’s why I feel a connection to nature.”

Piper will show her work Jan. 18-Feb. 27 at The Agora Borealis, located at 421 Lake Street in Shreveport. An open reception will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Feb. 4.

Piper said she hopes those who encounter her works of art produce their own unique visceral reaction.

“Whether they hate it because it’s not thought-provoking enough, or they love it because it settles their soul – as long as there is a reaction, I’m satisfied,” Piper said.

–Betsy St. Amant

Learn more:

• www.meredithpiper.com

• www.facebook.com/MeredithPiperArt

• www.instagram.com/meredithpiperart/