The Warm Embrace

Megan Hanley may not be a well-known artist to you yet, but don’t forget the name. With her awe-inspiring watercolor work, to her clever installation of an “organic” teepee, Hanley creates more than just art.

It is difficult to choose just one piece to talk about, for I am drawn to all of them, but specifically I am drawn to her teepee installation entitled, The Warm Embrace. The reason I was drawn to this specific piece was because it is more than a painting, and more than a sculpture, it is the two combined to create a work that lets you into the artist’s thoughts, memories, and even sense of humor. Built from all natural materials, the teepee itself brings the paintings to life, as Hanley puts it, “While the paintings can be considered humorous displays of an imaginary population, the installation of the teepee itself lends to the realization that one is sitting inside a living object” (Hanley) .

Hanley creates The Warm Embrace (Teepee) with fabric, tree limps, and rope, and then draws and paints the teepee, or teepees, in 3 different scenarios. These pieces are entitled Two Teepee’s Confront Another with Bunny Ears, which is graphite on paper, The Teepee that Fell Between, which is watercolor and graphite on paper, and The Teepee that Discovers the Sea and goes Skinny-dipping, which is watercolor and graphite on paper.

I think that this installation is both mimetic and emotionalist, according to Anderson, however I am not completely sure. For one, the piece feels comforting and relatable to me. Hanley describes “There is a dialogue between the teepee and the paintings that explores the relationship between my own childhood memories and spiritual mysteries. Painted interpretations of memories of warm Irish blankets, soft bunnies, deep cave adventures, and rocky coasts bring the teepee to life” (Hanley) .The Two Teepee’s Confront Another with Bunny Ears could relate to originality, or what it means to fit in. The Teepee that Fell Between could relate to a time in ones life where they feel lost, or did not succeed at something they attempted. The Teepee that Discovers the Sea and goes Skinny-Dipping is empowering and can relate to an experience one may have where they have taken a risk or just discovered or tried something new. However, in the mimetic sense, these teepees sort of “imitate” humans almost in an idealized form. Class question: Which quartet do you think it fits more under?

To learn more about Megan Hanley and her artwork visit meganhanley.com