The long version…
How it started….
My introduction to the art world began in 1996 when my mother took me to see a Picasso exhibition. I was six years old, and although the museum was only displaying his collage work at the time, the experience left a lasting impression. I became fascinated by art history, eager to learn about the great masters, and never looked back. Years later, that curiosity expanded to include the often-overlooked women who helped shape the history of art, opening an entirely new perspective on the field and my place within it.
Throughout childhood and adolescence, I imagined many possible futures for myself: painter, meteorologist, scientist, architect, fashion designer, or art therapist. In many ways, I now realize those interests were never as separate as they seemed. Painting allows me to explore color, material, structure, observation, and human emotion all at once. Over time, I have come to believe that many painters are part chemist and part self-guided art therapist—constantly experimenting with materials while using the creative process to better understand themselves and the world around them.
Then college and Unorthodox Studios….
Due to a series of life events, I became a six-year senior at Savannah College of Art and Design, where I earned my BFA in Painting after spending two years studying performing arts. What initially felt like a detour became one of the most valuable parts of my education, shaping the way I think about creativity, presence, and storytelling. After graduation, I participated in several artist residencies, including Dacia Gallery in New York in 2016, experiences that challenged my perspective and significantly influenced my artistic development.
In 2017, I began the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s Low-Residency MFA program while opening Unorthodox Studios in Charlotte. Inspired by a desire to create affordable opportunities for artists to exhibit work, build community, and practice figure drawing, the studio became a gathering place for artists and models alike. As life circumstances shifted, I gradually stepped away from the MFA program and withdrew in 2020. The years that followed brought personal challenges and creative uncertainty, but they ultimately helped me redefine success, reconnect with my purpose, and better understand the role art plays in my life and community.
What ended up happening…
In the fall of 2020, my 1,000-square-foot warehouse studio was flooded by Sugar Creek, along with the studios of many of my neighboring artists. While we suffered significant losses, the experience created a profound sense of community and resilience among us. In the aftermath, I was introduced to The Visual and Performing Arts Center (VAPA), where I became a tenant in October 2021. Through my involvement with the organization, I was unanimously appointed Chair of the Programming Committee in 2023. From 2021 to 2025, I volunteered extensively and worked with several nonprofit arts organizations, deepening my commitment to supporting artists and strengthening Charlotte’s creative community.
Throughout that time, I was searching for the most meaningful way to make a difference. I believed that art therapy might be the answer. I believed that creating spaces where artists could gather, connect, and support one another might be the answer. While both proved valuable, it was my work with nonprofit organizations that ultimately gave me the greatest sense of purpose and fulfillment. Those experiences reinforced my belief that art can be a catalyst for connection, healing, and community, and they continue to shape the way I approach both my creative practice and my service to others.
In case you want more details…..
What I am now doing….
Becoming an ArtPop artist in 2025 was a transformative moment in my career. The opportunities that followed came quickly, and at times it felt difficult to keep pace with the momentum. What began as a recognition evolved into new exhibitions, mural projects, public art commissions, and teaching opportunities that I had only dreamed of pursuing. During that time, I balanced a full schedule as a substitute art teacher while exhibiting work, painting murals and parade floats, creating large-scale public art, engraving glass on weekends, and teaching evening classes.
Now, in 2026, I am intentionally creating more balance in my life. I am making time for my dogs, prioritizing rest, and creating from a place of joy rather than pressure. Looking ahead, I will be traveling across the country to develop and test an installation for Burning Man. I am especially excited about the opportunity to immerse myself in new landscapes and create studies along the journey, allowing travel, observation, and exploration to inform the next chapter of my artistic practice.
Personal Favotires
Violent Positivity draws inspiration from bold, confrontational phrases that provoke thought while encouraging personal transformation. Unlike Meikle’s usual process—where abstract expressionism leads and titles follow—this series is guided by the phrases themselves. Each work emerges from language, shaping intentional compositions that explore the intersection of struggle and growth. One piece, for example, is inspired by the phrase “Happiness is my vengeance,” a powerful statement shared by a fellow survivor of sexual assault in the book Walking the Tiger: Healing Trauma. This sentiment encapsulates the series’ central theme: finding empowerment through emotional honesty and resilience.
Mixed media on panel
2025
- Artwork can come with a cradled frame or painted profile.
Violent Positivity draws inspiration from bold, confrontational phrases that provoke thought while encouraging personal transformation. Unlike Meikle’s usual process—where abstract expressionism leads and titles follow—this series is guided by the phrases themselves. Each work emerges from language, shaping intentional compositions that explore the intersection of struggle and growth. One piece, for example, is inspired by the phrase “Happiness is my vengeance,” a powerful statement shared by a fellow survivor of sexual assault in the book Walking the Tiger: Healing Trauma. This sentiment encapsulates the series’ central theme: finding empowerment through emotional honesty and resilience.
Mixed media on panel
2025
- Artwork can come with a cradled frame or painted profile.
"Figure It Out is a series born from exploration, experimentation, and artistic discovery. Created during a period when Meikle was working across multiple paintings while searching for a distinctive visual language, the series began as a study and evolved into something far more significant. Through an intuitive process of refinement and repetition, these works revealed the aesthetic direction she had long sought to achieve. Balancing structure and spontaneity, Figure It Out represents a pivotal moment in Meikle’s practice—a body of work that captures the journey of finding one’s artistic voice while embracing the uncertainty required to get there.
Mixed media on panel
2023
- Artwork can come with a cradled frame or painted profile.