Bobbi Meier

Pink & Green Monster Sketch
mixed media on paper
8 x 11 in.

A child’s toy left on his parent’s bed was the impetus for this body of work. What began as a simple exercise of the artist’s need to draw grew into a pursuit of subject matter that has infiltrated my life, much like the children I live with who inspire my work. My life as a parent, artist, educator, wife has left little time for art making. Snatches of time and agreements to make art every day has led to pursuit of found still-lives in my home.

My subject matter has evolved from the objects that surround me. As a parent of three children, toys abound. Delicate paisley patters on my bed sheets juxtapose with “superhero/bad guys” strewn about and forgotten by the owner. The child’s world and the parents are intertwined. The toys have become metaphors for the struggle to create balance and elegance in a life surrounded by the cluttered reality of family and is played out in these simple still-lives.

Seemingly light-hearted, the layers of information present in many of the works offer a sense of confusion and intricacies prevalent in daily life referring to an adult perception of the family dynamic. The hazy white quality in many of the paintings obscures images and brings others to light.

I completed undergraduate work in graphic design and Northern Illinois University and maintained my own graphic design business for many years. In 2000 I earned a masters degree at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and achieved my goal of redirecting my career to artist/educator. I have exhibited my work in a variety of venues locally and nationally. I currently reside in River Forest with my family and a lot of “super-hero/bad guys.”

© Bobbi Meier