Searching for Waldo in the Where’s Waldo? series was one of my favorite childhood pastimes. Where can I spot that funny little guy with a red striped shirt and coke-bottle glasses next? Looking at paintings by Meredith Walker reminds me of searching for Waldo. Meredith uses repeated imagery in her pieces from her everyday life, and I find myself searching for it throughout her body of work featured in her solo exhibit at Charlotte Russell Contemporary in December 2022.
After researching folk art and the idea of creating simple work that reflects her day-to-day life as a mother and artist, she started collecting imagery from her surroundings outside in her yard - dogwood trees, dogs, bugs, and more. She also finds inspiration from vintage textiles and clothing from places where she has traveled throughout her life. She weaves this imagery into each piece.
Her intuitive process starts with a wash of color covering the whole canvas. Once dry, she sketches the outline of the composition in pencil before adding color and texture created by mixing ground soil from her backyard into her paint. Her color scheme develops as the piece progresses. The final works resemble a colorful quilt filled with personal touches.
This body of work is remarkable, and I know this is just the beginning for Meredith Walker. She wants to continue creating art combining form with structure composition, painting, embroidery, and custom interior finishes. I look forward to seeing how her practice unfolds!
X, Charlotte
