Creature of the Deep

This is me, Sara Meredith.

This is a photo with 1 take

My face without makeup

This is coping

This is the room where I have spend 75% of
my time since mid December

We're all trying our best to find our way back to ourselves and each other during a time of continued darkness.

Perhaps that is why I find it nourishing to make woodcuts of creatures surviving in the darkest depths of the ocean.

While science tells us anthropomorphizing creatures is highly unscientific.. I think to truly understand the other life forms we coexist with is to understand ourselves.That requires seeing pieces of ourselves wherever we look

Many people call many of these creatures ugly, hideous or bizarre. When I hear that I can't help but think that it's because there is such a lack of understanding about the immense value of these creatures.

I look at them and I see myself, I see us. I see misunderstood creatures. I see them creating their own light under extreme pressure and darkness and they thrive! No matter what characteristics our evolution produces, the results are beautiful.

Swipe to see details of the Atolla jellyfish, Gulper eel, bristlemouths fish and hatchet fish all woodcuts in progress.

Do you see yourself in any of these beings?

Many Firsts

Wanted to share the process of my first reduction woodcut. Reduction cuts use the same block and cut more after each color. These usually produce very limited editions because the results cannot be reproduced through printing because one block is cut more and more.

This is also the very first time I mixed my own inks using earth pigments. There are quite a few kinks to work out to achieve exact results and even printing each time. Regardless this is an exciting experience.

This is also the first time using my portable press and made quick work of all these layers.

20 of these prints will be sent out next week to a list of people that are all trading post card sized relief prints during # relief conspiracy a group of 550+ artists are participating worldwide. Excited to see what work arrives in the mail.

The prints that don't get sent and may be slightly less than perfect are available to my patrons $15/ month and up members first. These will be a great piece of history to own because I plan on doing more reduction cuts like these and this is my very first 😉

Work in Progress - Wellnest #1

Building nests on many levels. Trying to hold a space for myself so I don’t burnout

This is an act of preservation, and of self care.

As yet another wave of COVID-19 descends and we live a daily unknown, this is a reminder that we are connected.

Even the smallest action of care, of presence matters. These tiny moments with nature are monumental. They provide clues to our own survival.

What moments do you include in your nest, your place of being?

Birds are experts of intuition. They buildand care for the future, utilizing whatever detritus they find in their ecosystems. How can we use what is already on hand to build for future generations?

This and other nests will be on view at the Schlueter Art Gallery, Wisconsin Lutheran College, Milwaukee Sept 10 - Oct 15 along with the work of Beth Stoddard in our combined exhibition “Interconnected”.