Megan Coyle

My name is Megan Coyle and I'm a collage artist and designer working in the Washington, DC area. I started making collages back in high school when I experimented with mixed media. Since then, I've moved towards making artwork entirely from magazine strips.

I studied painting and creative writing in college and both areas have influenced the direction of my work. My studies in writing have made me become a storyteller with images where I illustrate narrative scenes from everyday life. As a painter, I liked using distinct brushstrokes and bold colors. With my collages, I try to recreate the look and feel of a painting through the manipulation of paper and magazine strips. The way I cut and layer paper often looks like the distinct brushstrokes I once used in painting.



Benjamin
This portrait gives you an idea of what my up-close portrait pieces look like - I'm more focused on the sitter and his emotions than I am with the environment around him.



Commuters
I moved a little more towards abstraction here - simplifying the figures while defining the environment. Typically I hone in on all the nitty gritty detail of a person's face.



Sightseers
In this scene a woman is pointing to something we can't see. It's like we're eavesdropping on a conversation where we don't know the entire story or context.



Leisure Day
I think the back of a person can be just as interesting as the front. The way people sit and pose can often tell you a lot about what's going on in a given moment.



Snorkeling
Water is a reoccurring element in my work. I'm amazed by how colorful water can be when light reflects on the surface a certain way.



Two's a Crowd
I'm drawn to pairs and individuals. From time to time I create collages of larger groups of people, but I like the intimacy of images depicting couples or individuals lost in their own world.



Bar and Bakery
Usually there's more emphasis on the figures I'm collaging rather than the environment around them. Here's an example of when I was doing the opposite of that.



Afternoon Conversations
I'm often inspired by restaurants and cafes. I like the movement and colors found in these places. This is a theme that appears again and again in my  figurative work.



Bren
My collages capture moments in time - even if it's just a distinct facial expression.



Dinner for Two
The interaction between this couple suggests a story. Viewers can relate this setting to their own lives or something they've seen before.

Contact Megan Coyle

I do commission work - see my website for more info.

Email: meg@mcoyle.com