ABOUT MEG
BIOGRAPHY
Meg MacLeod is a contemporary, mixed media, abstract painter based in Sausalito, CA where she is a member of the ICB Artist Association. MacLeod’s work is inspired by innovation through spontaneity, the universality of intuition, and the spirit of adventure which often leads her to remote, international destinations. Her work also explores a wide range of transpersonal terrain including natural cycles, subconscious elements, archetypal symbolism, divination, and ecofeminist insight. Her interest in the herstory of gynocentric iconography and most particularly the feminist-forward work of artists Af Klint, Carrington, Chicago, de Saint Phalle, Gray, Mendieta, Saar, and Sjoo led her to studies in art and psychology at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Shortly thereafter, she completed her doctorate at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, Palo Alto, CA, specializing in perinatal mental health and creative expression. Since resuming painting full-time in 2022, MacLeod has become an award winning, published artist whose work has been exhibited, commissioned, and collected nationally and internationally. Her work has been featured in SF Bay Area West Elm and Room & Board showrooms, as well she frequently exhibits at SF City Art Cooperative Gallery. MacLeod’s work has been shown in other SF galleries such as Voss Gallery, Arc Gallery & Studios, 111 Minna, The Drawing Room, UCSF Women’s Health Center, the Office of the San Francisco District Attorney, and San Francisco Women Artists Gallery. Her work has been juried into O’Hanlan Center for the Arts, Mill Valley, Marin Society of Artists, San Rafael, Sebastopol Center for Art, CAMi Art + Wine Gallery, Calistoga, Charles Krug Winery, St. Helena, Faultline, Oakland, Danville Theater Art Gallery, Women Made Gallery, Chicago, Gallerium, Toronto, Rock Ink Gallery, Lesbos, Greece, the Canvas Art Fair, Venice, Italy, and the London Contemporary Art Fair among many others. In addition to maintaining an arts-based counseling, coaching, and consultation practice, MacLeod juries and curates exhibitions throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.
STATEMENT
Cycles of the seasons, moods of the moon, and beautifully unusual biota and biomorphs awe and inspire my creative musings continually. The process of mixed media, abstract art making I employ includes numerous iterations. Initially, as a kind of dowsing experiment, the brush or oil stick becomes as a rod I subtly or exaggeratedly move across my substrate. Sometimes scratching into the surface as if on a kind of archeological dig with utmost care and concentration, I conjure the occurrence of the nascent configurations. As seemingly unformed forces make themselves more visible, once intangible musings, I sort of sur/render into the painting’s uniquely alchemical color current. In excited anticipation, I await the clarifying marks and brushstrokes as they delineate the basic elements integral to the composition. Toward the final iteration, with each declarative layer of color, texture, line, and form, I begin to perceive the inherent underlying essence of the image, its meaning or message. The universal truth of intuition infuses, inspires, and guides each piece. My art making process, at times, is a contemplation on the non-dual, evolutionary capacities innate to the creative and transpersonal human-nature interrelationship. I hold the intention that viewers engaging my paintings may freely find sustaining moments of reflection and renewal.
EDUCATION
Institute of Transpersonal Psychology, PhD in Clinical Psychology with Specialization in Eco-Feminist, Creative Arts-based Counseling, Palo Alto, CA, 2000
University of California, Berkeley Extension, Art Therapy Program, Berkeley, CA, 1997
University of Michigan, School of Art & Design and College of Literature Science & the Arts, BA, Ann Arbor, MI, 1993
Grand Rapids Junior College, Black & White Photography, Instructor, Johnathan Russel, Apprentice to Ansel Adams, Grand Rapids, MI, 1987
SELECT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Teaching— Contemplative Creativity: Exploring Archetypes through Intuitive Abstraction, 2024-Current
Exhibitions Committee Member, Northern California Women’s Caucus for Art, 2023-2024
Creative Arts-based Coach and Consultant, SF Bay Area, CA, 2000-Current
ICBAA Board Subcommittee Member— Community Projects and Investments, 2024
East Bay Express, Columnist, Oakland, CA, 2015-2016
Suzanne Lacy, Former Dean of California College of Art, Fine Art Business Assistant, Oakland, CA, 1998-1999
AWARDS
3rd Place Award, Sebastopol Center for the Arts, exhibition, Driven to Abstraction, Juror, Carl Heyward, 2025
Top Five Artist Award, San Francisco Open Studios, ArtSpan Juror, Petra Schumann, Former ArtSpan Executive Director, 2024
Distinguished Alumni Award for Commitment to Community Service, Institute of Transpersonal Psychology/Sofia University, Costa Mesa, CA, 2022
PERMANENT COLLECTION
UCSF Precision Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA, Curated by Cynthia Perlis, 2025
RESIDENCIES
Winter Artist Residency On-line, Jen Tough Gallery, Santa Fe, NM, on ARTSY.net, 2023
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
Reverence, Moonstruck, Mill Valley, CA, Gallerist, Johanna Hollinger Becker, 2026
To Live by the Tides, Equator Cafe, Sausalito, CA, Curated by DeLisa Sage, 2026
Modern Tartan, Mill Valley Chamber of Commerce, Mill Valley, CA, 2025
Marelli Gallery, San Rafael, CA, Curated by Cynthia Pepper, 2023
Serenity: Nature & Nurture, Solo Show, 5th Floor, UCSF Women’s Health Center, SF, CA, Curated by SFWA Gallery, Susan Kirshenbaum and Jean Brodie, 2023-2024
DUO EXHIBITIONS
Serendipity, two-artist show, Uptown Fine Art Gallery, Oakland, CA, Gallerist, Natalie Williamson, 2023
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2026
ICB Autumn Open Studios, Sausalito, CA
Art for AIDS, UCSF Alliance Health Project, Fundraiser Auction, San Francisco, CA
SF City Art Cooperative Gallery, Member Exhibitions, February, San Francisco, CA
8x10, Faultline, Oakland, CA, Curated by Ryan McJunkin
Women 10xTEN, Faultline, Oakland, CA, Curated by Ryan McJunkin
LymeLight Foundation Dart for Art, Computer History Museum, Mountain View, CA
2025
East Bay Open Studios, The Grand Gallery, Oakland, CA, Juried Host Venue invitation by Ronice Stratton
Intergenerational Art, Sausalito Center for the Arts, Sausalito, CA, Curated by Teddy Hathaway
Winter Pop-Up, Marin Art and Garden Center, Ross, CA, Marin Open Studios
The Village is Rising-POM 2.O, Dogpatch Gallery, San Francisco, CA, Curated by Krystal Lauk and Natasha Tsozik
Art for AIDS, UCSF Alliance Health Project, Fundraiser Auction, Oakland, CA
ArtSpan at The Faight Collective, Juried Host Venue for ArtSpan San Francisco Open Studios, San Francisco, CA, Invitation by Curator Courtney Root
Joy Riot, Ritual Coffee Roaster, San Francisco, CA, Curated by Sal Steiner
Sunset Pride, Hunt & Gather Gallery, San Francisco, CA, Curated by DeeDee Hunt
Unapologetically Queer, Harvey Milk Center for the Arts & Photo Center Gallery, San Francisco, CA, Curated by Nicola Bosco-Alvarez
Red, Blue, Yellow: ArtRageous Chromatic Bloom, Artworks Downtown, San Rafael, CA, Curated by Christine Santos
Member Exhibition, SF City Art Cooperative Gallery, San Francisco, CA, June
Biggest Small Works, Gallery Sausalito, Sausalito, CA, Curated by Sue Averell
Pacific Art League Member Show, Palo Alto, CA, Curated by Aly Gould
London Contemporary Art Fair, Elements Art Space, London, UK, Curated by Guilia Tassi
FourSquared, Arc Studios & Gallery, San Francisco, CA, Invitation to exhibit by Curator, Micheal Yochum
Marin Open Studios, ICB Studio 278C, Sausalito, CA
Breaking the Rules, Village Theater and Art Gallery, Danville, CA
Artists at Work, ICB Open Studios, Studio 278C, Sausalito, CA
LymeLight Foundation Dart for Art, Computer History Museum, Mountain View, CA
Women’s 10xTEN, Faultline, Oakland, CA, Curated by Ryan McJunkin
Driven to Abstraction, Sebastopol Center for the Arts, Sebastopol, CA, Curated by Carl Heyward
GAIA, on ARTSY.net, Toronto, Ontario, CA, Curated by Gallerium
2024
SF City Art Cooperative Gallery, Member Exhibitions, April, May, December, and January, San Francisco, CA
ICB Winter Open Studios, Sausalito, CA
ICB Artists at Work Fall Open Studios, Sausalito, CA
Room & Board, Juried Host Venue for ArtSpan’s 50th Anniversary of San Francisco Open Studios, San Francisco, CA
Mixing Identities, Invitation to exhibit in the Canvas Art Fair at Palazzo Albrizzi-Capello, Venice, Italy during the 60th Venice Biennale, Curated by Giulia Tassi
International Women’s Festival, Rock Ink Gallery, Lesbos, Greece, Curated by Stacy Miller
Art for AIDS, UCSF Alliance Health Project, Fundraiser Auction, San Francisco, CA
Lobby and Lounge, Office of the San Francisco District Attorney, Brooke Jenkins, San Francisco, CA
Food Chain, The Drawing Room, San Francisco, CA, Curated by Courtney Norris and Renée DeCarlo
Radiating Pride, San Francisco Women Artists Gallery, San Francisco, CA, Juried by Kaytea Petro
Nimbash Art Auction, Charles Krug Winery, St. Helena, CA, Juried by Chandra Cerrito, Matt Rodgers, and Nancy Willis
ArtSpan Benefit Auction, Heron Art Gallery, San Francisco, CA, Juried by: Kevin B. Chen, Curator at Fine Arts Gallery, San Francisco State University, Renée DeCarlo, Artist and Founder of The Drawing Room, SF, Karen M. Gutfreund, Curator, Consultant, Artist Janna Keegan, Associate Curator of Contemporary Art and Programming at Fine Arts, Museums of San Francisco, Tova Lobatz, Gallery Director at Heron Arts, Michelle Mansour, Executive Director of Root Division Owen Christoph, Artist Liaison at Jessica, Silverman Gallery, Shiva Pakdel, Executive Director of Sausalito Center for the Arts, Andrea Schwartz, President of Andrea Schwartz Gallery, Meg Shiffler, Director of Artist Space Trust
ICB Artists at Work Open Studios, Sausalito, CA, Spring
San Francisco City Hall, Office of District 7 Supervisor, Myrna Melgar, San Francisco, CA
Curated by San Francisco Women Artists Gallery
2023
Holiday Gayla Auction, Golden Gate Chamber of Commerce Fundraiser, Oakland, CA
Holiday Art Pop-Up, West Elm Showroom Featured Artist, Emeryville, CA
Space Between, Arc Studios & Gallery on-line, San Francisco, CA, Juried by Karen Gutfreund
Red Dot Miami Alternate, Juried by Jen Tough Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
All About Women, Marin Society of Artists, San Rafael, CA, Juried by Lori Austin
Call & Response: Art and Poetry, O'Hanlon Center for the Arts, Mill Valley, CA, Juried by Prartho Sereno, Ekphrastic poem by Suz Lipman
Portals, Arc Studios & Gallery on-line, San Francisco, Juried by Karen Gutfreund
Celebrating Pride, West Elm Featured Artist, San Mateo Showroom and Pop-Up Artist, Emeryville, CA
Postcards from Paradise, Voss Gallery, San Francisco, CA, Juried by Haylee Barsky, Curator and Founder of Visionary Projects, NY
Nimbash Art Auction, Charles Krug Winery, St. Helena, CA, Juried by Chandra Cerrito, Matt Rodgers, and Nancy Willis
CAKE, CAMi Vineyards Art + Wine Gallery, Calistoga, CA, Juried by Laurie Sheldon
SF City Art Cooperative Gallery, Member Exhibitions, May, June, September, November, and December, San Francisco, CA
ArtSpan Benefit Art Auction, 111 Minna Gallery, San Francisco, CA, Juried by: Michelle Delaney, Co-Owner, 111 Minna Gallery, Renee Villasensor, Programs Manager and Curatorial Associate, The Institute of Contemporary Art, SF, Griff Williams, Founder, Gallery 16, Stephen Gilbert, Art Collector, DeeDee Hunt, Owner, Hunt & Gather Gallery, Roberto Martinez, Exhibitions Director, Richmond Art Center, KT Seibot, Co-Founder, Moth Belly Gallery & Studios
Taking Shape: Abstraction to Figuration, Jen Tough Gallery, Santa Fe, NM, Juried by Jen Tough, on ARTSY.net
Believe, Gallerium, Toronto, Ontario
Art & Cultures of the World, Marin Society of Artists, San Rafael, CA, Juried by Diane Williams
Zephyr, Pour-d Gallery, Rockford, MI, Juried by Tree Anderson
True Beauty, Exhibizone, Toronto, Ontario
Roe 2.0, Woman Made Gallery, Chicago, IL, Curated by Pritika Choudhury and Jae Green
Space, Rock Paper Scissors Collective Gallery, Oakland, CA, Juried by Pam Kohler
Water, Marin Society of Artist, San Rafael, CA, Juried by Kim Eagles-Smith, Director, Kim Eagles-Smith Gallery, Mill Valley, CA
Into the Light, Jen Tough Gallery, Santa Fe, NM, Juried by Laura Sanders, on ARTSY.net
2022
Shapes and Colors, Gallerium, Toronto, Ontario
Holiday Spirit, San Francisco Women Artist Gallery, San Francisco, CA, Juried by Philip M. Bewley
Embodiment, Red Door Gallery, Alameda, CA, Juried by Yolanda Cotton Turner
PRESS
ACCESS: An Ordinary Notion, NWCA Exhibit at Arc Studios & Gallery, San Francisco, CA, 2024
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rNkJv4-ZgoEqmlkFX8eXiHj8VzOpSlB2-x0Gejtv4Ls/edit
Roe 2.0, Woman Made Gallery Press Release
https://womanmade.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/press-roe-2.0-2023.pdf
Wallace, Elizabeth, Pride beyond parades: How the LGBTQ celebration is enjoyed around the US, CNN, April, 2019
PUBLICATIONS
Women 10xTEN, Faultline, Oakland, CA, 2026
Women 10xTEN, Faultline, Oakland, CA, 2025
ACCESS: An Ordinary Notion, Karen Gutfreund Publication, 2024
Space Between, Karen Gutfreund Publication, 2023
Portals, Northern California Women’s Caucus for Art, Monee, IL, 2023
The Book of Arts: Believe, Gallerium, Toronto, Ontario, CA, 2023
The Book of Arts: Shapes and Colors, Gallerium, Toronto, Ontario, CA, 2023
Artistonish Contemporary Art Magazine, 30th Issue, Vancouver, British Columbia, CA, 2023
East Bay Artists Book, ArtPush, Alameda, CA, 2022
We’Moon Calendar Planner, Mother Tongue Ink, Wolf Creek, OR, 2000
Artists as Midwives in the Cultural Rebirth of Contemporary Goddess Iconography: An Ecofeminist and Heuristic Inquiry, Doctoral Dissertation, Meghan Lewis, University of Michigan Press, 2000
MEMBERSHIPS
ArtSpan
Marin Society of Artists
National Women’s Caucus for Art
Northern California Women’s Caucus for Art
O’Hanlon Center for the Arts
San Francisco City Art Cooperative Gallery
San Francisco Women Artists Gallery
PRAISE
“The overanalyzing part of my brain takes a break. Pleasing and calming indeed, while remaining super vibrant, fresh and soulful.”
- J. Ardis
“I love the pops of color in Meg’s work and the way the vertical lines interplay with the rounded shapes and some shapes just totally break free. I like the mood.”
- L. Boehm
“Her art has that certain special something that makes me FEEL something important. Meg's art has done that for me consistently and it's a real joy to be witness of shared humanity, flowing as a common unspoken language and translated onto a canvas.”
- S.Freiden