Meet Megan Hendrix | Artist: Full Body Expressionism

We had the good fortune of connecting with Megan Hendrix and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Megan, what do you want people to remember about you?
Everything I do is in effort to connect our collective humanity and advocate for people to embody their own personal power. I work to create a tangible legacy through radically honest, vulnerable art exploring the complexities of the human experience we all share. I intentionally claim space to center, value and amplify the feminine. I am committed to sharing my sensory method of creative expression with others as modality of self liberation and reclamation. I want to contribute in such a way that people can activate from their source of authentic power to live a life that feels full, build community, work towards a shared dream, and have a transformative impact on society.

I want people to remember how I recognized their value and unique gifts, and invigorated something already stirring within them. How they felt safe to feel and safe to just be. I want people to think of me as an outstretched hand on their climb, so we can all enjoy the top together. As a woman who lives from her heart, wild and expressive. With a strong inner compass to forge her own path, always pressing further to explore and evolve. Unapologetic about who I am and what I stand for. How I find pleasure, play and adventure every step of the way, leaving a trace of sparkle everywhere I’ve been.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am about making art that appeals less to the eye and more to the soul. My process is a sensory somatic practice bringing presence to the flow of energy and moving it through the body. Incorporating music, meditation and movement I use my full body to paint. Each piece is like a page from my diary, capturing the raw expression of that moment. My work tells my stories through felt sense, not linear thought, and is a depiction of my expansion in real time- what I move through to increase my capacity to feel all the joy and excitement in life alongside the uncertainty and grief. I let my intuition guide and listen to how my body wants to move. My art is how I process emotions, release stored energy from my body, find answers & solutions, and reveal what is hidden in my subconscious. Lately, I started incorporating organic elements into my paintings, making my own pigments from things I collect in nature on my travels and hikes. It is my way of connecting to the earth and honoring the beauty and healing qualities of the land.

I am most excited for others to experience my somatic art practice. I host workshops where I guide individuals or groups through my method to reconnect to the intelligence within their body and freely be in the act of creation without attachment to the outcome. I believe, when you connect with your inner world and allow it to express through your body – that’s art. I’ve spent the past year developing an expanded range of workshops that I am excited to introduce in the coming months.

I learned having a solid understanding of what is driving me keeps me aligned and in the flow with my natural creative energy. I don’t operate from ‘shoulds’, I take action from what feels good. I am constantly dismantling the societal structures, habits, and ways of being that don’t work for me, in order to create a life and career in which I thrive. I play to my strengths and stay connected to my purpose. I’m working with future generations in mind. I am not afraid to explore the dark corners of fear, shame, or the shadows cast by oppressive systems. I open up conversations around grief, loss, and collective human suffering. As a survivor of complex trauma and assault, it was this method of painting that allowed me to reclaim my power, feel safe in my body, restore my physical & mental health and access my joy! My process has been so profoundly healing and transformative, I want others to experience this for themselves. The art I am generating is so deeply tied to my purpose that if I don’t share what I’ve uncovered, what am I even doing here?! It is an invitation to connect with the stories and emotions that make us all human and meet yourself on a deeper level.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
One thing for certain, the day starts at Catalina coffee. The Menil is a must and the lawn is my favorite space to ground, read, and hang with friends. Project Row Houses is one of the crucial spots to show off Houston’s art scene. Swing through Genara to pick out the best “just because” gift. Houston has incredible yoga teachers, so I would choose a class based on how our bodies wanted to move that day. If we really wanted to do some work, I’d go for pilates at Defy or Studio Form. Afternoon matcha from Revolucion. Catch a play at Rec Room. Crush some karaoke at Glitter. I’m a die hard Astros fan, so we are going to get rowdy at Minute Maid Park, I’m going to tell you random facts & stats, make a lot of noise and go hard in the 7th inning stretch to Deep in the Heart of Texas.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Shoutout to all the dynamic humans in my life that inspire me, hype me up, and open doors. To the women that guided me back to my power and shared their wisdom and gifts to support my healing and transformation. To my sisters that make life full and vibrant and have always been by my side, through all my evolutions.

I especially want to acknowledge the incredible people that support my art by collecting, connecting me with opportunities, listening to my ideas, sharing my work, liking my posts, and rolling out to a show or event. To the bold souls that trust me fully in my process to commission work, ya’ll fuel my fire! I am so grateful for those that contribute to my purpose by providing places to stay and spaces to paint, feeding me, sharing resources & knowledge, helping me move, get organized, and inviting me to collaborate.

To the enlivening individuals that have participated in a workshop and opened themselves up to the process of getting messy, looking inward and letting go. You are a major source of inspiration. I learn so much from each of you through the unique ways you engage and create.

Website: meganhendrixstudio.com

Instagram: meggiegaga

Image Credits
Bethany Brewster