The Artist, Runner & Adventurer

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My friend is a runner and adventurer. She loves spending time outdoors and running in the mountains with friends. She’s even won some big trail races like the Waldo 100k, McKenzie River 50k and Bend Trail Series. Last year, she let me tag along as she ran across the Grand Canyon and back.

What an adventure that was.

My friend is also an amazing artist. That’s what most people know her for. She paints dreamlike wilderness scenes of wonder and exploration that take us on journeys over snowy peaks, across deep blue lakes and into mystical backcountry campsites.

She has also illustrated several great children’s books, including The Tagalongs, which she both illustrated and authored.

My friend’s work often shows animals as companions. Bears, wolves, orcas, foxes, hares and moose guide and protect human characters in the wild. In nearly every painting, the human has the same expression on her face: a content, satisfied smile. She is safe, happy and where she wants to be.

I see the same smile on my friend’s face when she’s running in the Cascades or at Smith Rock State Park.

My friend once gave me a book called Invisible Ink, by Brian McDonald. McDonald, the brilliant writer and director, discusses how the best stories let the audience connect the dots and find and feel the meaning on their own, rather than being told. The trick, he believes, is to show, not tell.

I think my friend’s work, while on canvas rather than the screen, nails exactly what he was saying. Each piece lets us feel the story and meaning and transports us to a place far away from our office, kitchen or wherever her paintings hang. Her art allows us to find our own narrative, a single frame in a larger story that we’re allowed to participate in and write the next scene.

Will we hug the hare goodbye and set off for home, or will we follow it deeper into the forest to see what magic is still left to discover?

My friend received some scary health news recently. News that no one wants to hear and that will no doubt challenge her. But my friend is strong like the girl in her paintings, ready to tackle the next climb and, like the animals in her art, has a wonderful group of friends and members of the local running community who will help carry the lantern and light the way on her journey.

My friend, Megan Marie Myers, has touched a lot of people, both through her art and her kindness. If you would like to check out her wonderful creations, please visit her Etsy page. A GoFundMe has also been created to help with medical needs.