MEGAN ELIZABETH READ
“I consider my figurative paintings in some ways aspirational portraits of multiple selves: who you are, who you want to be, and all of the you’s that must constantly coexist.”
Megan (Mae) Elizabeth Read is an American figurative artist based in Charlottesville, Virginia. Largely self-taught, she began her artistic practice working in charcoal and pencil before transitioning to oil painting, which now serves as her primary medium. Her work ranges from intimate still lifes to large-scale figurative paintings, with a particular focus on the female form.
Raised in rural Virginia, Read spent much of her childhood exploring the fields and farmland surrounding her home or drawing for hours at a time—experiences that continue to inform her artistic perspective. After living in Los Angeles in her early twenties and spending several years working in the design and technology sectors, she returned to Virginia and gradually made space for drawing and painting again, ultimately dedicating herself fully to her studio practice.
Since focusing on painting in 2017, Read’s work has been exhibited internationally and is held in both public and private collections. Her paintings have also appeared in various publications and have received recognition through multiple awards in contemporary figurative realism.
