Bio / Statement / CV
MEGHAN OONA CLIFFORD
BIO
Born on 7/7/77, Meghan Oona Clifford enjoyed a sense of magic early on. Following dreams of enchanted forests to the West Coast, she graduated from The Evergreen State College with her BA in Interdisciplinary Art. Clifford worked in various underground art spaces in the Pacific Northwest and Southern California, curating events and connecting artists. After several years as a designer in the eco-fashion industry, she earned her MFA in New Genres Fine Art from the San Francisco Art Institute.
In 2024, Clifford was honored with the Develop Grant from the Arts Council of Santa Cruz County. Additionally, California’s Center for Cultural Innovation has awarded three grants in support of her work. She exhibits work nationally and throughout California, including at the New Museum Los Gatos (NUMU), the Museum of Northern California Art (MONCA), San Francisco Art Institute's Swell Gallery, Fort Mason’s Herbst Pavilion, 1AM Gallery, Club 6, Tribe 13, and 111 Minna. Clifford has participated in several residencies such as the Thrive Together Artist Network and Artist/Mother residencies. Her work has been featured by MTV, Studio Visit Magazine, Artist, Mother, Proud & Serious, The Art People, The Utne Reader, iCanvas, Bored Panda, Content Magazine, Meditation Talks, Visionary Art Collective, and Women United Art Magazine. Clifford's art is enjoyed by private collectors around the world.
She lives and works on six acres in Santa Cruz County, CA with her husband and two miracle babies. Every day they wake up and say "Good morning, we are blessed."
ARTIST STATEMENT
I am an interdisciplinary artist experienced in video, sound, animation, installation, eco interventions, textiles, and computer art. Painting is my true love and the foundation of my practice.
My work explores energy, transformation, and consciousness. I'm inspired by phenomena like neural pathways, the mother body, and improvisational music. With personal and ancestral history steeped in textile work, I like to think I'm painting the fabric of the universe.
I weave colors and forms together with a biomorphic, freestyle painting technique. I work with acrylic on canvas and paper, and I make animations to infuse the 2D work with hypnotic, mesmerizing energy.
I’m interested in illuminating and activating those little moments of enlightenment we all have - a sudden feeling of wholeness, a glimpse of awareness, a memory of our interconnection, or a release of emotional pain.
CURRICULUM VITAE
Meghan Oona Clifford, M.F.A.
b. 1977, Madison WI
Lives and works in Santa Cruz County, CA, USA
www.meghanoonaclifford.com | meghan.oona.clifford@gmail.com
Education
2007 M.F.A., New Genres Art, San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA
2001 B.A. Interdisciplinary Studies, Evergreen State College, Olympia, WA
1999 University of Wisconsin - Madison, WI
Selected Solo and Group Shows
2025 Ancestral Dreaming 3D Virtual Exhibit, (online), Women United Art Movement, (solo) upcoming
2024 genARTS Experimental Exhibition: Boundaries, New Museum Los Gatos (NUMU), Los Gatos, CA
2024 In Flux, Museum of Northern California Art (MONCA), Chico, CA
2023 Aberrant Creativity, Texas A&M University, School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts, College Station, TX
2023 What Remains 3D Virtual Exhibit, (online), Visionary Art Collective, New York, NY
2023 Uncertain Certainties, (online), Thrive Together Network, Vancouver, Canada
2023 Representations: collaboration of womxn affecting the future of art and technology, 3D Virtual Exhibit, (online), Atlanta GA
2023 Kaleidoscope, (online), Arc Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2022 Shining Our Light: Cosmic Portraits, Flower Bar, Santa Cruz, CA (solo)
2022 Seeds: The Fertile Void, (online), Santa Cruz, CA (solo)
2022 Let Me Tell You, Chris White Gallery, Wilmington, DE
2022 Verdant Heart, Fe Art Gallery, Sacramento, CA
2022 Onward, Body and Space, (online), San Francisco Artists Alumni
2022 3rd Annual Powerful Little Things 3D Virtual Exhibit, (online), Roaring Artist Gallery
2022 Lines, Shapes, & Objects, (online), Fusion Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
2016 Star Dust: Moments of Enlightenment, Elevation 66, El Cerrito, CA (solo)
2014 The Elevated Art of Meghan Oona Clifford, Elevation 66, El Cerrito, CA (solo)
2012 Meghan Oona Clifford: The Illuminated Art of Flow, Black Faun Gallery, Eureka, CA (solo)
2010 For Love of Spirit: Celebrating Togetherness, Lipo Lounge, San Francisco, CA (solo)
2010 Womb of Creation - An Exhibition of Women Visionaries, Tribe 13 Gallery, Ukiah, CA
2010 7th Annual Interdimensional Art Show, Madrone Studios, San Francisco, CA
2010 Suite Jesus, 111 Minna Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2009 Exit Strategy, Double Vision Dance Studio, San Francisco, CA
2009 Push On, Tribeca @ The Omni Hotel, Newport News, VA
2009 Art Now’s Circle of Life Show, 1:AM Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2009 Veni Vedi Vici, Club 6, San Francisco, CA
2007 MFA Vernissage, Fort Mason, San Francisco, CA
2006 Alternative Spaces, Swell Gallery, San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA
2005 Tribe 13’s Interdimensional Art Show, 108 Gallery, Seattle, WA
2001 I Want Burning: Ecstatic Images and Poetry, The Family Tree Gallery, Olympia, WA
Grants and Awards
2024 Develop Grant, Arts Council Santa Cruz County
2023 Quick Grant (Winter), California's Center for Cultural Innovation
2023 Quick Grant (Spring), California's Center for Cultural Innovation
2023 Special Mention, Create Magazine’s Fresh Paint Exhibition, Juried by Margaret Winslow, Curator, Delaware Art Museum
2022 Quick Grant, California's Center for Cultural Innovation
2005 Graduate Studies Grant, The San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA
Public Art
2024 Big Belly Receptacles, Walnut Creek, CA
2010 Leaves No Trace, (eco-intervention), San Francisco, CA
2008 Which Way Is Home? An investigation of seeds, wind, and direction, (eco-intervention), San Francisco, CA
2007 Cut: An Exploration of Relationships Broken, (eco-intervention), San Francisco, CA
2007 Missing! A Deforestation PSA, (eco-intervention), San Francisco, CA
2005 seedBomber Urban Gardening, (eco-intervention), San Francisco, CA
Residencies
2023 Residency in Animation Tech, Thrive Together Virtual Art Residency
2023 Winter Virtual Art Residency, Thrive Together Network (TTN)
2022 Fall Virtual Art Residency, Thrive Together Network (TTN)
2022 Virtual Art Residency, Artist/Mother Network
Professional Organizations
Thrive Together Network
Artist/Mother Network
Women United Art Movement
Selected Bibliography
2024 Studio Visit Magazine Volume 53, feature
2024 Artist, Mother, Proud & Serious, Volume II, Women United Art Magazine
2024 Women United Art Magazine, Issue VI, art highlight and interview
2023 Goddess Art Magazine, Issue 9, feature
2023 Procreate Project Archive, London, United Kingdom, highlight
2022 Content Magazine, exhibition highlight
2022 Carve Out Time for Art, community highlight
2020 Find Inspiration with the Star Dust Coloring Book, PhanArt: Music, Art, and Community, feature
2017 A Getaway to the Deeper Realms of the Soul - the Must-See Art Work of Meghan Oona, Meditation Talks, feature
2013, 2017 We’Moon Calendar and Date Book, art highlight
2013 Path to Bliss, The Art People / People Project Magazine, feature
2011 Modern Mystics Inspire, Surrender to the Flow Magazine, feature
2008 Art, Fashion, and Protest, MTV’s Street Team, interview
Publications as Author
2024 Carve Out Time for Art, takeover
2020 Star Dust Adult Coloring Book: Creative art therapy for inspiration, healing, and relaxation
2019 Reactivate Your Creative Power, e-book
2017 I Paint Visionary Art to Awaken Your Soul, Bored Panda, feature article
2014 All Praise: Seeing, To Become, photo book
2008 My eyes are your eyes, too: culture creation, modern mysticism, and beyond, art book
2007 Your Eyes Are My Eyes, photo book
Selected Projects, Related Work, and Teaching Experience
2022 Seeds: The Fertile Void Solo Show Artist Talk, (online)
2014 A Hundred Days of Art Project, Santa Cruz County, CA
2018-2022 The Creative Path Workshop, (online)
2019 You are Good Enough Workshop, (online)
2019 Activate Your Creativity - A Journey, (online)
2018 Rituals for Artists Workshop, (online)
2001-2010 moreTrees clothing company, founder and designer, Olympia, WA, San Diego, CA, Los Angeles and San Francisco, CA
2003-04 Sylvan Wisdom Cooperative Art Gallery, Olympia, WA, volunteer member
2000, 2003-04 Liberty Arising Retreat Center, San Diego, CA, volunteer
2000-02 The Family Tree Artist Collective, Olympia, WA, director and curator
1990-95 Madison Children’s Museum, Madison, WI, volunteer