Megan Hunter
Exhibition: Fragile Connections / Venue: Siddhartha Art Gallery Annex, Date: 28th and 29th September 2024
Megan Hunter is a freelance muralist and artist based in Boone, NC. She specializes in designing and painting murals for local restaurants, including Black Cat Burrito, CoBo Sushi Bistro & Bar, and The Speckled Trout Restaurant & Bottle Shop. All of her murals are displayed in high-traffic public areas, enhancing the community’s visual environment. In addition to her mural work, Megan has gained valuable experience as an art teacher with the “Beyond Prison” Artist Alliance at Penland School of Craft, where she led workshops at the Avery-Mitchell Correctional Institute. These workshops focused on teaching technical artistry skills under strict safety protocols and resource limitations due to the prison environment. Megan earned her Bachelor of Science in Communication with a minor in Studio Art from Appalachian State University (2016-2020). Her work has been showcased in numerous exhibitions, including Art Expo 2018, the Mint Museum’s Student Artist Galleries, and Festival in the Park. She has been recognized with a Silver Key and Honorable Mention at the Scholastics Art Awards (2016) and a Silver Key at the NCASA Art Showcase (2015). Megan continues to build a career that blends public art with community engagement.
Florian Coëlo
Exhibition: Fragile Connections / Venue: Siddhartha Art Gallery Annex, Date: 28th and 29th September 2024
Florian Coëlo is a self-taught photographer and writer based in Melbourne, originally from the west of France. After nearly a decade owning a wine business, he transitioned to photography and writing full-time, driven by his fascination with nature’s richness and diversity. His work explores the relationship between humans and their environment, often delving into themes of climate change. Known for pushing the boundaries of traditional photography with techniques like double exposure and reflection, Florian aims to provoke thought and tell stories through his art. He has contributed to publications such as Solastalgia Zine, Fisheye Magazine, and Réponses Photo Magazine, and his exhibitions have been showcased internationally, including at the Musgrove Gallery in the UK and Darwin Ecosysteme in France. Florian also works as an interior and lifestyle photographer, with projects in Bali, France, and New Zealand. His passion for storytelling extends beyond photography into writing, where he sees his photos as words or sentences offering a glimpse of the beauty that surrounds us.
Richard Zeiss
Residency period: August and September
Exhibition: Three / Venue: Siddhartha Art Gallery Annex, Date: 21st and 22nd September 2024
Richard Zeiss is a Vienna-born visual artist based in London. He holds an MA in Fine Art from Central Saint Martins and an MPhil in Painting from the Royal College of Art. His diverse practice, influenced by his earlier finance career, spans painting, film, and code.
Richard has exhibited internationally, including solo shows in Vienna, Copenhagen, and Shenzhen. His notable participation includes the Lagos Biennial and the Frieze Art Fair. In 2021, he was shortlisted for the Fondation François Schneider Purchase Prize.
His work explores the intersections of perception and conceptual senses, with a keen interest in the cognitive implications of AI. Richard has received multiple awards and grants, including the London Creative Competition Award and support from Arts Council England.
