Artist Bio:
Megan Davis is an Assistant Professor of Art + Design at The University of Idaho, emphasizing in graphic design in both teaching and practice. Passionate about the roles of art and design as key players in social change, she seeks to use design as an avenue of visual storytelling as well as an active agent. Davis has earned her Master of Fine Arts with an emphasis in graphic design, worked professionally as a designer in Seattle for 5 years, and has volunteered in a variety of design positions ranging from nonprofits in Colorado to Kenya. In her continued freelance work and studio practice, she engages commercial clients, artistic works, community practice, and nonprofit initiatives.

Artist Statement:
Social media increasingly acts as a mutating, enticing “food filler” for the human needs of purpose and relationship. Whether it be the guilty-pleasure escapism of a cat video, the feeling of resonance with a followed influencer, or the high of sharing an activist post, these engagements can temporarily numb or satiate, but on their own, ultimately leave users hungry and isolated. This feeds further into the martial law of divisive rhetoric which often rules these spaces, simultaneously forming digital platforms into warped proponents of division and resulting homogeneous echo chambers. Through this body of work, I wrestle with these themes and explore how we as creative users might offer our voices in this environment to cultivate authenticity and connection.