Today we’d like to introduce you to Meagan Murphy.
Hi Meagan, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I cut my teeth in Boston during the 90s. After graduating from Northeastern University, I worked at several broadcast centers and production companies as I honed my skills as a video producer. I love the storytelling process–and enjoy shooting video, taking pictures, and conducting interviews with anyone, anywhere.
My first opportunity to craft influential media for a mass audience came when I landed a producer’s position with a well-funded health and wellness startup. I enjoyed working with teams to construct content that was engaging, penetrating, and informative, and especially enjoyed directing talent and collaborating with editors. When our pioneering startup closed suddenly, I landed a producer’s position with WGBH Educational Foundation in Springfield, MA, where I worked for twelve remarkable years on a variety of award-winning programs. I enjoyed conducting interviews and diving deep with a multitude of business leaders, artists, public servants, and ordinary people who were plying their trade in New England.
My grandparents inspired me to venture out and pursue my dreams, and I have traveled widely to places including India and the Galapagos Islands. The most influential country I have visited so far has been Egypt. I had seen the King Tut exhibit as a teenager in New York City and vividly remember scrutinizing the golden sarcophagus and many opulent treasures. It was then that certain symbols and icons were seeded in my mind. Years later, when the chance to personally visit Egypt emerged, I immediately signed on. Just before our departure in early 2011, however, a brief period of unexpected political unrest dramatically affected the country’s tourism industry, and most tours were canceled. Reassured by an Egyptian friend with strong ties in Cairo, I determinedly went ahead with the trip, much to the chagrin of my then husband, Larry.
It became the trip of a lifetime. Over a two week period we visited thirteen prehistoric sites that were completely deserted. On the last night of our tour, we spent the night in the Great Pyramid, within the King’s Chamber.
As I sat in meditation in the serene and otherworldly stone room, a mysterious voice came to me, suggesting the presence of an ‘ancient knowing’ within the breast. Deeply moved by this quixotic dispatch, I became inspired to create a film that explored the possibility of a somatic and primordial body-based wisdom. To the great astonishment of friends and colleagues, I then launched a high-concept quest to explore a zone I called, the “middle heaven.”
My home-turf of Northampton Massachusetts was a bastion of no-nonsense feminism and land-based spiritualism, so I easily gathered a robust group of individuals who were willing to sit for the wide-ranging interviews. As the conversations unfolded, it was clear that I had tapped into a uniquely complex treasure trove of stories. Exhilarated by the material I had captured, and buttressed by a nest egg received from my grandparents, I resigned my position and began pursuing the documentary project full time. It would be 5 years before “The Breast Archives,” was completed
Focusing on women’s stories through the lens of a breast/psyche context was a daunting and complicated endeavor, but the challenge intrigued me – and also gave me some much-needed space to reflect on my own deeply held body image conflicts, which had plagued me since adolescence. I had always, privately seen myself as a “loner” in this regard, but now realized the scope of the disconnection most women felt about their bodies. When the 54-minute film was finally completed in 2018, I traveled to Toronto, the largest documentary marketplace in North America, and pitched the film to a collection of potential distributors. From there, “The Breast Archives” was picked up by First Run Features, positioned on the iTunes and Amazon platforms, and then distributed into the North American public library system, where viewers of every stripe have access to a unique collection of heart-warming, eye-opening, and provocative breast stories.
In late 2019 I moved from Massachustess to Atlanta, Georgia. After being hired to cover a dog mushing expedition in Alaska, I returned to my new home just as the COVID lockdowns were taking effect. As I explored a quieted city, I discovered a local art teacher and began taking weekly classes in portraiture & figure drawing, and my latent skills as a studio artist began to blossom. I also landed a job in the wardrobe department of a feature film, and began working with costume designer, Fontella Boone, on several projects. A variety of freelance jobs followed while I worked on editing and curating social media content on behalf of my film, which had become a popular rental in Europe.
When a series of vivid recollections from my journey along the Nile began to resurface, I began sketching the different characters from the temple walls at MaryBeth Andrew’s art studio in Little Five Points. At first my drawings of Isis, Sekhmet and Osiris were small, but gradually they grew in size, becoming monumental portraits of the legendary gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt. I was delighted when several shops began selling my framed prints, and in October of 2022, I was offered a solo exhibition at Heart Soul and Art in Marietta. As friends and guests gazed at the wide-ranging collection, I shared a series of videos about the temples and enduring influence of these ancient Egyptian characters.
I continue to enjoy sharing my research and art, and will be teaching workshops and exhibiting my art work at the Well of Roswell in Roswell, Georgia, in 2023.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
One of my biggest challenges has been feeling the excitement of a new idea and then losing steam in the follow through. What I’ve come to learn is when I use all the tools available, from social media to gaining wisdom from mentors, I am able to stay on track with vigor. It’s so important to work at finding a community with shared passion and vision because it helps us all clarify our deeper intentions. This allows us to own our dreams together, which leads to enhanced productivity and much-needed camaraderie. When I claim my accomplishments and offerings as they are, instead of waiting for everything to look “perfect”, I am able to push projects forward with integrity and feel in sync with my true creative self.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I continue to produce video and multimedia content as I broaden my collection of iconic Egyptian sketches and Breast Portraits. As my expertise has broadened, I have wanted to share what I know as a speaker and offer workshops about ancient Egyptian archetypes and spirituality. I also offer screenings of my film, “The Breast Archives”, and will be releasing a Directors Cut in early 2023. The perfect audience for my film is moms and daughters, but dads and adolescent boys benefit from seeing “The Breast Archives” too. It’s a gently provocative film for all ages, and can nurture maturity for young viewers. My goal for 2023 is to continue creating connections with the conscious media industry to offer my content development, project management and educational programming skills. I especially enjoy the realms of informative and thought-provoking entertainment. I also plan to host more screenings of my documentary, showcase my collection of Breast Portraits, and launch my series of Egyptian deity workshops.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
I learned to ride horses on Sea Island, where I would visit my grandparents each year. Occasionally we would ride on the beach – and my favorite memories are linked to being on the back of a horse, holding on tightly, as the animal cantered at top speed beside the pounding surf. It’s such a visceral memory, and it’s what first introduced me to a sense of oneness with the natural world.
Pricing:
Find my resume and contact info here
- Breast Portraits start at $125*
- Egyptian Temple Gods start at $75*
- *Customization options available
Screenings and speaking engagements vary in price. Contact me for a quote.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.
DeliberateHealingProductions. com - Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/meaganskemet/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@deliberatehealingproductions/featured
- Other: https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/breast-archives/id1440409035
Image Credits
Meagan Murphy
