I got in touch with Meghan several years back when she reached out to Anewall to collaborate on some of her illustrative work. What she didn’t anticipate was me actually going down a rabbit hole on her Instagram, looking through her stitching work, and being immediately gripped by her incredible textile “tapestries.”
There were large, fluffy clouds that felt tangible to touch through the screen. Vibrant hot air balloons. Flowing grass and trees that felt like real wind was blowing through them. I saw a scene come to life, and I knew that was the thing wallpaper was lacking. Our littles need a world to jump into, that is what makes wallpaper so memorable and special to us. 
At Anewall we also love texture, but this was taking it to the next level, and that was a risk we were worried about. But those murals ended up going viral so many times (and not on the wrong side of Instagram either!). Turns out people loved the quilted look, and we knew we couldn’t stop at one.
That’s why we’re beyond excited to launch our second Quilted Collection with Meghan! More texture, more worlds, more of that same magic that made the first one impossible to scroll past.
And with a launch this special, we wanted you to meet the artist behind it. In a world where AI art is everywhere, real artistry matters more than ever. The hands, the patience, the years of craft that go into something like this can’t be faked or generated. So we sat down with Meghan to talk about her process, her inspiration, and what it actually takes to build a world out of fabric and thread. Q&A below.
1. Q. Do you think of your work more as storytelling, design, or something else
entirely?
A. I love the aspect of storytelling in my art, and it’s probably one of my favorite
elements of my work. My textile quilts convey a whimsical storybook feeling of
nostalgia, reminiscent of slow and simple days and deeply inspired by the
wonder of childhood.
2. Q. What first drew you to working with textiles - was there a moment when
you knew that would be your preferred medium?
A. My hands have been making for as long as I can remember. My childhood in
New England was filled with nature and creating. From my grandmother’s
heirloom quilts, to our old wooden blanket chest filled with hand made woolen
sweaters and antique linen table cloths, I have always been drawn to textiles. I
taught myself to sew on my grandmother’s old singer sewing machine when I
was 16, and learned to sew clothing out of repurposed fabrics. My love for
textiles was rekindled in during my many trips through India and Asia, where I
spent countless hours wandering through the Indian fabric markets, admiring
the brightly dyed silks and textured cottons. It was during one of those journeys
through India that I realized that I wanted to pursue my path as a textile artist.
When I returned to the states, I set up my first studio in a small sunny studio
apartment, began hand dying my own fabrics, filling them with stitches- and
my journey as a self taught artist began!
3. Q. Do you have a routine that helps you step into a creative mindset in your
studio?
A. I’m honestly always in a creative mindset! I wake up in the morning dreaming
about things to make, and I go to sleep with ideas and color palettes swirling
around my head. I’m a morning person, and feel most inspired and creative in
the morning- although some days I’m designing and creating all day! My
favorite is having the doors and windows open with a soft breeze blowing in and
the sun shining. My process is very free and organic, and I usually design the
pieces as I’m creating.
4. Q. What’s a texture, color or pattern you can’t stop obsessing over right now?
A. My textile art focuses heavily on natural fibers and I love using textured
fabrics, like linen and delicate muslin in my work. I have an obsession with all
colors, but I’ve been really drawn to earthy orange- browns, rosy pinks and pops
of ochre. I’ve also been really loving using scalloped designs in my textile art +
illustration work for the past many years.
5. Q. If your art could live anywhere outside of a gallery or home, where would
you dream of seeing it?
A. I’ve always thought my textile art could be so lovely in books! Writing a
children’s book with my textile artwork as the imagery has always been a dream
of mine- and I’m excited to begin that project soon!
6. Q.And just for fun- outside the studio, what brings you joy in your everyday
life?
A. Some simple things that bring me joy are.. sitting in the beautiful morning
sunshine - especially at the seaside or in my garden, spending time with my
husband and children, cooking and gathering for big meals with my family,
bouquets of zinnias, hydrangeas and peonies, the smell of fresh herbs on the
kitchen table, reading books and drinking hibiscus tea, going for walks outside
on windy crisp autumn days, and my home in the North Carolina countryside.
Thank you Meghan for your beautiful work and for making wallpaper all the prettier now! And everyone, make sure to follow Meghan and the array of incredible art styles she makes daily @meghanpauleynespeca 🩷
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