Margit Burmeister
Maker Monday - May 2025
About the Artist
Name: Margit Burmeister
Medium: painting, mixed media. and wood
Years creating: since childhood
SCAA member since: 2021
Based in: Wakefield, RI
Website: margitburmeister.com
Instagram: @margitburmeisterart
Click an image to view slideshow
Margit Burmeister has been an exhibiting member at SCAA since 2021. Her work has received recognition locally and on an international level, with awards from Art2Life International Art Exhibition and the Jamestown Art Center. She was also an exhibiting artist at AiR Studio Gallery in Westerly.
Margit has developed a unique style in recent years, and her work is unmistakably hers. - SCAA
Where are you from, and what do you make?
I’m a life-long New Yorker but relocated to Wakefield, Rhode Island in 2020. I make mixed media paintings on paper, canvas and wood. Much of my work incorporates historic typography, vintage papers and reclaimed wood in my paintings.
How long have you been seriously pursuing art?
I have always been a maker; drawing, painting, and building since childhood. I graduated from Syracuse University with a BFA in Graphic Design. My career was as a graphic designer in New York City while raising our family. During that time, fine art making was on pause. In 2020 my husband and I came to Rhode Island to “quarantine” at our vacation house which we thought would last 6 weeks. During that time I had the opportunity to make art full-time and I haven't stopped since. Long story short-- we sold our NY home and moved here full-time. I feel very lucky.
What inspires you to create?
I find inspiration in the everyday. It could be the color on the side of an old building, the pattern of a fence, or the curve of a beautiful letterform. It can be random and unexpected.
Which artist outside of your chosen medium has had the most impact on your art? What do they do and in what way do they influence you?
Music of almost any genre influences my art. Creating and performing music is similar to painting. It’s personal and emotional. Currently I’m loving John Batiste. He breaks all molds and seems to be able to do just about anything!
Is there a work of art that has changed your life or how you view the world in some way?
There are so many. I remember the first time I saw Maya Lin’s Viet Nam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC. It had a deep emotional impact. Cut out of the earth it honors the fallen individuals, not the victors of that war. It is a powerful work of art.
As a member of SCAA, what do you like most about us?
After moving here I exhibited my work in Rhode Island for the first time at SCAA. Everyone was welcoming and kind. I’ve also been able to take advantage of classes, artist talks, and fundraising events. SCAA fosters a community through which I’ve made some very good artist friends. SCAA is a true treasure in South County.
Tell us a joke.
What is earth without art? eh…