When Megan Marie Myers relocated from Portland to Bend in 2015, it was hard for most Bendites not to notice.
Not that Myers cuts an outsize public persona — she’d rather be ultra-running in the Cascade foothills with Smokey, her border collie. Instead, her playful art, reminiscent of children’s book illustrations and vintage Saturday morning cartoons, quickly found a place in the hearts of locals and tourists alike. Business owners soon commissioned her to make murals at their businesses. Greeting cards and original works soon hung on the walls and shelves of coffee shops, galleries and beyond. Myers has also been busy making children’s books, including last year’s “The Tagalongs,” which centers on the natural world, self-reliance and helping others.
No matter one’s art-buying budget, Myers invites viewers to interact with her dynamic settings in any number of ways.
Myers’ move to Bend coincided with another leap of faith: leaving a reliable — and enjoyable — job as an in-house sign artist at Trader Joe’s and devoting that energy to her own work.
“That was the crux right there. Am I going all-in?” Myers told the Source. “I was prepared that if it didn’t work out, I could probably go back to Trader Joe’s.”
It’s easy to see why Myers’ art continues to move and delight viewers. The artist’s work consistently features a human character exploring the mountains, the coastline, the high desert. Importantly, this cartoon avatar interacts with various companions — usually of the lupine, ursine or canine persuasion. The way Myers renders light, texture and movement borrows from relatable, warm childhood touchstones such as “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint Exupery, “Calvin & Hobbes” by Bill Waterson; and Hanna-Barbera cartoons from the 1960s and ‘70s. (If you look at Myers’ mountains, for example, you glimpse the influential contours of Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park, she says.) Myers says her work is not just about nature; it showcases the relationships we stumble on when we’re exploring the outdoors.
Earlier this year, Myers revealed her diagnosis for astrocytoma, a type of brain cancer. A GoFundMe campaign, meant to cover medical and travel expenses, can be found online. In speaking with the Source, Myers was upbeat.
She spoke of her treatment’s progress and how she’s using this life-altering event to re-focus on original works while she gives herself plenty of rest.
“My worst symptoms are fatigue, so now I give myself a mid-day nap,” Myers said with a laugh. “But I feel pretty good. I give myself the opportunity to be more thoughtful and well-rested. But I think that will yield some really cool work. I’m trying to take any win where I can get them.”
Her training runs with Smokey have been reduced, for now, to daily walks. Fine by Myers, she says, since she’s still communing with nature.
Myers continues to make art at the co-working artist space The Workhouse, in southeast Bend, where a lot of those close-knit collaborations continue throughout the various artists’ workspaces and events.
“There’s such a large art community,” Myers said. “We all try to help each other out with resources and supplies. It’s nice to commune with artists who do different types of work yet we’re still in the industry. We’re sharing information about connecting with audiences.”
Runner-Up: Sheila Dunn
Megan Marie Myers
Studio located at The Workhouse
50 SE Scott St. #6, Bend
Meganmariemyers.com
This article appears in Best of Central Oregon 2026 and the Source August 13, 2026.
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