Portrait of the artist

One floor above the ZuhG Life Surf Shop in Lincoln City is the studio space where artist Megan Brieño gets creative.

Her work, with a style similar to pop-artist Keith Haring or, closer to home, Portland artist Jay Hill, can be seen in the framed art on the walls, greeting cards and even t-shirts and sweatshirts sold at the shop, owned by stepbrother Bryan Nichols.

Megan, now 32, moved to Lincoln City from California when Bryan found a home with space enough for them both.

Having overcome developmental challenges stemming from oxygen deprivation at birth, Megan utilizes tools like keeping to a routine, exercising and, of course, drawing to help her thrive; and she projects a calm, focus and inner strength that I’ve aspired to for most of my life.

I did learn during our interview, though, that I tend to stack up my questions, so Bryan would gently remind me to ask just one at a time.

That is about all the direction he gave, because he manages to combine treating Megan as someone quite capable of caring for herself, with a protective “don’t mess with my sister,” air that warmed my heart. The two became family at a young age, when Megan’s dad married Bryan’s mom.

Also an artist and musician, Bryan respects Megan’s talent and singular drive, and has done all he can to support them.

“She’s been making cards since we were little; drawing has always been her artistic outlet,” Bryan said. “I keep selling her stuff and people like it a lot.”

Megan draws. And draws. Her brother’s support has fueled her tenacity but is certainly not the source of it.

“I’m grateful for Bryan,” she said. “But I would draw anyway. I draw pretty much 24/7.”

Always thinking of ways to get Megan’s art seen, Bryan started a clothing line using the screen-printing equipment with which he makes his own line of clothing, Long Lefts, and other custom products for local businesses and anyone else who asks.

“The inspiration for the Sally’s Skateboards line was born to give her drawings another outlet,” Bryan said. “Sally was her nickname growing up because we already had a sister named Megan; we don’t really remember why anymore.”

Once the surf shop, celebrating five years this October, was self-sustaining, Bryan opened what would turn out to be a short-lived skate shop.

“A big reason I opened it was for Megan,” he said. “She worked there three days a week, and had her Sally’s Skateboards line there. It’s pretty much being used for screen-printing now — we opened in Christmas knowing it would be slow, but we weren’t prepared for what was about to happen.”

Her brother’s businesses aren’t the only places Megan has shown her work.

“I used to have card racks at the Red Cock and at the Dorchester,” she said. “I even had art in a show at the Black Squid.”

Megan makes cards for pretty much every occasion you can think of, but her favorite holiday is coming up.

“I love Halloween and I like drawing cats,” she said. “So, this is definitely my favorite time for making cards.”

Though cats are her favorite, Megan enjoys drawing birds, dogs, turtles and even giraffes.

“In the beginning of her living with me, we were trying to find a subject for her to focus on,” Bryan said. “We tried food but animals really were what she took to.”

Now that she is comfortable with her muses, Bryan is helping Megan go bigger and branch out into painting.

“I put large pieces of wood in our back yard for her,” he said. “I want her to do more large pieces because I know they will sell.”

Megan sells her work for prices that show she is truly creating for the love of it, but still makes enough to buy things for herself; recently she purchased an iPad, an exercise bike and a Fitbit.

“When I lived with our sister Megan she had a CrossFit gym and she encouraged me to exercise,” Megan/Sally said. “I don’t want to lose that because I learned that exercising really does make me feel better.”

One of the reasons she wanted the iPad was, other than for spending FaceTime with her beau, who still lives in California, she likes to search YouTube for instructional videos that might help her progress as an artist.

While sheltering in place with Bryan and his partner Sabine Wilson, whom Megan adores (it’s mutual), Megan used her videos to help pass the time.

“She’s really improved by using the videos,” Bryan said. “During the pandemic we had her teach us an art class from a lesson she learned on one. We each drew Mickey Mouse. Megan’s was the best one, of course.”

When I let it slip that I was envious of Megan’s calmness and stick to-it-ivness, she told me she also meditates. She fessed up to not being able to keep a regular schedule for that but, at that point, I think she was just trying to make me feel better.

Megan’s cards, framed pictures and Sally’s Skateboard items are available at ZuhG Life Surf Shop, 3219 SW Hwy. 101. Follow her on Instagram at Sallysskateboards.