Artist Talk – Monika Mayer: Full Circle

Full Circle grew out of a deeply personal time of uncertainty, loss, and healing. While facing complex health challenges, Monika Mayer started a daily art practice that became an important creative outlet – a space for reflection, meditation, and a way to express what words could not. Around the same time, her son, a Division 1 soccer player, faced a career-ending injury, and both of her parents-in-law passed away. These events led her to explore themes of identity, transformation, and healing. Inspired by nature and her own experiences, Mayer’s work encompasses painting, fiber sculpture, felting, printmaking, and mixed media. She uses discarded objects and materials, giving new life to inner tubes, soccer balls, and plastic bags. This act of transformation mirrors her emotional and physical metamorphosis. Circles and repeating patterns suggest growth and the natural rhythms of life. By presenting familiar materials in unfamiliar ways, Mayer invites viewers into a space of ambiguity—encouraging them to pause, look closely, and consider what lies beneath the surface.

Bio:
Monika Mayer is a mixed media artist who lives and works in Berkeley. She grew up on a farm in Germany where she was exposed to a rich tradition of textile craft and making from a young age. She often incorporates traditional textile techniques such as knitting or sewing in unusual ways to give her artwork color and bring it to life. Her approach is experimental, her creative process intuitive and iterative, layering techniques to create organic textures and dimensions. Her use of found and recycled materials reflects a commitment to sustainable, circular design. Mayer’s work is held in private collections in the U.S. and Germany and has been exhibited nationally, including at Tryst Alternative Art Fair (Los Angeles), Tiburon Library Gallery, College of Marin (Kentfield), Kala Art Gallery (Berkeley) and Mercury 20 Gallery (Oakland). She has been an artist in residence at Kala Art Institute and will return to Kala as an alumni in 2025.

Gallery Hours: Friday and Saturday, 12 – 5 pm (and by appointment)
Opening Reception: Saturday, August 30, 3 – 5 pm
Oakland Art Murmur / First Friday: September 5, October 3, 5 – 9 pm

Image: Tessellation # 8 – Yellow Glow, 2024, Deconstructed soccer ball, thread, new hand-sewn seams, acrylic paint, 21” x 19” x 2”, 2024, Photo courtesy of the artist