We’re looking forward to introducing you to Megan McKinzey. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Megan, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
I’ve been really into collecting rocks lately. We always have rock tumblers running in the house! There’s a fluorite deposit we’ve been mining at and have SO MANY rocks at home. I’ll even stop to look at the filler rocks you see in parking lots. There’s some good ones hidden there!
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Megan McKinzey. I’m a multimedia artist who specializes in portrait photography and alternative photo printing processes. I’ve been experimenting with other mediums like video and digital art, lately. I’ve been in my “urban decay interest” phase and have been photographing weird, dilapidated locations around Colorado Springs.
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I was a weird kid. I’d play in the sandbox and mix the wet dirt with the dry dirt and make this damp sand mixture because I liked the way it smelled. I used to use Piñon tree branches to “sweep” the sandstone during recess. I’d put my modeling clay on the air vents to melt it and make it more malleable. I’d always be on the lookout for shiny rocks and trinkets. I was curious and creative and capable. I miss not caring what people thought of me as a kid. I’ve been trying to be kinder to my younger self and be nostalgic more often.
What fear has held you back the most in your life?
The fear of failure and of what others think of me has held me back for as long as I can remember. I grew up in an affluent neighborhood and had everything I wanted as a kid. When my parents divorced in 2002, the pleasant, glowing, blurry filter I’d seen life through was suddenly gone. I became worried about love and faithfulness, and I never wanted to displease anyone for fear they might leave me like my dad did.
I’m not angry at my parents — they did the best they could with what they had at the time.
I struggled with substance abuse and alcoholism. There was a time I had given up on life, barely surviving on whiskey and Gatorade. Eventually, I got my life together, and I’ve been sober for nearly seven years. Now, I’m working on facing my demons instead of pushing them aside. It’s exhausting, but every step makes me feel freer.
Now, I’m remembering, healing, and working on my confidence. I’m slowly regaining that glow and sense of wonder I once had.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
What matters most to me is connection, the kind built on kindness, honesty, and truly seeing people for who they are. I value authenticity in myself and in others, and I can always tell when someone is being genuine in a world that often rewards surface over substance. I try to create spaces, whether in life or in art, where people feel safe to be themselves. I am not interested in perfection. I am interested in truth and in the quiet, real moments that make us feel human.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people tell the story of how I was resilient, how I rose from the ashes of my younger years and built something meaningful from a life that could have gone another way. I want to be remembered as someone who turned adversity into fuel for creating art and connection. I have always joked that I just want a paragraph in an art history book, but what I truly want is to leave behind work and words that make people feel something. I want to remind others that no matter how messy the beginning, the ending can still be extraordinary.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://MeganMckinzey.com
- Instagram: @moo0gs and @meganmckinzey
- Facebook: Megan Mckinzey – https://www.facebook.com/moooogs
Image Credits
Megan McKinzey
