Megan Burak

Megan Burak is a contemporary realist artist who specializes in portraiture and still life paintings in oils. Born in Pittsburgh in 1993, she moved with her family to Ocean City, Maryland at age four. What began as childhood art projects evolved into a serious passion during middle school when she received her first sketchbook. After encouragement from high school teachers and college professors, she earned a Fine Art degree with a 2D concentration from Salisbury University, crediting much of her artistic knowledge to her mentor, Professor Jinchul Kim.
Burak’s primary inspiration comes from people and the challenge of capturing the kaleidoscope of colors she sees in skin, hair, and eyes that most viewers overlook. She masterfully weaves personality and narrative into her work, often incorporating symbolic objects like clocks, teapots, seashells, and birds to create complex stories within a single frame. Her intention is for viewers to connect their own life experiences with the narratives in her paintings, sparking questions and wonder.
Her technical process begins with sanding the canvas and applying a wash of cerulean blue, raw umber, and turpenoid before drawing her subject with millimeter precision. In 2023, following her endometriosis diagnosis, she developed a flower painting series to raise awareness and support other women facing similar challenges. Burak is currently in her second year as a resident studio artist at the Art League of Ocean City, Maryland, and is represented by Park West Gallery.