16: Abbey Messmer

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Courtesy of Abbey Messmer

​16: Abbey Messmer
Abbey Messmer grew up the oldest of three girls in the suburbs of Dallas, Texas. At age five, she decided she wanted to be a Dallas Cowboys cheerleader and an artist. Her dreams were semi-realized.

She admits to cheer leading in middle school and is thankfully still creating art after graduating from university. Since moving to Phoenix, Messmer's been behind the wheel of a bread delivery truck, and behind the installation scenes at SMoCA. She currently works out of The Lodge Studio with Fausto Fernandez and Joe Brklacich, and is the artist liaison at Scottsdale Center for the Performing arts.

Read more about Messmer's artwork and affinity toward bruises and plastic cilantro after the jump ...

Courtesy of Abbey Messmer

​1. List five things on your inspiration wall (real or imaginary):
- Plastic cilantro -- it cracks me up for some reason. I also have a fake turkey and a real mummified cat if you are interested.
- Old timey photographs, including one of my parents all happy and fresh in 1975.
- Underwater creatures and plant life
- A still from "Man on Wire" with tightrope walker Philippe Petit
- Elegant bruises

2. What was your last big project?
My last big project was a volunteer vacation to Africa. A friend and I went to Ghana for two weeks and worked for an NGO called Health and Life Protection Foundation (via ProWorld Ghana) to educate rural communities on health and sanitation issues. It is the first time I have used my passport! I would recommend voluntourism for anyone looking for an amazing cultural experience and big karmic brownie points.

Courtesy of Abbey Messmer

​3. What's your next big project?
I just got invited to be a sister wife in one of Angela Ellsworth's next performances at Loyola Marymount University. It's so exciting to tap into the world of other artists so I am thrilled.

I'm also working on a series of paintings based on the idea of a hideaway that is both comforting but may also contain dark secrets. I've been using black and white images from old landscaping books. The latest painting is like one of those black and white photos that have been hand tinted and to me it becomes dreamy and aquatic. I guess I imagine dreams and underwater being very similar in that images are often blurred and color and light are often hard to explain.

4. Why do you do what you do?
Well, you can meditate about all the tragedies in this world or you can make as many friends as possible and create a beautiful world of your own. I'm thankful that this lifetime is limited but that means the clock is ticking so I surround myself with creativity, try to hear the words of my mentors and face life with positivity.

5. What's something you want Phoenix to know about you?
I'm always up for a challenge.
(And if you're game, what's something you DON'T want Phoenix to know about you?)
Sometimes I talk to my plants.

Courtesy of Abbey Messmer

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The Creatives, so far:

100. Fausto Fernandez
99. Brian Boner
98. Carol Panaro-Smith
97. Jane Reddin
96. Adam Dumper
95. Mayme Kratz
94. Daniel Tantalean
93. Yuri Artibise
92. Lisa Starry
91. Paul Hoeprich
90. Betsy Schneider
89. Mary Shindell
88: Gabriel Utasi
87: Tiffany Egbert
86. Angela Cazel Jahn
85. Dayvid LeMmon
84. Beatrice Moore
83. Michelle J. Martinez
82. Carrie Bloomston
81. Paul Porter
80. Rachel Bess
79. Karolina Sussland
78. Aaron Abbott
77. Mary Lucking
76. Erin Sotak
75. Greg Esser
74. Matthew Mosher
73. Mark Klett
72. Tony Carrillo
71. Paul Morris
70. Joe Pagac
69. Alison King
68. JJ Horner
67. Kim Porter
66. Marco Rosichelli
65. Heather Hales
64. Amy Lamp
63. Kevin Vaughan-Brubaker
62. Lindy Drew
61. Robbie Pfeffer
60. Neil Borowicz
59. Lynn Fisher
58. Tanner Woodford
57. David Tinapple
56. Casebeer
55. Tom Leveen
54. Patti Parsons
53. Tedd McDonah
52. Mike Maas
51. Chris Todd
50. Monica Aissa Martinez
49. Stefan Shepherd
48. Jenny Poon
47. Matt Moore
46. Andrea Hanley
45. Julie Hampton
44. Ted Decker
43. Saskia Jorda
42. Michael Bergfalk
41. Scott Baxter
40. Carrie Marill
39. Kobina Banning
38. Suzanne Falk
37. Jon Haddock
36. Kade Twist
35. Cindy Dach
34. John Wagner
33. Roy Wasson Valle
32. Sue Chenoweth
31. Patricia Colleen Murphy
30. David Quan
29. Lesli Yazzie
28. Nathan Feller
27. Cassandra Coblentz
26. Matt Dickson
25. Tara Logsdon
24. Gennaro Garcia
23. Tiphanie Brooke
22. Dan Semenchuk
21. James Angel
20. Tessa Windt
19. Mitch Fry
18. Miro Chun
17. Randy Slack