Excelsior Springs, Mo. – What began as a way to stay grounded during one of life’s most difficult moments has become a deeply personal artistic journey for Megan Downs.
Megan makes intricate, macabre-infused curiosities that blend history, nature, and storytelling. She explained, “Everything I create carries a sense of transformation, turning remnants of the past into vessels of memory and wonder. Through my work, I invite others to see the beauty in the eerie, the forgotten, and the deeply personal.” Megan makes everything from gorgeous dramatic pieces to jewelry pieces “infused with history.” She describes creating her art “not just as a passion, but a compulsion, something that flows from me without effort or thought.”
One of Megan’s “signature creations” is glass cloche domes. Finding inspiration from Victorian naturalists who meticulously preserved specimens. These delicate displays encase dried botanicals, bones, and found objects, each chosen for their symbolism and connection to nature’s cycles of life and decay.
Megan shared, “Many of my pieces serve as modern memorials, honoring personal stories by preserving meaningful artifacts—whether it’s a cherished keepsake from a loved one, a found object with an untold past, or materials gifted to me with their own histories. I also handcraft anything ceramic inside of the artwork and jewelry as well.”
Megan told the Citizen she “has always been drawn to the forgotten, the overlooked, and the stories hidden within objects.” Sharing how her art allows her to “connect with people, creatures, and places that have passed beyond.” Saying, “When I work with these pieces— whether they are gifted, found, or inherited—I feel a sense of connection as if I am bridging past and present. By transforming these remnants into something new, I honor their history while giving them new life, allowing their stories to continue in a different form.” Megan says she has been creating for as long as she can remember.
Megan got serious about her artwork at a very difficult time in her life. When her daughter was experiencing severe seizures, sharing how she “couldn’t sit still,” so she turned to crafting. “I immersed myself in these tiny worlds, not just as an escape but as a way to stay grounded in a life that suddenly felt so uncertain. My art became my saving grace, a place where I could process the weight of it all while remaining present for the moments that mattered most.”
“The truth is my art exists because I have so much to care for. It is not a luxury of free time—it is a necessity. Every piece I create holds the energy, the love, the grief, and the hope inside me, shaped into something tangible. My hands are always moving, not just to create, but to preserve what is fleeting, to honor what is precious, and to transform the complexity of life into something meaningful.”
You can follow along with Megan on TikTok @thespookylibrarian on Instagram as @megs.downs and on Facebook. You can also find some of her pieces inside Glasshouse Tattoo in downtown Excelsior. Additionally, Megan has a booth at Basement Books KC, located in the historic square in Liberty. She is having another art show at Hula Hoop KC in April 2025! You can contact Megan directly on her social media platforms to discuss custom pieces.
Megan also made sure to mention that she “would not be able to create the things I do or have the confidence to continue if it weren’t for the confidence instilled in me by other local artists.” She went on to thank local artists Cathy Johnson, Bethany and Levi at Glasshouse Tattoo, and Kansas City-based artist Seth Jones.
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