Shapeshifting with the Muse: Energy, Intuition, and the Unconscious in Creative Practice

Pam McDonnell, artist and Director, Shapeshifter Art School

Pam McDonnell is a Memphis-based artist exploring the intersection of psyche and soma through sculpture, painting, and hand-built stoneware. She engages with the concept of the body as a site of psychological inscription, employing a visual language rooted in active imagination. Her work examines the sacred dimensions of the psyche and the potential for analysis to catalyze personal transformation."

McDonnell's artistic research is deeply rooted in the theories of Carl Jung and post-Jungian analysts, who posit that the psyche communicates through symbol, story, and myth. Her evocative pieces invite viewers to contemplate the alchemical process by which trauma can be transmuted into joy.

A long-standing member of the University of Memphis artistic community, McDonnell received her BFA in 2005 and her MFA in 2023 all while actively exhibiting in the region. Her work is held in the public collections of several prominent institutions, including West Cancer Center and Le Bonheur Children's Hospital. A dedicated advocate for the arts, McDonnell serves her community through her involvement with ArtsMemphis, mentorship of emerging artists, and participation in various arts committees.

Wednesdays can be especially busy at Park and Cherry. If you're attending Munch and Learn, please plan ahead and place your lunch orders early. To reduce disruptions during the lecture, guests are asked to bring their own food from the cafe to the auditorium. You may request to-go containers to make the trip to your seat easier.

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MUNCH AND LEARN IS ENDOWED BY THE LANDAU FAMILY IN MEMORY OF LESLIE MANN LANDAU