
About the Artist
Veronique Meggett has been a self-taught artist since childhood. In 1988, she picked up her first airbrush and taught herself the basics. Going from a personal hobby to a full scale retail business, she has been making a mark with her art in San Antonio, Texas ever since. From 1992 to 1999 her main focus was providing a retail operation that supported her original airbrush artwork and the urban market with R&B and Hip Hop accessories, catering to local disc jockeys with music.
Throughout the stores existence, she had the opportunity to bring San Antonio, a hip hop culture that was at its’ peak. Since then, she has migrated her love for art into graphics as well as oil painting by receiving an Associate’s Degree in computer graphics as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Art.
Currently she paints with oil and brushes on canvas and is in the process of expanding her portfolio to network in the fine arts community to achieve a prosperous career with oil paint. She also has pursued a teacher’s certificate in hopes to inspire future young artists to follow their dreams. You can see an extensive portfolio and bio by visiting her website at VeryUniques
BOTG: What do you think of the feminist movement?
VM: The feminist movement was necessary to occur in order to gain equal rights for women, but I also believe there is a difference in men and women and something’s are better suited for each separately and respectfully. As a female, gaining respect with the rights to our body, the ability to vote, equal pay etc. was and is STILL necessary in order to evolve. Women have a lot to offer. Being deprived of basic rights is a disservice to humanity.
BOTG: What do you think of the interaction between men and women today?
VM: I believe society, the entertainment industry, and social media are putting barriers between the two genders. There is a lack of respect for girls and women from men, as well as from other women themselves. There is a lack of respect for men as well, but in a ‘man’s world’ the women are more often the victim.
I think women and girls add fuel to their fire by accepting the negative portrayal media gives by condoning the ditzy, provocative, sexy imagery that is projected of them, and I think boys and men add fuel to their fire by condoning the thug, promiscuous, power hungry imagery that is projected of them. Because of this, there is a domino effect in problems that arise between men and women.
I think women have progressively been forced to become independent also. Relationships fall short of respect and expectations, and because women have become self-sufficient, independence is embraced by many women I know. It seems relationships are very disposable, so serious interaction is not so prevalent, and I think that is very unfortunate for long-term relationships.
BOTG: What qualities do you think it takes a man to be a man and a woman to be a woman?
VM: There are differences in gender physically, socially, and mentally but if you understand and have self -respect, that is all the quality you need to be a decent human being, man or woman. Respecting yourself allows you to be able to respect someone else in what you allow to happen, and that, to me, makes a man a man, and a woman a woman.
BOTG: What do you think are the roles of men and women in a relationship or marriage?
VM: I think marriage is probably the most important decision second to having a child. When you marry someone, you vow to merge everything in life. You vow to make every decision with consideration to how it is going to affect both parties, and the decisions should always be a selfless positive outcome. Stereotypically the roles have become cloudy. I do not believe that the man is supposed to be the breadwinner/protector and the woman is to be the homemaker.
The roles in today’s marriage are to do what you have to do to live life and love life TOGETHER. At times I do believe society makes the stereotypical roles applicable. And that is a good quality to have when both partners understand the ‘role play’ is needed to get the results wanted, for the betterment of the relationship. For example, and being vague, sometimes a man’s dominant presence gets better results when a serious matter needs to be handled with third parties, and vice versa… a woman’s gentle presence gets a different outcome in a different situation.
When children are involved…I think it is very important to have, not necessarily biological, a positive man and a positive woman’s touch equally. That makes a child able to relate to both genders in life. Continue reading →