Artists are welcome at Swan Meadow. But so are non-artists. And so are, as co-owner Fern Meadow calls them, the “art curious.”
If any of this sounds like you, come on by.
Swan Meadow (3334 Louisiana Ave) is a studio, workshop space, Risograph printing press, and a retail shop for local zines and art by queer artists located just off Cherokee Street. But it’s so much more than that.
“Swan Meadow is a place for underrepresented artists to dream, learn, create, and share their work in a community that fully embraces them,” Fern said.
Fern, who co-owns the studio with Mellody Meadow, says both they and Mellody wear a lot of hats—and love it. Fern specializes in illustration, Risography, art directions, graphic and web design. Mellody acts as Swan Meadow’s photographer, film specialist, project manager, and Social Media and Event Coordinator.
The two met in college in Wisconsin in 2018, and moved to St. Louis the following year. Fern’s background in studio art, combined with Mellody’s business acumen and photography chops, led them to dream up what would become Swan Meadow.
“After a few years of rejections from other local organizations, galleries, and grant opportunities, we both decided there needed to be a third space in St. Louis dedicated to queer and trans artists; somewhere that could assist in creating, amplifying, and consuming queer art, especially alternative and DIY forms of art,” Mellody said.
They continued, “We got fully consumed by zines, film, and Risography, and after the passing of a dear friend who was a fierce advocate of our work and trans art (Fernande Galindo, we love you), decided that life is short and we needed to make this space happen.”
Swan Meadow opened in September 2024. It now offers branding and photography services and boasts 2-3 workshops per month led by local artists. Fern and Mellody say they’ve been offered nothing but support from the community, who appreciate—and want to be a part of—Swan Meadow’s mission.
“We love being on Cherokee Street,” Mellody said. “As a very openly queer-centric business, we think our space provides the perfect balance between privacy and central location. And we love all our neighbors!”
While Swan Meadow is open to all, Fern and Mellody prioritize being a safe place.
“We’re very open about who we are here for at the end of the day: queer folks, with trans, Black and Brown, disabled comrades to the front, always,” says Fern. “And we’re a COVID cautious space.”
Neighbors are invited to stop by when Swan Meadow is open: Thursday and Friday from 12 pm until 6 pm, plus Saturday and Sunday from 11 am until 5 pm. In addition, Swan Meadow hosts frequent events and workshops, including free-to-all Crafternoons.
Learn more about Swan Meadow on Instagram, or visit for an event.
