MacGown Art Activities have not slowed down!

The last 3 months were about as busy as the previous 3 months!! We finished up our Sunday Funday events for the year with our last one on October 28 being the best thus far. We even got a road closure that one, had more vendors, more music, wonderful kids' art activities, inflatable jump houses, and overall had better sales than previous ones. Being chair of this once a month event has proven to be time consuming, but rewarding. We could not have pulled this off without great support from sponsors, grants, volunteers, vendors, the media, and attendees! Thanks to everyone. 

In between Sunday Fundays, we participated in several other artwalks, pop up shows and festivals such as the Meridian Art Walk (first Saturdays), the Columbus Artwalk, The Starkville Artwalk, Scooter's Records Pop Up Show, the Prairie Arts Festival (West Point, MS), the Peter Anderson Festival (Ocean Springs), the Mary Day Exhibition (Oxford, MS), the AIPP Abstract Show (Starkville, MS), the DC Sticker Expo 4.0 (Washington DC), the Scrambled Art Bowl (Oxford, MS), Oktoberfest Fundraiser for Columbus Arts (Columbus, MS), and more!! 

Next up is the Starkville Area Arts Council Holiday Showcase with an opening reception on Thursday, 15 November 2018 from 5:30-7 PM. I will have three pictures in that one including "Phoenix", "Purple Flowers", and "Mayan Rebirth". Come check out the cool art and have some fun snacks and wine!! 

This Saturday, November 17, I will be conducting a workshop on botanical illustration and sketching at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens in Birmingham, AL. If this goes well, I plan on doing some similar things on my property in Sessums if there is interest! 

On Friday, November 30, from 6 to 9 pm, we have some MacGown Art for sale at a fun pop up show at the Elegance Dance Hall space on Front Street in Meridian, MS. 

The next day, December 1, we will be set up at the Pop Poporium from 11 to 5 for our second annual Christmas Pop Up Show. You won't want to miss this one, as we will have several new vendors selling their artistic creations! 

Following the Pop Porium Show, I will likely take a brief break from these types of events, but if you want some art from me, just let me know. 

Busy Summer for MacGown Art

Whew, I have not posted on here in a while. But there has been plenty going on. Following the numerous events in April, both Joseph MacGown and I had art on display at the Gumtree Arts Festival in Tupelo on 12 and 13 May and at Sunday Funday on 27 May and 24 June. I had 5 pieces in the "Recent Winners of the Cotton District Juried Arts Show" on display at the Greater Starkville Development Partnership Office in June with the show moving to the West Point Arts Council gallery later in June (up through August).

Our next Sunday Funday is this coming Sunday, 22 July 2018, from 1-6 PM near the Parthenon on University Drive in Starkville. This kid friendly event is really growing and we will have four musical acts featuring Bryce Mitchell, Brent Varner, Nick Crews, and Flathead Ford; there will be about 30 art vendors there; some light food vendors; art activities for kids in the Parthenon; and more! Come see us. The first two were hot, but a blast!

Joseph and I completed three large paintings commissioned by Jay Yates, co-owner of the Veranda Restaurant in Starkville. Each piece was about 7 x 3 feet and they are hanging in the veranda section!

I have been busy working on various projects including a recently finished piece called "Parasitism", which is an ink on wood work about 22 x 32 inches.

Super Bulldog Weekend 20-22 April 2018 packed with art and music!!!

Del Rendon Foundation Art Show - Friday, April 20, 6-9 PM 

That's right, from 6 to 9 pm on Friday, April 20, 2018 we are putting on an art show featuring prints on paper and canvas done by Del Rendon, along with originals and reproductions by Joe MacGown, Joseph MacGown, and Belle Naugher (director of the Gumtree Museum of Art in Tupelo, MS). We will be playing music by Del Rendon and his various bands, there will be food provided by Jay Yates, Veranda owner and chef, and we will have some type of beverages on hand! 

The show will be held at the Del Rendon Foundation headquarters located at 100 GT Thames Drive, Suite CI, just off of Stark Road in Starkville, MS. This building is beside Starkville Physical Therapy and just down the road from Hollywood Premier Cinemas. 

We have already sold two big canvas prints of the dead entertainer series by Del, and several prints. We have plenty of 13 x 19 inch prints of 11 of Del's works for $20 each! Currently we have 3 canvases of the four dead entertainers left left: 18 x 54 inch stretched and mounted on wood backing ($225, printed at Copy Cow), one 23 x 56 inch canvas mounted on foam core ($225, printed at Chalet Arts), and one 23 x 56 inch canvas mounted on foam core and professionally framed ($500, printed at and framed at Chalet Arts). We have already sold two other canvas prints!! Thanks. These prices for the three left are only possibility due to the Generosity of the Snell's who own Copy Cow and Mark Wood, owner of Chalet Arts! Thanks so much. 

Cotton District Arts Festival - Saturday, April 21, 2018

The Cotton Festival returns to Starkville and once again will be held in conjunction with Super Bulldog Weekend! From 9 to 4 pm come see the many art vendors and food trucks that will completely fill the Cotton District!!! Joseph and I will have two tents full of trippy art this year! Also, I have two small weird ink drawing/paintings on wood that will be in the Small Works Juried Show. Note that this year, the show will be held in a much smaller building located at 203 Maxwell!!

DelFest 2018 

Delfest 2018 will start at 6:30 PM at Dave's Dark Horse Tavern!! Come celebrate great local music during this fundraiser for the Del Rendon Foundation!!! Bands include Flathead Ford, Tuffskinz, CasterBunch, HotSAUCE, Shank and Maim, KannaWermz, Jenn Henderson, and Jimmy Redd! We will also have Del merch on hand for sale!  Thanks again to sponsors Chalet Arts, Copy Cow, Dave's Dark Horse Tavern, and Starkville Physical Therapy. 

Recent and Upcoming MacGown Art Showings!

Second Saturday Pop Up Art Show 

This past Saturday, March 10 we again showcased some of our art at the Second Saturday Pop Up Show held at the Pop Porium in Starkville, MS! This event is starting to grow with more vendors expressing interest to participate and with more people coming to view and buy art!! Thanks so much to Pop Porium owner Rosa Dalomba for allowing us to take over her store on the second Saturday of each month to do this! And thanks to Chalet Arts for their wonderful printing and framing of our art! 

Folks checking out art, shirts, and jams! 

Luisa Porter at the Kid's table

Postcards by Joe and Joseph MacGown, printed at Chalet Arts in Starkville

Joe MacGown drawing, Ella dancing on the sidewalk! 

Visionary Art Award Exhibition in Moscow, Russia (March 27 - April 1, 2018)

I was invited to put three pieces of art by organizer Oleg Korolev to put three pieces of mine in the upcoming Visionary Art Exhibition in Moscow, Russia. Because it prohibitively difficult for me to send originals of my bigger pieces, I have sent digital images which will be printed full size and hung in the Show. The works I will have in the show are Convergence, Pentamerous Archetypes, and As Above, So Below. Some of the other artists involved include Oleg Korolev, Philip Rubinov Jacobson, Martina Hoffmann, A. Andrew Gonzalez, Daniel Mirante, Amanda Sage, Shahla Rosa, and Brigid Marlin.

More Info: The international project " Visionary Art Award" will be held in the historical center of Moscow city, at one of the best Moscow exhibition grounds - in the "Moscow House of Artists".The dates of the exhibition: March 27 - April 1, 2018. 

Moscow House of Artists 

Pentamerous Archetypes, by Joe MacGown

Convergence, by Joe MacGown

As Above, So Below, by Joe MacGown 

Queer Art Market (March 24)

We will be set up with two tents choc full of weird MacGown art at the first ever Queer Art Market in Starkville, MS. This will take place at the Fire Station Park at the intersection of Russell and Lampkin Streets from 8 AM to Noon on March 24. A Pride parade will follow the art market. For more info on this event and/or how to be a vendor go the Queer Art Market page on the Starkville Pride website. 

Meridian Art Walk (April 7, 2018)

Joseph and I will return to Meridian, MS to participate in the Meridian ArtWalk on April 7, 2018 from 8 AM to 1 PM in front of Union Station! I will be the featured artist at this event, so come out and see what I have to say about art and life and check out some art!

Flyer for the Meridian Artwalk! 

Twisted Fairy Show (April 13, 2018)

MacGown Art will fit right in at the Twisted Fairy Show planned for Friday the 13th from 7 to 10 PM in downtown Meridian, MS inside the Elagance Ballroom Dance and Fitness Studio on Front Street. In addition to our weirdness, there will be a plethora of other trippy folks selling their wares! You won't want to miss this event! 

Some twisted fairies by Joe A. MacGown

Second Saturday Pop Up Art Show (April 14, 2018)

Yes! Another Second Saturday Pop Up Show at the Pop Porium in Starkville, MS from noon til 6PM. Don't miss out on seeing the wonderful variety of local art that will be here! 

The Montgomerys checking out some MacGown Art at a Second Saturday event

Cotton District Arts Festival (April 21, 2018)

MacGown Art will be set up in two tents this year at the Cotton District Arts Festival in Starkville, MS, which will take place on April 21, 2018 from 9 AM to 5 PM! Coinciding with Super Bulldog Weekend, this year's festival promises to be the biggest ever! I guarantee you will not be disappointed with the selection of art at our tents or in the festival in general! 

Joe and Joseph MacGown at the 2017 Cotton District Arts Festival 

MacGown Art in the Golden Triangle, thanks to our supporters!!

My trippy art boy Joseph MacGown and I stay busy with our art. We both create art every day, pushing, exploring, creating, playing. Of course, as a result we have art building up! So, we are finding ways to display and to sell our original art and reproductions. I have to say, our local area has become more and more receptive to art! Even to our weird art. Not everyone of course, but our experiences have been mostly positive! So, thanks Starkville and Golden Triangle! 

Luisa Porter and Joe MacGown at 929 Coffee Pop Up Show

MacGown Art at the Prairie Arts Festival in West Point

MacGown Art at Earth Day at Ricks

Art party at the MacGown's place in Sessums

MacGown Art, talk and show at the Gumtree Gallery in Tupelo

MacGown Art at Sunday Funday in the Cotton District

MacGowns hanging Joseph MacGown's art at the Columbus Art Gallery

Starkville does have a huge and serious problem in that we do not have a city art gallery, and boy, this really bothers me. Fortunately, ALL of the surrounding towns and colleges in our area do have galleries where we can exhibit. So thanks West Point, Columbus, Tupelo, MSU, Itawamba Community College, Mississippi University for Women, East Mississippi Community College, and others! But gosh dang it Starkville Arts Council – get a gallery. Luckily in Starkville,  a bunch of local businesses have come through to fill this void and have opened their doors to local artists putting art in there. These business owners are fantastic! At the top of the list is Chalet Arts who does more to promote and aid local artists than anyone else! Also a big shout out to the Camp family who are at the center of supporting arts in the Cotton District!  Here are some of the top local businesses who are supporting the arts (not in any particular order): The Pop Porium (allows pop up shows and lets us hang art permanently), the Starkville Book Mart and Cafe (pop up shows, local artists and authors have their work there - Joseph and I have postcards there),  929 Coffee (pop up show, and recently the under 40 show), Scooters Records (Joseph MacGown has art hanging on the walls and prints for sale), Commodore Bob's (all the art on the walls is mine), the Serendipity Hippie (local artists have work there), Moe's Barbeque (local art on the wall), Bin 612 (local art on walls), City Bagel (local art), Rick's Cafe (pop up shows, weekly live painting and sales events, etc.), Two Brothers Smoked Meats (have bought art and were big supporters of Sunday Funday), and the Veranda (owner Jay Yates is a huge supporter of the arts). 

MacGown Postcards at the Book Mart

MacGown Art at the Pop Porium

MacGown art at Commodore Bobs

MacGown Art at Rick's Cafe

Joseph MacGown's art at 929 Coffee

Joseph MacGown's art at Scooter's Records

MacGown Art at the Cotton District Festival

MacGown Art at the Bulldog Bash (downtown Starkville)

MacGown Art at the Depot Gallery on MSU Campus (a few years ago)

Joe MacGown Art happenings in January

Second Saturday Pop Up Shows  at the Pop Porium

It has been a busy month with lots of stuff happening, as always! We had our inaugural Second Saturday Pop Up Art Show at the Pop Porium Popcorn shop on Main Street, in Starkville, MS on January 13, 2018! Despite frigid temps, we had a steady crowd of art loving folks swing by and view and/or purchase art. In addition to my own art, my son Joseph had art there, as well as several other vendors! We have several more Second Saturdays planned through at least May with the next occurring on February 10 from 12 to 6 pm. Come by and see what we will have!

Joe and Joseph MacGown Art Setup at the Pop Porium

Buying art! 

Taylor Dunn, Andrea Rendon, and Joseph MacGown

Pop Porium Art Sales

Our Second Saturdays look to be a hit! But, wait, there's more! Rosa Dalomba, Pop Porium owner will be working with several of us local artists to sell art in her store on a regular day to day basis! Art will range from the trippiness of us MacGowns to beautiful ceramic works by some amazing local potters!  Look for this soon! 

MacGown Postcards for sale at the Book Mart

Wow! Local businesses are embracing us and our art! Carolyn Abadie, owner of the Book Mart and Cafe on Main Street in Starkville, invited Joseph and I to put up a rack of some of our colorful postcards! All cards were printed at our amazing local Chalet Arts in Starkville! Go buy some of these wonderfully printed cards and your proceeds will go toward us and Carolyn! 

Joe MacGown art in Commodore Bobs

Yet another business, Commodore Bobs, has provided me with an opportunity to sell art! Commodore Bobs is a crazy good little restaurant tucked away in Starkville's Cotton District. Basically, all the art on the walls is now mine and for sale. The art is aquatic themed, as is the restaurant. Go check them out and while you are there, give a glance at my art. If you like it, let me or the folks there know, and I will gladly it to ya! Here are few images of some of the art I have at Commodore Bobs! 

The entrance to Commodore Bobs. 

Some cool ink painting of fish on wood, $500 each

Inquistive Fish, this is a framed print on canvas, only $150

Red Fish, acrylic on wood, 24 x 48 inches, $850

A primitive fish I painted on wood, only $350

This blue crab was done with India ink on wood and is double framed. Its available  for only $350