Covid, Art, and Change

 Wowzers! What a year. I retired from my job as a scientific illustrator/research technician on July 1, I got remarried on October 10 to Jennifer, a wonderfully creative lady, and we have made lots of progress on building an art retreat at our property located in Sessums, Mississippi. 

Joe and Jennifer MacGown

Yep, I have long wanted to create an art retreat of some type where people can come look at art, create art, participate in art and music events, to enjoy and learn about nature, and even to start an artist in residence program. The idea sounds a bit crazy, but I believe it is feasible. 

the front of our art house

living room area with art on wall and art border

kitchen/dining

We plan on turning the existing house into a place for resident artists to stay while visiting and using other rooms as inexpensive sleeping options for various guests who may be at an event or something. We will be building a small cabin near the pond to live in, which gives us this amazing option! If all goes well, we are hoping to be ready by the fall of 2021. We already have a functioning studio, are about 80% complete on a cool art cabin/studio, have started building a gallery/workshop, and have a cool pavilion on the pond, which would be perfect for musicians to play on! 

pavilion on a snowy  day

art cabin

gallery/workshop started

rafters

studio

One goal is to have an artist in residence come stay for one to three weeks, with perhaps 3-4 artists per year. I would like each artist to leave their footprint on the property in same way such as creating a sculpture, painting a mural (or helping), doing a painting, or some other expression of what they do. Also, I am hoping to have artists conduct workshops in the gallery/workshop building that I recently started building. 

a fun view of studio and pavilion from pond

painting in the canoe! 

I am looking forward to completing these projects so we can get started on hosting art events as well as showcasing our own art! 

current work

love my inks

some of Joseph's whimsical ceramic pieces

Happy new year! 

Arthrobryozoic Naiad heads to the Meridian Museum of Art

So I entered the 46th Annual Meridian Museum of Art Bi-State Art Competition, 2020 and got my Arthrobryozoic Naiad piece accepted. This is a fun piece I did last year that can be viewed at different angles and has lots of cool layers. It is 24 x 48 inches and done entirely with blue ink on primed birch plywood. 

I often enter this competition and have had some luck with awards. It is always a great show with lots of talented artists from Alabama and MIssissippi. As in other years, quite a few art faculty members will have art in the show, which is great! 

This year's juror is Stephanie Smith, an artist, printmaker, and educator. She earned her B.F.A from the Atlanta College of Art and a M.F.A. with Distinction from the University of Georgia in 1997. Smith is a Senior Lecturer at the University of West Georgia where she teaches drawing, 2D design, printmaking and book arts as well as serving as gallery director. In 2005 she co-founded the non-profit arts organization the Atlanta Printmakers Studio and served as President for the first five years. I imagine selection of accepted pieces was not easy with 322 entries by 114 artists entered. At the end of the day Smith selected 65 works by 51 of those artists. 

Definitely come check this show out and the historic museum itself. Exhibition dates are March 10 - May 16, 2020. There will be an awards reception from 2 to 4 pm on Saturday, May 16, 2020. Please come and join us for what I am sure will be another great show. I personally am looking forward to the reactions to my piece, which could be considered a little risque. 

Arthrobyrozoic Naiad

Arthrobyrozoic Naiad, upside down

Arthrobyrozoic Naiad, detail of top area

Arthrobyrozoic Naiad, detail of central area

Arthrobyrozoic Naiad, detail of bottom section, upside down

Arthrobyrozoic Naiad, detail of bottom left area 

Here is the  list of artists who will have work in the competition/exhibition: 

2020 Meridian Museum of Art BiState Artists

Abreeza Thomas

Addie Louis

AlexTownsend-

Andrea Kostyal

Anne O'Hara

Barbara-Ann Carver-Hunt

Bo Kyle

Brittany Davis

Carolyn Norton

Cecelia Moseley

Charlotte Wegrznowski

David Diodate David

David Stevens

Debra Eubanks

Dee Falls

Euphus Ruth

Gail Morton

Gary Howse

George Ann McCullough

Hanna Lewis

Hannah Wegner

Jill Hammes

Joan McRaney

Joe MacGown

Joe Morzuch

Joely Corban

John Bateman

Leslie Burns

Maria Hughes

Mark Brown

Mary‐Saphrona Grey

Melissa Thorson

Michelle Jones

MJ Dobbins  Morgan

Pat Brown

Pat Gavin

Rachel Strain

Randy Hayward Jolly

Rick Anderson

Robert Gibson

Rowan Williams Haug

Sadako Lewis

Susa Nawrocki

Thomas Nawrocki

Tiffany V. McPeak

Tom Wegrzynowski

Victoria Nichols

Virginia Rougon Chavis

Wesley Ortiz

Whitson Ramsey

William T. Dooley

MacGown Art at the Prairie Arts Festival - 2 September 2017

This Saturday, 2 September 2017 from 9 AM to 4 PM, Joseph and Joe will once again have a booth full of art at the Prairie Arts Festival in West Point, Mississippi.  This will be our third consecutive year to participate in the show!  Come see us. We will be set up in the grassy area near the water fountain. We will be the jokers with the weird to semi weird art. Some originals and plenty of affordable prints. Thanks again to our friends at Chalet Arts for their wonderful framing and printing!! 

A 2 x 4 ft triptych on wood I have been working on! 

There is so much going on with the arts in our area lately! Awesome!! The Greater Starkville Development Partnership has a "Night Market" planned for this coming Friday evening, 1 September from 7 to 9 PM at the Fire Station Park on Russell Street. A $20 ticket will get you free food and beer samples, a few artsy vendors with be present, some local retailers, etc. Last year they had music, though it's unclear if they will this year. It a pregame sort of get-together, and lots of MSU Bulldog apparel clad fans are sure to be present. That same night, at Mary Holmes College in West Point will be the 22nd annual Black Prairie Blues Festival starting at 5:30 PM! You don't want to miss this wonderful event!!! On the same day as the arts festival in West Point there will be an art walk in Meridian, which we obviously can't do. On Thursday, 14 September, from 5:30-7 PM, the Starkville Area Arts Council will have a reception for the Abstract Show at the Greater Starkville Development Partnership Gallery at 200 Main Street in Starkville! Both Joseph and I will have 3 abstract pieces in this show for sale. The following day, Friday, 15 September, the Bulldog Bash will be happening in downtown Starkville with art, food, and other vendors present from 2 to 6 PM, then free music that evening!! We are planning on having some of our MacGown art there for that. The next Sunday Funday in the Cotton District is slated for 17 September from 12 to 6 PM. On Thursday, 28 September from 5 to 7 PM, we will be participating in the Columbus Artwalk. Thanks to our  friends at Books & Boards on Main Street for inviting us to set up in their Store. The following Saturday, 7 October, we will be back in Meridian for the art walk downtown from about 10 AM to 2 PM. Following the art walk, we will head a couple blocks over to the Meridian Museum of Art for their annual BiState Competition reception. I had two pieces accepted into that show. October and November look to be equally busy! 

"Here 4 you//Interdimensional larval caveman" by Joseph MacGown 

A few pieces on wood in progress by Joe MacGown

"Subconscious Visions of Joe MacGown" at Gumtree Museum of Art, Tupelo, MS - 25 Jan- 24 March 2017

I will be having a one man show featuring both color and black and white pieces at Gumtree Museum of Art located on Main Street in Tupelo, Mississippi from January 25 through March 24. The opening reception will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 PM on Wednesday, January 25th.  Gallery hours are 10 AM to 4 PM on Tuesdays through Fridays. 

Caleb Hutson and Holly Rebecca Rumbarger are planning some live music during the opening. 

Thanks to the Gumtree Museum of Art and director Belle Naugher for the opportunity to show my art there, thanks to Mark Wood and Chalet Arts for their continued support, and to Tesheva for inspirational 
music.

Some samples of what I will have in the show (below). 

Joe MacGown's Surreal and Semi Strange Visions Exhibition, Starkville, MS

I will be having an exhibition of some of my weird art at the Mississippi Modern Homesteading Center in Starkville, MS from 15 May through 15 July 2014. There will be an opening reception from 6-8 PM on Thursday, 15 May 2014. Works are primarily for display, but are also for sale. Originals ranges from $450 to $11,000. Yep, $11,000. Hell, I probably won't sell one for that price here in a small town, but based on the hours alone that I have in some of these, this is a bargain. Throw in the fact that I have exhibited side by side with some amazing international artists in various countries, and well, these might even be a good investment!  These are one of a kind pieces of original artwork that no one else will ever be do. I have a unique style that I have  been developing for over 40 years. I can safely say that nobody else in this part of the world is doing anything remotely similar. I will also have archival prints of many works, including some that will not be in this exhibition, and a few soft cover copies of my new art book available for sale (check or cash only). The book is 96 pages, 8.5 X 11 inches, and with glossy interior pages. Price: $40. Filled with loads of art! I also have hard back copies of this book available online for $64.51. You can purchase this version of the book and see a preview of the cover and inside of this book at http://www.blurb.com/b/5265025-subconscious-meandering. 

Convergence

Directions to the Homesteading Center from Starkville: Go West on Hwy 12 past Wal-mart. Fork right at the Shell Station onto New Lite Rd or Old Hwy 12. Go 1.4 miles and turn right on Ridgewood Rd. At first fork go left onto Lake Valley Rd. At second fork go right. Homestead is 2nd drive on right across from Lake Valley Gun Works.

Basically, I create chaotic assemblages of strange mutated creatures, crowded surreal landscapes, and mandala-like designs that reflect my thoughts and observations of life on this planet. Using imaginative imagery and random patterns, I produce detailed drawings and mixed media paintings by simply allowing ideas to “flow out of my head” using a method I describe as “Subconscious Meandering.” My background in entomology and natural history, coupled with my love of science fiction and cynicism of all things human, provide ample fodder for my surreal visions, which range from dark and foreboding to light and whimsical.

Ambition

Henry's Fantastic Undersea World

Organic Cosmic Lock

Cancer

Thanks a bunch to the Buellers for asking me to have this show at their place, and to to Jessica Cheek for helping me put this together. 

Totem Pagan Goddess