Explore the Work of Artist M.G. Stout during Miami Art Week at Spectrum & Red Dot Art Fairs
Expressionist artist MG Stout, Mary Gallagher Stout, paints to relieve stress and exercise her brain intellectually and emotionally. Her creative process allows her to tap into her intuition, and go with the flow. The artist will be exhibiting at Spectrum Miami art fair in booth #1408 during Art Basel Miami Beach, a favorite fair by art lovers during Miami Art Week, the fair takes place at Mana Wynwood Convention Center from November 30 – December 4, 2022. Spectrum Miami is an upscale and urban curated contemporary art fair, located in Miami’s iconic Wynwood Art District. Mary will also be exhibiting at the Red Dot Miami fair in Booth #318 during art week with Jen Tough Gallery.
The artist is hosting her ‘50th Birthday Sale‘ this November with monthlong sales and celebrations of 50% off all inventory in her art studio (#7) at Studio 18 Art Complex in Pembroke Pines, Florida. All artwork is selling for 50% off, help the artist celebrate her 50th! MG actually turns 50 on Nov. 30th Opening Night – Gift her some Red Dots at Spectrum – sale ends Nov. 29!
We recently had the pleasure to chat with MG to learn more about her art career, recent work, as well as her current projects and upcoming art fair exhibitions during Miami Art Week:
Q – What is the best part about being an artist, and how did you get started on this path?
A – I get to explore ideas on my terms from my perspective and experiences. I choose optimism and living my best life. We were all born into this world with a purpose. Art making has given me the room to experiment with materials and ideas. It has created a safe space for me to fail, which for me, is how I learn. I’ve never learned anything from success. My work has taught me things about myself, the world I live in, and the world I want to create. It’s funny how that the more I learn, it seems the less I know. Life is complex and when new challenges emerge, my studio is a place to figure things out. Also the best part of painting is you become immortal. My paintings will be here long after I’m gone.
Q – Where does your inspiration come from?
A – I am an expressionistic painter fascinated by art making and art history. My work is about connecting to the past and the future. It’s about exploring what art is and sometimes what it isn’t. My work is about relationships. The relationship between the colors, the relationship of the subject hovering between the foreground and background. The emotional impact of color – and personal relationships to those colors, the feelings they conjure up. The push and pull between opacity and transparency – visual peeks through the subject as a metaphor for our relationship with ourselves and others – my relationship to the subject in space and time. Art as a quest for connection, to people, places, and ideas. Taking a bunch of ingredients and presenting them with my understanding and sensibility. Through becoming vulnerable people are more open to reach out and share their experiences and new connections are made and played forward.
Q – Who or what are your influences & which artist(s) do you admire most?
A – I have a vast group of influencers, here are a few: Franz Kafka’s “Metamorphosis”. My family and my friends: my relationship with those individuals and our personal histories and experiences together. Plato’s – Allegory of the Cave. Franz Marc – he painted a blue horse and his brave bold black and white paintings. Ninth Street Women by Mary Gabriel and all the painters – Elaine De Kooning, Joan Mitchell, Lee Krasner, Grace Hartigan, Helen Frankenthaler. Music: All genres. Pop culture. Dr. Suess, Dave Chapelle, My studio mates in SF & FL, Dorothy Parker, Jacob Lawrence, Langston Hughes, Tina Fey, RuPaul, Jim Henson. I learn most though the work.
Q – Tell us about your creative process. How do you begin/decide on a new series?
A – Stream of consciousness and pouring, dripping, smearing, rolling, paint onto the surface. My work taps into the kid in me who colored outside the lines and wanted to make something new and recognizable. I work on a bunch of paintings at once because I hate waiting for paint to dry. I create lots of layers and keep an eye out for patterns and direction. I move from one painting to another looking for the composition to reveal itself. I have no problem painting over something I’ve worked on for weeks. It’s about creating strong work that pushes me out of my depth and comfort zone.
Q – How do you navigate the art world, are there any trends you follow?
A – Navigating the art world requires you having a thick skin and staying true to your vision. I don’t follow the trends as they all tend to fade. I’m just always going to do me. I paint what I think is interesting, valuable, and positive.
Q – Of all the projects you’ve worked on over the years, what was your most enjoyable and why?
A – I really enjoyed the Have A Heart project we created at the Workhouse Arts Center, in Lorton VA. It was Valentine’s day and we didn’t want to put on another “RED” exhibition. We decided to make the community our Valentine. We partnered with Food For Other, a local food bank, and created an interactive installation. As a group we created over 1400 original works of art on a lunch bag and covered the entire gallery space. We choose the lunch bags because we wanted to demonstrate and remind the community about the power of art to make a real difference in our lives. We sold the paintings for $10 each. Folks would have a beautiful work of art and the bag was a reminder of their generosity to the food bank. As bags were sold and the wall became bare, the gallery was filling up with the food we purchased from all the donation we received. It was an amazing exhibition.
Q – Tell us about Miami Art Week – what you will be exhibiting at Red Dot & Spectrum?
A – I’m going to be exhibiting at Red Dot with Jen Tough Gallery and I’ve created brand new works on panel and paper for that exhibition. For Spectrum, I’ll be in booth 1408 and showcasing a bunch of new paintings from my latest series – “Remember the Time”. There will be a wall full of small, original works (8 x 8 acrylic on canvas, priced to sell at $150 each). The paintings are bold, colorful abstractions with memorable moments we’ve all experienced, painted in black and white. There are many images on view on my Instagram, and I’m accepting photos from anyone who’d like to submit photos of like images. Plus I’ve put a link on my Instagram to get your complimentary tickets to the show. I do hope you all come and see me. I’m new to Florida and I’m trying to find my people.
To learn more about this fascinating visual artist, please visit her website at www.mgstout.com. You can purchase works directly from her online store at https://www.mgstout.com/shop. MG Stout’s art studio is located at Studio 18 Art Complex, 1101 Poinciana Drive in Pembroke Pines, Florida 33025.
SPECTRUM & RED DOT – VIP/PRESS PREVIEW
Wednesday, November 30, 2022 | 5PM – 6PM
OPENING NIGHT PREVIEW
Wednesday, November 30, 2022 | 6PM – 9PM
SHOW HOURS
Thursday, December 1, 2022 | 12PM – 8PM
Friday, December 2, 2022 | 12PM – 8PM
Saturday, December 3, 2022 | 12PM – 8PM
Sunday, December 4, 2022 | 12PM – 6PM