Micropolis Cooperative Gallery, located inside Mohawk Harvest Cooperative Market at 30 N. Main St. in Gloversville, will host a “Meet the Artists Reception” on Sept. 20 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The featured guest artist is Garlyn MaGinnis, who is a contemporary abstract landscape painter.
Her passion for painting began in early childhood, first inspired by her mother, who was also an artist. Growing up in the idyllic woodland of Te-No-To-Ge, she developed an interest in Native American art and spirituality. While in college, a semester in Greece and Egypt deepened her interest in ancient culture and influenced her artmaking. Garlyn graduated with honors from The College of Saint Rose in 1993 with a bachelor’s degree in graphic design. After college, she worked as a historic site interpreter and a stained glass artisan.
Garlyn has spent the last two decades raising three children and working at her hometown school, all the while painting various subject matters. In 2020, she almost put her brushes away for good. It was a turning point. She would either find her voice in paint or quit. The pandemic lockdown provided an opportunity for Garlyn to contemplate her authentic place in the art world. She began making the kind of art she wanted to see more of. Weathered, well-worn, rustic, oxidized surfaces began to emerge and dissipate into wispy cloud mists and stormy seas. Her small studies have since evolved into much larger works.
Garlyn’s paintings are shown in numerous art exhibits and displayed in private homes across the country. Garlyn is a member of the Cooperstown Art Association, The Smithy Gallery, The Arts Factory, The Paul Nigra Center for Creative Arts, and Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts.
“My paintings convey the essence of land and the formlessness of atmosphere through abstraction and minimalism. Often blending pigments with my bare hands and using a variety of mark making tools, I create “weathered” canvases. Texture is applied with gesso, sawdust, and coffee grounds, which is then scraped and sanded away until the desired effect is achieved. Internal dialogue and environmental forces are revealed in layers of acrylic paint and mixed media. My paintings welcome you into ethereal realms where you will find a meditative space for your own inner reflection,” Garlyn said.