Meet Joe MacGown

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Joe MacGown. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Joe below.

Joe, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
How do I keep my creativity alive? This a question I am often asked because I am a prolific producer of a variety of styles of art. People wonder where my inspiration comes from, do I ever have artistic block, and how do I produce so much art. For me, inspiration is everywhere, but I am especially drawn to nature and the interwoven tapestry that ties all life together. I love to create detailed and often seemingly chaotic surreal pieces of art, and although some folks have suggested that my art is weird, it pales in comparison to organisms present in our natural systems. In addition to being an artist, I worked as a researcher at the Mississippi Entomological Museum for over thirty years before retiring in 2020 (ha! back part time now). I have had the opportunity to study nature both in the field and in a lab, viewing interesting creatures and observing their habits on a daily basis. But the natural world is only a part of what feeds my creativity as I find great inspiration from observing humans, our habits and beliefs, and the way in which we affect the planet for better or worse. My art ranges widely from natural history paintings and drawings to chaotic and highly detailed surreal drawings and mixed media pieces. My art clearly reflects the myriad influences that I see daily. Beyond making two-dimensional art, I also play guitar and other stringed instruments, write, do wood-working and carpentry, garden, and continue my research of insects. Keeping creativity alive is not the problem, but rather, holding back the flow of ideas and having time to create is the bigger issue. So, I have yet to experience artistic block and by making art in one form or another, I keep my creativity alive. As far as “how do I make lots of art,” the simple answer is I devote huge chunks of time to creating art, and I have been making work for many years. In general, I am working on something art or science related 14–16 hours a day, every day.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Since I retired from my full-time job as an entomologist, I have had more time to devote to a huge dream of mine, to create an art retreat of sorts. During the last four years, I have made wonderful strides toward achieving this goal and have established the MacGown Art Retreat and Studio (MARS) on our scenic rural property located in central Mississippi. Although still very much in progress we now boast an artist in residence program which allows an artist or artists to stay rent free for 1–3 weeks in our guest cabin or in the “art-house” with the purpose of creating art. We offer up to four artists per year a stipend and also set them up with a one-night exhibition. Funding for stipends come from a wonderful local nonprofit organization called the Del Rendon Foundation, of which I am a board member; grants for agencies such as the Mississippi Arts Commission; and from private donors. As of this time, we are the only independent group in Mississippi who offers a paid artist in residence program.

Of course, making art is my primary focus. I am fortunate to have had the opportunity to show my art both locally and worldwide. In the last ten years, I have had 15 solo exhibitions, participated in over 70 regional group shows, and exhibited my art in 35+ international group shows in the USA, Canada, Colombia, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Nepal, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Portugal, Russia, Serbia, and other countries. My art has been featured in numerous articles in newspapers, magazines, books, websites, and more. I also enjoy giving presentations to both high school and college students about my art. I hope to continue showcasing my art in as many places as possible from small artwalks to large international exhibitions.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
As I look back through the years that led up to my current place as an artist in time and space, I can see how my particular set of skills and an ability to manage time have benefited me. My early family life was a mixture of exploration and realization. Our family did not have much money, and to help with bills such as rent, I began working at 13 years old. I learned to manage my schedule around work, school, creating art, and other activities. Family struggles made life difficult at times and even affected my finishing college. At an early age I decided not to compare myself to others or to blame anyone for my particular situation. Instead, I focused and becoming as good as I possibly could at anything I was interested in. I felt that if could use as many hours as possible in the day to learn and to hone my craft, eventually I would be noticed, and things would move in a positive direction. My philosophy has always been to be the best I can be at what I uniquely do and to not have a specific timetable to finish. If you do a little bit of numerous things consistently every day, then one day you will have something. As far as art goes, it does not matter how good you are if no one sees your art. I began entering local and national art contests in junior high and I offered my art for sale as early as 12 years old. Another valuable skill I learned was talking with other people and opening up the door to collaboration with individuals and community. Manage your time, work passionately, be patient, share your work, collaborate with others, and dream big.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
For anyone interested in collaborating with me artistically or curious about our artist in residence program, I encourage you to email me at: art@joemacgown.com.

Contact Info:

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