For over a century, our region has been home to extraordinary artists. Local Arts Index highlights the work of individuals who continue our community’s rich creative legacy.
Meet Stephanie Gagos.
How Did You Become An Artist?
I became an artist at the age of 40. Prior to that my creative outlet was always creative writing. I was never “any good at art” or so I believed from the time I was a child. As an adult, I became a middle school teacher, and later left teaching to go into the healing and self- improvement field as a certified life coach.
Then one day I saw a free online healing art course and was curious about how I could combine art and healing with the women I was working with. I have never looked back.
I fell completely in love with painting. I watched videos, took a few online classes and painted every day. One day I realized, I was now an artist, and it wasn’t just side gig. It is now a part of who I am. I know I will spend the rest of my life painting and creating in some way or another.
What Kind Of Art Do You Make?
I mostly paint mixed media. I love combining inks, acrylic paints, spray paint, oil pastels, chalk pastels, and collage. I use bright and vivid colors and mostly paint faces, although I occasionally paint abstracts.
I am most interested in painting the many aspects of the feminine in all of her powerful forms: the healer, the warrior, the innocent, the inner child, the angelic, the goddess. I will often use color, symbols and imagery to convey their essence. There is always a story behind each of the women or girls in my paintings.
What’s Your Muse?
I am mostly inspired by color, but I also derive much of what I paint from my own internal struggle, my own reclaiming of parts of myself lost in childhood. My emotional life and healing path often inspire me and end up on the canvas. My other muse is my beautiful and passionate daughter. Some of my faces look like her in some way. She influences my work more than she knows.
What’s Next?
The Handmade Online Holiday Auction
Starting on December 1st and running through Dec 13th, Gagos is facilitating the Handmade Online Holiday Auction, featuring 16 amazing artists. Items include original paintings, prints, art dolls, jewelry and assemblage. Each day, an artist will be featured and 15-20 items per day will be auctioned with some overnight auctions. Each item will have a starting bid and closing time. Highest bidder at the closing time wins the item. Click here to find out more about making a bid.
To learn more about Stephanie visit stephaniegagos.com
Local Arts Index is sponsored by Maria Luisa, 77 South Broadway and ML by Maria Luisa, 75 South Broadway, Nyack, NY