We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Marina Delaney. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Marina below.
Marina, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
In 2017, I co-founded the Cayuga Arts Collective (CayAC), an organization that is fiscally sponsored by the Trumansburg Conservatory of Fine Arts (TCFA), a cultural center in the Finger Lakes region of New York State. Our mission is to build community that fosters creativity in the visual arts. We have an annual show at TCFA that brings in hundreds of visitors and host programs and classes throughout the year. We have grown in number from about fifty charter-members in 2017 to more than one hundred and twenty artist-members today.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I am a multi-media artist who has been working in the visual arts for over four decades. In addition to my formal training as an artist, art historian and painting conservator (Winterthur Graduate Fellowship Program), I completed a year of study at the Barnes Institute; received a Samuel H. Kress Foundation Fellowship for advanced study in Milan, Italy; and conducted a yearlong post-graduate research fellowship at the Smithsonian Institution.
Following my studies, I taught both art history and drawing on the college level for twelve years, until moving to the Ithaca area in the central New York area where I have focused on independent projects since 2008. In addition to participating in numerous exhibitions as both an artist and curator, I co-founded a non-profit arts collective, that will be celebrating its ten year anniversary in 2026. I also own and run a small seasonal flower farm specializing in artisanal bouquets.
As an artist, I’ve been involved with a number photo essays including ‘Graffiti of Barcelona’; ‘Dachau Concentration Camp’; and the ‘Dead Couch Project’ — all of which have been exhibited in or around Ithaca. I’ve also been involved with Ithaca Drawing Group, dedicated to figure drawing/painting. This has lead to several projects including the show ‘Nineteen Nudes’, a collection of watercolor and ink drawings; as well as a paper doll and greeting cards series. Currently I am working on a publication based on a series of mixed-media portraits I exhibited in 2023. The book is being sponsored by the Ulysses Historic Society in Trumansburg, NY, through a grant from the Nelson B. Delavan Foundation. Beginning January 1, 2025 and continuing through December 31, I launched #beautyeveryday on my Instagram account where I post a daily photo of something beautiful that I’ve encountered in my day’s doings. The three hundred and sixty five images will result in a projected installation at the end of the year.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is having a positive impact on those around me.
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
The driving force in my life is the pursuit of beauty in everything I do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.marinadelaney.com
- Instagram: marinamdelaney
Image Credits
Marina Delaney – Photographer
Mark Costa – Graphic Designer