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

Mary, thanks for joining us, before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

In the last few years, the main focus of my work has been creating abstract oil paintings and more recently my pieces contain representative objects and figures within the compositions. Although the subject matter makes changes along the way, my original abstract style is always present in the work. Oil paint provides a variety of possibilities through texture and color that inspire my process. Resisting the common conventions tied to traditional oil painting, there is no strict calculus or formula to mix my colors or create a composition. Instead I allow the time I would spend making a precise plan, to embrace an intuitive physical flow. My palette remains raw and ever-evolving. My compositions grow through fluidly layering paint on the canvases. When creating a piece, I share control with the medium allowing it’s power of chance and randomness to guide me to the completed work.

I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

For me, creating is my foundation for happiness. The creative process, to me, is about building my confidence and balance, working through my emotions, and facing both the big and little moments in life with intention. It is what I want to do on the good days and the bad days. Creating is a constant in my life, and I cannot conceive of a reality where it would not be.

I would be lying if I said that I never question whether life would be easier if I had a “regular job.” Obviously, making a living from creating comes with many challenges—the irregular income and rejection you face can become frustrating quickly. There have been times when things have not gone my way and my studio time is spent crying and questioning my abilities. However, when I allow myself to step back and look at all that I have accomplished, a different picture begins to take shape:

I get to be my own boss, share what I love to do with others, and go to a job every day that is driven by passion. I am proud of who I am as an artist and incredibly grateful to the community that has supported me along the way. I have dreamt of being a full-time artist my entire life, and I am doing it!

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

My Instagram account was originally created only with the intention to share what I was working on during senior year of my BFA program with my family and friends. That was the fall of 2020, and by the holiday season, I had sold my first painting through social media and was starting to recognize the opportunity that existed for me in that space. A few months later, COVID hit, my senior showcase, which I had been preparing for all year, was cancelled and I was back home living with my parents.

I set up a makeshift studio in the back room of my parent’s house that was cobbled together with the supplies I had collected over a lifetime and began creating content for my Instagram page. Everyone was stuck at home and looking for connection through social media, so it was a perfect opportunity to share all the work I had done for my (now cancelled) senior showcase as well as some behind-the-scenes perspective of my creative process. My online presence and sales grew quickly, and my perspective shifted from looking at social media as an opportunity for a successful side-hustle to treating it as its own fully-fledged business. There were plenty of growing pains and failures, but during this time I learned the lessons that still drive me forward on social media today:

Be your authentic self. Trying to be anyone else will exhaust you.
Post as if you already have one million followers. If one person connects with your post, it is a success, so your follower count does not really matter.
Just press share. Don’t look for validation from others first, as it distracts from being your most authentic self (see #1).

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

There are a ton of ways to support creatives. You do not have to buy their biggest piece, or any piece for that matter (though that certainly helps!) Show your support by attending local shows and events and bring friends! Many artists are sharing their work through social media these days, so they are battling the ever-changing algorithm. If you enjoy someone’s work, you can help them to amplify their reach by simply liking, saving, and commenting on their posts or sharing their content with others.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.marymccoymakes.com
• Instagram: @marymccoymakes
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marymccoymakes/
• Other: TikTok: @marymccoymakes