Glencoe Mansion, Museum and Gallery in Radford is hosting an opening reception Tuesday, March 10, for the gallery show, “Travel Is Good for the Soul,” featuring the works of Cheryl Mackian.
The gallery will hold the reception from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Mackian, a Floyd-based artist, was born in Staunton, Va., and moved frequently when she was in her twenties, living in Washington, D.C; Providence, R.I., and Seattle, Wash. As a late-blooming artist, she began to take her creative streak seriously in her thirties by taking a series of art classes. When she experimented with oil paint for the first time, Mackian knew she had finally found her medium and her voice.
Her paintings are loosely representational. Use of light, vibrant color and unique angles of perspective are her trademarks. She begins with a rough outline and works intuitively across the surface, at times painting alla prima and in other places building layer by layer using brushes, scraping, palette knives, fingers and other improvised tools to convey her vision.
After a 2011 trip to New York City Mackian’s work turned suddenly to her inspiration in the energy, immensity, and diversity of city life. Her work features people, architecture and the motion of the cities themselves. Her figures tend to be utterly focused in their everyday activities; lost in thought, conversation, viewing art, shopping for dinner. These quiet pieces are juxtaposed by a series of paintings that celebrate motion, color, and the beat of the city itself.
Everyone is welcome to attend the reception. There is no admission charge. “Travel Is Good for the Soul” will be on display through May 7.
