The rotating BIPOC artist gallery at our West 7th store continues this winter with a new local artist, Margaret Vergara. You can purchase their prints and original artwork through the end of March, with 100% of the proceeds going directly to the artist.
“Margaret Vergara is a queer, disabled, Asian American artist and designer based in Minneapolis. They are currently a Public Functionary Studios Resident in Studio 306 in the Northrup King Building. They work primarily as a painter creating abstracted landscapes that reflect their experiences with mental health, family, and disability. Their art often explores the relationship, interaction, and coexistence of conflicting emotions, such as pain and joy or gratitude and rage. Beyond painting, Margaret also dabbles in book arts, digital design, collages, ceramics, and printmaking.
Margaret is a self-taught painter who first started painting when they were eight. The process eventually became a form of self-therapy where they would use the medium to process negative emotions and transform them into calming landscapes. After several brain injuries, painting became a way of navigating chronic physical pain as well as their struggles with mental health. While much of their recent work is abstract, their history of painting landscapes bleeds through often and many elements reminiscent of water and mountains can be found in their pieces.
Margaret uses collages as a way of exploring and experimenting with color and texture. Instead of having an end goal in mind, they focus on creating small moments that they build off of to make humorous compositions. They prioritize incorporating a sense of play into their practice and love figuring things out as they happen.
you can find more art and information at Margaret’s website About – Vergara Art and Design (vergaraartdesign.com) or on Instagram @marg.verg.art
Are you interested in being a future featured artist?
We’d love to hear from you! We are accepting applications on a rolling basis.