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Work of My Second Self by Joy McGugan



Bravery looks different to everyone.


For Joy McGugan, bravery meant stepping into the unknown to explore the boundaries of her artistry. Work of My Second Self is a detour from the comfort zone of this lifelong artist from Hamlet, North Carolina.


"It non-objective and completely different from what I was doing," explains McGugan. "To me, it was stepping out of my comfort zone, and I even thought about using a pseudonym because I didn't know how people would take this body of work."


A trip to an art gallery in Asheville sparked Joy's curiosity in non-objective art and experimenting with different elements in her work. This exploration led to a beautiful body of work defined by a variety of colors, textures, and mediums.


"I called it my alter ego work to start with, and then I didn't like that name...so 'second self' is another term," says McGugan


This creative exploration doesn't mean Joy will abandon her old style, but it gives her a fresh take on something she's done for most of her life.


"It's just very gratifying to do these pieces."

Work of My Second Self is on display in the Local Artist Spotlight gallery until May 25th.


To learn more about Joy, visit her website. follow her on Instagram and Facebook.

To learn more about the Local Artist Spotlight Gallery, visit: https://www.wearethearts.com/localartistspotlightgallery

For regular updates on the Arts Council of Fayetteville | Cumberland County, follow us on Facebook (@ArtsCouncilFay), Instagram (@artscouncilfay) or LinkedIn.


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