About the Artist

Born in 1952, Moriat Gary McNamara grew up in Florida but spent most of her adult life in New York City, where she pursued a career as a modern dancer. She later returned to university and earned a Master of Social Work (MSW). Over the years, she was exposed to a diverse range of art, but at that time, she was merely a passionate observer. Her art education was shaped by this, as well as her studies in art history and her previous marriage to an accomplished realist painter. In 2021, after moving to Williamstown, MA, she enrolled in an oil painting class, despite having no prior experience. Since then, she has been creating abstract images.

She approaches each piece as a form of play, improvisation, experimentation, and meditation. It is fueled by her love of movement, color, form and a fascination with the mysteries of the unconscious mind. In trusting the process, she’s often led to unexpected and exciting results.

Her paintings emerge spontaneously. She uses mediums that include oil paint, gouache, oil pastels, charcoal, ink and chalk. In layering and blending colors on the canvas, she moves through the chaos in search for a sense of order. For collages, she collects torn paper, fabric, and other materials that she uses to improvise throughout the process.  

For additional information, 

Please contact Moriat at moriatgary@gmail.com