We had the good fortune of connecting with Gail Delger and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gail, what do you think makes you most happy? Why?
I really am happy when I am painting and creating. I like coming up with ideas for my art that I feel are hopefully different than what other artists are creating.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I started selling my art in the Garret Art Gallery in McKinney in 1996. The 5 owners of the gallery were very helpful in getting me started professionally. Several years later I became one of the 5 owners of the gallery after one of the artists moved out of state. After 17 years of learning the ins and outs of owning a gallery, I was able to start my own gallery, LAST Art Gallery in McKinney. I owned it for 4 ½ years until I decided I didn’t have enough time to create my art if I had to work 5 days a week , so I turned it over to the artists and it became a CO-OP gallery. That gave me more time to paint and the freedom to do outdoor shows where I can bring my art to different parts of Texas.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Whenever friends come in town, we take to the Cotton Mill where I have my studio in the Millhouse. The Cotton Mill is an amazing structure and so unique for McKinney. There are many artists in the Cotton Mill and Millhouse and you can see their studios and even them working in their studios many times from 9-5 during the week. We will also take them to downtown Mckinney where they can walk around and see the shops and restaurants. There are so many good restaurants in the downtown area, like Cadillac Pizza, The Yard, Spoons, Harvest, Ricks and many more.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My family has been very supportive of my art. My husband, Al helps me with whatever I need to cut and create surfaces to paint on and also helps with the outdoor show set ups, when possible. My 2 sons are also helpful with my webpage and critiquing my work in the final stages.

Website: gaildelger.com

Instagram: @gaildelger

Facebook: facebook.com/gaildelgerartist

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