Casey McGlynn's 235 ideas for tattoos brings a unique perspective to his ever-evolving visual lexicon. Approaching his subject matter with vulnerability and a sense of humor, McGlynn's canvases are read like a visual diary. Symbolic animals, pop culture references, recognizable figures and influences, all appear alongside stories from the artist's day-to-day life. To celebrate the 26th anniversary show of his Ideas for Tattoos series, first unveiled in 1999, our February First Thursday opening featured a pop-up by local tattoo artist Colin O’Shaughnessy Tucker of Storm Bloom Tattoo. Limited edition flash tattoos from McGlynn's canvases were inked in gallery.

26 years ago, I had the idea to do a show of all small works called 235 ideas for tattoos. This show was a reaction to what was going on in art in the early 90s. A lot of heavy concepts and use of tables and displays of objects and writing that seemed so pretentious and out of touch with creativity. I wanted art to be more fun and personal and way less precious.

The show put me on the map in the Canadian art world. I owe a debt of gratitude to curator Katharine Mulherin who died a few years ago. She was a fearless pioneer and allowed her artists total freedom of expression. 26 years later, I’m still here partly because of her.

(Casey McGlynn)

McGlynn holds a Diploma from Ontario College of Art & Design, Toronto, ON. His work is shown across North America, including at Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, Boulder, CO; and Alabama State Council of the Arts, Montgomery, AL. McGlynn has received multiple awards and was a guest lecturer at several universities including at Brock University, St. Catherines, ON. His work is part of collections across North America.