SOMA Living October 2025

the Utility Box Project, with their design on Springfield Avenue near Tuscan and Burnett. In April 2025, Magie earned a full size mural commission from Springfield Avenue Maplewood, which marked another milestone in her career. Blending their families was, in Magie’s words, “a Brady Bunch situation.” Together, they parent four remarkable children: Lakota, who studies at Kean University; Charlie and Levi, who attend Columbia High School; and Margo, the spark behind the shop’s name and a student at MMS. “They are all artists in their own way,” Magie says. Lakota is carving a creative path, Charlie and Levi are learning guitar, and Margo plays cello. In March, Margo had her debut in the youth art show titled Just Like a Girl at the 1978 Arts Center on Springfield Avenue. Magie taught her how to make a self portrait, and that is what she painted for the exhibit. Magie’s work stretches far beyond the studio and wall. As DJ MagieVision, she lights up local events with music. As co producer of the SOMA Affordable Art Show, she helps make art accessible to all. Her murals have earned praise from design review boards, including her commission for the former Staten Island Landfill, now the largest public park in the New York City boroughs. “Public art is my love letter to the places we call home,” Magie says. “There is something magical about transforming a blank wall into a story everyone can see.” The couple’s collaborative spirit is visible in every corner of Maplewood. “Brian and I never stopped being muralists,” she says. “We expanded our canvas to include our family, our neighbors, and our town.” For the McGowans, art and music infuse daily life. “Family and creativity go hand in hand,” Magie says. “We are always building, imagining, and supporting one another. Home is not just a place. It is the art we make together.” With each brushstroke, each tattoo, and each shared meal, the McGowan family continues to color Maplewood with joy, resilience, and connection. “Our story is a mural still in progress, and there is always room for more color.”

See where the magic happens as more than 100 artists in two New Jersey towns welcome visitors into their studios

OCTOBER 2025 | SOMA LIVING 7

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