Maggie Kotuk was born and raised in New York City’s Greenwich Village in 1945.

Finishing a double Master’s degree in History and Education at New York University in 1971, she took a turn to the arts as her life was radically changing. Self-taught, Maggie’s primary interest has been in portraiture and figurative work. She has been given many commissions, several of which are in museum collections.

In 1971, while pregnant with her first child, Nicholas, Maggie remembers a disheartening conversation with highly acclaimed and recognized artist, Charles Gwathmey, a family friend. He said, ‘Maggie, if you want to be an artist you have to make a choice between being a mother and being an artist. You can’t do both.”

She was shocked to hear this. She finished her Master’s Degree, had her baby, then another child, Amanda in 1973. She went on to lead a multi-dimensional, multi-faceted life of painting, teaching (High School European and American History), parenting, and horse farm ownership and management. John's lane Farm LLC is the only horse farm in East Hampton that specializes in the breeding, training and selling of registered star Friesians from Holland. See Maggie Kotuk John’s Lane Farm LLC.

“ When one has a passion for expression in life, no matter what form it takes, just go for it!"

…Maggie Kotuk