Art Exhibit: "Animalia" by Maggie Vandewalle

Gilded Pear Gallery is excited to present  "Animalia”, a  solo exhibition in the 2nd floor gallery. Exhibition on view August 14-October 28, 2023

“Animalia is a term used to describe any multicellular living thing, from the very real possibility of a tipsy bumble bee to the slightly more fantastical phenomenon known as a battycat (though the science may still be out on that last). When used as a title for this show, it allows for the continuing exploration of fur, feather and fin with just a whiff of story around the edges. While growing up, if I wasn’t outside, I would spend most of my time with my nose in books. From a young age I fervently hoped that if I looked hard enough or sat still long enough, I would discover all the talking animals and hidden doorways I knew to exist from the likes of Tolkien and Carroll. Instead I came to know mice and spiders and toads, as I roamed in the fields and woods around my home. It wasn’t until I was older that I understood the real magic had been in the fields themselves and the creatures I was privy to have watched while patiently waiting. As an artist I depict animals and their environments realistically but with quirks, a bit of humor and always with great respect”

Maggie Vandewalle was born and raised in Iowa City, Iowa. In 1981, she received an art scholarship to the University of Iowa where she worked toward a BFA in printmaking. After college, she gravitated to watercolor—a medium she uses almost exclusively today. She recalls a childhood divided between two passions—an insatiable love of reading and a profound fascination for the natural world. These early interests are the foundation for her paintings of whimsical creatures; their antics often bring a smile or a feeling that one has walked into the middle of a remarkable journey.

.www.gildedpeargallery.com/animalia