Margaret Mear, BVM Exhibits Selected Works at Quigley Gallery
Quigley Art Gallery at Clarke University will feature the work of Margaret Mear, BVM, from Monday, August 21 – September 27, 2023. A reception for the artist will be held on Saturday, September 9, from 2-3:30 p.m.
Margaret taught at St. Mary’s University, Winona, Minn., for over 30 years. She currently maintains a studio at Key City Creative in Dubuque. Margaret’s sculpture, Always the Horrors of War, was included in the 2015 Art on the River Exhibition and was later installed on the front lawn of the Dubuque Museum of Art during the Just to Live Is Holy: Women Religious and a Tradition of Art, Faith and Justice exhibit in 2018.
The Quigley Gallery exhibition includes 20 graphite drawings and six small sculptures that span the last 30 years of the artist’s career. The subject of each work is a horse, ranging from realistic to abstract forms. Margaret’s love of horses began at a young age, and the subject has dominated her art throughout her life.
I am interested in the ways the horse image, used expressively, can mirror the human experience. I find horses to be spiritual, and I believe we can relate soul-to-soul with them. Also, we can relate to the animal nature of the horse with our human/animal nature.
Louise Kames, Professor of Art and Quigley Gallery Director notes, “Margaret’s work will be very popular with audiences who love horses as well as those who appreciate beautifully articulated graphite drawings. Although, the horse is the subject of each work, the imagery ranges from realistic, loving renderings to apocalyptic horse-occupied environments.”
The exhibition will be open for viewing each week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., as well as 1-4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is free and open to the public.