Opening Reception: Morrison + UIOWA Collector Showcase

Gilded Pear Gallery is excited to present two exhibitions to open the 2025 exhibition season: "Beneath the Surface” by Mary Morrison in the main gallery- and- “Collector Showcase: University of Iowa Artists”, on view in the 2nd floor gallery. "Beneath the Surface" by Mary Morrison: "There seems to be an alchemical formula with combining my dry pigment paint, crayons, and precious metals. I use pure 24k yellow gold and sterling silver sheets. When all of these sources are pulled together they make the kind of surface I strive for. I build many layers of paint and use my tools to manipulate the paint, unveiling what is there beneath. Much like an archeological dig," Mary says of the new works. "I am currently going back to resurrect my love for printmaking and as always painting. Something new is the inlaid precious metals. As in life there is darkness and light. Rather than judging the notion that one is better than the other I feel both emotions as one experience." Collector Showcase-University of Iowa Artists: This exhibition celebrates the collective taste in acquired artworks by notable artists in the University of Iowa community. "Collectors Showcase" offers seasoned and new collectors a rare opportunity to engage with pieces that speak to the artistic legacy of one of the nation’s esteemed creative institutions and acquire works that had been cherished and exhibited by individuals and organizations, offering a unique connection to the art’s history and its past owners.