Reception “Visions of Paradise,” exhibition by Rob Vander Zee

Kent State University Downtown Gallery presents “Visions of Paradise” Exhibition by Rob Vander Zee
 
Kent, Ohio- Kent State University Downtown Gallery will present “Visions of Paradise,” exhibition by Rob Vander Zee, Jan. 16 through Feb. 9 in the Downtown Gallery. The gallery will host an opening reception on Thursday, Jan. 17 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., that is free and open to the public.
            Visions of Paradise, begun in 2009, is an ongoing series of paintings that focuses on an imagined world of vibrant colors and fantastic plants, animals and new mutant creatures. These paintings explore the complex questions surrounding our relationship to the natural world, and the role that science has in shaping the living environment.
            Both science and human psychology play a role in these paintings. The work asks a basic question about the impact of evolution and genetic engineering on the environment: “What will emerge from our ability to manipulate the genetic code of any species on Earth, including ourselves?”
            Born in 1971 in Grand Rapids MI, Vander Zee grew up in rural Cedar Springs, surrounded by nature. He went on to major in both painting and drawing at Aquinas College. Vander Zee received his MFA from Michigan State University in 1998. The landscape as a site of emotional drama became the subject of Vander Zee’s work in the mid-2000s.
            In 2005, Vander Zee started the gallery that bears his name in Alexandria VA, and in the following year founded a school at which he mentors 35-40 students each year. In 2005, the artist continued a series of trips that have become important influences on his work. Vander Zee has exhibited his paintings at many venues including Gallery A, Washington DC, Trowbridge-Lewis Gallery, Middleburg VA and the Tallin Art Academy, Tallin, Estonia. His work has traveled in group exhibitions to Vilnius, Lithuania, Romania and to the Republic of Georgia.
 
The Downtown Gallery is located at 141 E. Main St. in downtown Kent. Hours are Wed. through Fri. 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.  and Sat. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call (330) 676-1549 or visit galleries.kent.edu.