10 for 10: Ten Artists for Ten Years of Veronique Wantz Gallery
Opening
Saturday, October 8, 2022
5-8pm
Exhibition
Oct. 8 – Nov. 12, 2022
In celebration of its 10th anniversary, Veronique Wantz Gallery presents a special exhibition featuring work by ten artists who have longstanding ties to the gallery and who represent a cross-section of various abstract styles and media, including oil and acrylic painting, watercolor, woodfired stoneware, collage, and sculpture. The ten artists to be featured are Laurie Borggreve; Kei Gratton; Valerie Grondin; Jim Hillegass (gallery owner); C. Anthony Huber; Samuel Johnson; Eleanor McGough; Andrew Nordin; Wendy Westlake; and Kathy Wismar.
The anniversary show also celebrates the legacy of founder and gallery namesake, Veronique Wantz. In 2012, French-born Veronique Wantz opened a public art gallery in the historic Foundry Building in the burgeoning Minneapolis North Loop neighborhood. From the outset, Veronique Wantz Gallery featured the work of local, national, and international emerging and established artists working in painting, works on paper, canvas, wood-fired ceramic, sculpture, textile, and glass. The gallery quickly established itself as a leading influence in the Twin Cities art world and beyond.
Sadly, in 2018, at age 56, Veronique passed away from a battle with cancer. Her wisdom, warmth, down-to-earth personality, passion for all-things beautiful, chic French style, and silly, dry sense of humor are still missed by many. She created not only a welcoming and important gallery, but also a special community of adoring friends, beloved artists, and loyal clients. Her scope of influence on the local art world was immeasurable.
Veronique’s longtime partner and confidante, Jim Hillegass, honored and built on the foundation of her invaluable vision and appreciation and love of art by helping to carry on her work. Veronique’s mission of offering the public a special and welcoming space to experience the creativity of talented emerging and established artists continues today.
In 2017, the gallery remained in the North Loop of Minneapolis and moved a few blocks west to its current location, 901 N. 5th Street. The historic light-filled space, a former 1926 produce building, with a speakeasy that once occupied the basement, was renovated with original architectural elements left intact to provide a juxtaposition of old and new, and to accommodate and showcase the installation of larger works of art. The gallery hosts solo, joint and group exhibitions, free openings, and artist talks.
The 10 for 10: Ten Artists for Ten Years of Veronique Wantz Gallery anniversary show commemorates Veronique Wantz’s original mission of discovering, exhibiting, and contributing to the connoisseurship of art to bring cultural awareness to the community. The anniversary exhibition, comprised of ten artists and their stellar abstract creations, highlights the gallery’s decade-long history and involvement in championing the local Minneapolis art scene. Looking back—but also to its future—Veronique Wantz Gallery continues to enrich the community with art for all, now and beyond.
Margot Rosenstein, Gallery Director
For further details and sales inquiries, please email: gallery@veroniquewantz.com