Chadima Gallery Exhibitions

Artist: Madalyn Vorrie

Show Title: Intuition

Gallery Reception:  Thursday Jan. 23rd 5:30-7 Gallery Talk @ 6pm

In the gallery: January 7 – Feb 1st

About the Show:  In loving memory of our son: Jayce Thomas Vorrie.  Intuition consists of abstract “alien flower” sculptures I created throughout my journey to express my experiences with pregnancy losses.

My process of creating sculptures reflected my hope, joy, and grief during and after my pregnancies. It was very therapeutic to sculpt my “alien flower” forms. I used contrasting forms, such as spikes and ruffles, to describe the conflicting feelings I experienced during my healing journey. I counted on my intuitive process to express my experiences in the movement, gesture, texture, and color of my sculptures. I create my sculptures to show that life is beautiful, yet dangerous; strong, yet very vulnerable. 

I use earthenware clay to create floral and unknown abstract forms, as well as coil, slab, and pinch methods to create my sculptures. I create intricate textures, large imaginative floral forms, and repetition throughout my work. I consider the idea of dangerous beauty fascinating. I use contrasts between dangerous and protective elements in my sculptures, such as spikes or sharp forms; the more elegant areas of my sculptures usually include ruffles, seedpods, and flower forms. I embrace these contrasts in my work to create an unique and unknown identity derived from nature. My sculptures look like they yearn to grow and thrive. These clay forms express how life is precious, yet combative, and can flourish beautifully.

About the Artist:  Madalyn (Loring) Vorrie is a ceramic artist and art educator from Des Moines, IA. She is currently an art teacher at Clarion-Goldfield-Dows High School. Madalyn received her BFA in ceramics and BA in art education-painting from the University of Northern Iowa in 2017. She was an artist in residence at the Iowa Ceramic Center and Glass Studio in 2018-2019.

Madalyn’s abstract ceramic sculptures often take on imaginative alien plant forms, which derive from nature.

Madalyn was also an emerging artist at the Marion Arts Festival in 2019 and the Des Moines Arts Festival in 2017. Her work has been in many exhibitions, most recently her solo exhibition: Regain at the Chidima Gallery; JoAnn Schnabel & UNI Ceramics Alumni 1990-2021 at the UNI Gallery of Art; the Octagonal: The All Media Exhibit at the Octagon Center for the Arts; Topeka Competition 33 at the Alice C. Sabatini Gallery; and Fresh Work at the Arts Center of Saint Peter.