Related Links: About MVNU | MVNU Schnormeier Gallery | Calendar

Gail Larned grew up in Louisiana and attended both Louisiana State University and The Ohio State University, majoring in fine arts. She is a self-taught pioneer in her field of fiber sculpture, which she has been doing for over 40 years. Larned’s first exhibition as a professional artist was in 1975 at Gallery 200 in Columbus. Since then, she has been featured in numerous exhibitions and corporate collections, receiving commissions by the Columbus Metropolitan Library, the Ohio Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Botanical Garden Conservatory in Washington, D.C. In addition to her work, Larned also holds workshops in various educational venues in Columbus.

Peacefulness is Larned’s artistic philosophy, as her work is intended to embody pastoral serenity and evoke light-heartedness in viewers. According to the sculptor, "In today’s chaotic world, I create art that is peaceful and soothing to the viewer, creating a visual oasis. ” Her monumental flowers, which she has been constructing since 1998, bring a natural beauty to any environment. Larned employs satin rattail cord, jute and wire to construct her fiber pieces using the process of "coiling."

Columbus artist Judith Vierow, who previously constructed quilts as an exploration of femininity, will be showcasing her paintings of vibrant colors. Vierow received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Oklahoma and went on to receive her master’s degree from The Ohio State University. She has been published in quilting and fiber-art periodicals and has received many Art Council awards for her work. Her use of colors in abstract still-lifes imaginatively captures the everyday.

Regular gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. For more information, visit www.mvnu.edu/art. For more information on the artists, visit www.larnedmarlow.com and www.vierow.com.

Mount Vernon Nazarene University is a private, four-year, intentionally Christian teaching university for traditional age students, graduate students and working adults. U.S. News & World Report ranks MVNU in the top 50 Best in the Midwest (Baccalaureate) institutions for the fifth year in a row. With a 400-acre main campus in Mount Vernon, Ohio, and eight additional satellite Adult and Graduate Studies sites throughout the state, MVNU emphasizes academic excellence, spiritual growth and service to community and church. MVNU offers an affordable education to more than 2,500 students from 25 states and six countries/U.S. territories.