Loud + Proud

More Exhibit Info

Loud + Proud

November 30th-January 18th
Opening Reception: November 30th, 5-7pm
Solo exhibit of works by Mary Zeran

Mary Zeran was raised in a family of women artists whose textiles, embroidery, and woodcarvings, existed as their visual language; enigmatic shapes and forms were their words. Each time she picks up a brush or scissors she immerses herself in the language of her family, which brings her ever closer to their traditions, histories, and stories.

In Loud + Proud, she is accumulating colorful swatches of personalities and circumstances, and translating these abstract impressions into two-dimensional forms. From all of the places she’s lived, Mary recalls the personal interactions she’s had with folks from around the country and abroad. “Each and every one of us is a unique mix of experiences-someone special and rare,” she states. Loud and proud, becomes the mantra behind this collection of works: “We need to honor ourselves, let our freak flags fly, go for the gusto, not be stopped by what we are or are not, and encourage the same in others.” Frenetic patterned layers, surprising color combinations, plus a large installation of 100 pieces are presented in this exhibit as a testament to this idea.

Mary Zeran received her B.F.A and M.F.A from University of Iowa. She was born in Iowa City in 1964 and now lives and works in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She is the recipient of several awards and honors and her works are in numerous public and private collections as well as many notable corporate collections. Her collage works have been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in galleries and museums throughout the United States and abroad including the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art; Sherry Leedy Contemporary Art, in Kansas City; SOIL Gallery in Seattle; Higher Art Gallery in Michigan; and Chaing Mai University in Chaing Mai, Thailand.

About #100 Day Installation:
“This came out of an Instagram challenge,” says Mary Zeran. “The focus was to make one piece a day for 100 days and post them on IG. It was a wonderful experience for me. I’ve been wanting to explore filling the picture plane instead of my usual sculptural approach—i.e., an object floating in space. I also wanted to dig deep into pattern making.” The #100 Day Project installation will be available to view during, Loud + Proud's reception, November 30th, 5-7pm. Presales and in-gallery purchases will be available to take home that evening.