Mary Grandpre (Harry Potter) Gallery Show, Wednesday 11/17 November 17, 2004

The exhibition ?Mary GrandPré: An Artistic Spell,? featuring more than 50 pieces of art by the famed illustrator of the U.S. editions of J. K. Rowlings? Harry Potter books, opens for a week-long show at ArtOrg on Saturday, Nov. 13 with a special children?s opening from 1-4 p.m. and an evening reception from 6-9 p.m. A preview party will be held on Friday, Nov. 12 from 6-8:30 p.m. The exhibition itself is free and open to the public. Tickets for the preview party are $25 per person. All events will be at ArtOrg, 200 Division Street South.
Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD) recently exhibited GrandPré?s pieces. When GrandPré learned that ArtOrg, the new Northfield arts organization, offers community-based art classes, she agreed to allow the exhibit to travel to Northfield. ?She wanted to show her support,? said Leanne Stremcha, ArtOrg program director.
Born in South Dakota, GrandPré moved to Minnesota with her family as a toddler and attended MCAD in her mid-twenties. There she developed her love of pastels and what she calls "soft geometry." She lived in Saint Paul for many years before moving to her current home in Sarasota, Fla. In 1999, Time Magazine featured her and her work for the Harry Potter books as a cover story. In addition to her well known Potter illustrations, GrandPré has illustrated twelve children?s books. Her soft, evocative pastels have won national recognition from The Society of Illustrators and Communication Arts, among others. Her work has appeared in Atlantic Monthly and Business Week as well as in other corporate and advertising work. Her vision of a landscape from an ant?s point of view was used in environment/scenery development for the DreamWorks SKG animated film Antz and she was involved with character development for the film Ice Age. GrandPré has been interviewed numerous times by Nickelodeon Magazine and has been featured in USA Today and Entertainment Weekly.
The exhibition runs one week only from Nov. 13-21. Exhibition hours are Monday through Thursday, Nov. 14-17 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday and Saturday, Nov. 18-19 from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 20-21 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Proceeds from the sale of posters and cards featuring GrandPré?s designs will benefit ArtOrg programs.