Vik Hart at the Mezzanine Gallery

Odd Little Creatures

On view July 5-August 30, 2024

The Delaware Division of the Arts’ Mezzanine Gallery presents Vik Hart’s exhibition, “Odd Little Creatures” on view from July 5 through August 30, 2024. Guests are invited to attend a Meet-the-Artist Reception on Friday, July 12 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Due to the July 4^th holiday, Art Loop is moved to the second Friday in July.

Hart, who resides in Wilmington, Delaware, is a self-taught artist.  His first residency was held at Redux Studios in Charleston, South Carolina.  “Odd Little Creatures” will be his first solo exhibition since moving to the state of Delaware in 2021.

This exhibition focuses on a series of works portraying small creatures in an imagined world, exploring their environments and how they adapt to unique features of the places they live. Hart uses quick gestural lines to give his creatures a sense of spontaneity. His color palette adds to the otherworldliness.

Hart’s work is heavily invested in world building and lore. As a child, Hart was more likely to spend time in class drawing monsters and creatures in his sketchbook than pay attention to the lesson, and that interest never really left him. Hart enjoys making worlds that feel real and lived in and wants to create illustrations that allow the viewer to imagine the lives happening beyond the border of the paper.

“The idea for this series came from the realization that many works of fiction set in alternate worlds focus on grandiose creatures of myth, things like dragons and genies,” says Hart. “I wanted to focus on the smaller things that live in the world, the tiny creatures that hide behind trees and live under rocks. With these pieces I want to highlight a sense of the familiar and the fantastical in a world I have been cultivating with my artwork since 2017.”

The Mezzanine Gallery, open weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., is located on the second floor of the Carvel State Office Building, 820 N. French Street, Wilmington.

Images in the banner: “Duvvel” (2023), watercolor and ink, 5” x 7”, “Greep” (2023), watercolor and ink, 5” x 7”, “Blue Tail” (2023), watercolor and ink, 5” x 7”

Mezzanine Gallery Application

The Mezzanine Gallery, located in the Carvel State Office Building in Wilmington, features one-person exhibitions of Delaware artists in disciplines including painting, photography, sculpture, crafts, folk, and media arts.

To be considered for an exhibition, artists may submit a Mezzanine Gallery Application before the annual deadline of March 15.

Individual Artist Fellowship Application

Delaware’s Individual Artist Fellowships recognize artists for their outstanding quality of work and provide monetary awards. Individual Artist Fellows are publicly acknowledged and benefit from the additional exposure to their work. Visual artists who receive Individual Artist Fellowships are also given the opportunity to exhibit in the Mezzanine Gallery.

To be considered for a Fellowship, artists may submit an Individual Artist Fellowship Application before the annual deadline of August 1.

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Visit the Gallery

Hours

Monday – Friday
8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Photo ID required after 4:30 p.m.

Parking 

On-street and garage parking available

Admission

Free and open to the public.

About the Gallery

The Mezzanine Gallery presents solo exhibitions of work by Delaware artists in disciplines including painting, photography, sculpture, crafts, folk, and media arts.

This opportunity is available to Delaware’s emerging and established visual artists who have won Individual Artist Fellowships, or have been chosen by the Division’s annual Gallery Panel.

Opening Reception

Held the first Friday of the month from 5-7 p.m. Dates are subject to change.

Julieta Zavala*

September 6-27, 2024
Opening Reception: September 6 from 5:00pm-7:00pm