The Cooley Gallery is proud to announce an exhibition and sale of works by Maureen McCabe inspired by those of Ernst von (Freiherr) Maydell (b.1888) in the exhibition The Fantastical Art of Maureen McCabe and Ernst von Maydell. When Maureen first saw the highly detailed aquarelles of insects in costume by von Maydell at The Cooley Gallery she immediately felt a kinship with the mind who created them.  

Ernst von Maydell descended from Estonian landowners dating back to the 13th century. He lived through two world wars and almost constant political turmoil in his homeland but found gentility and joy in the fantastical world of insects he created. These simple motifs, aquarelles from nature, were born of distress deeper than I can bear to recall, and I had never until 1919, seriously considered my childish pastime of drawing and painting flowers, butterflies and insects, just as I found them in my wanderings. During my younger days my collection of butterflies, beetles and bugs were the joy of, the pride and interest of my life. Each specimen, hunted and, when found was placed in my collection with my own hands. Now these memories find new joys for me in my new life’s work. And any pleasure they may bring to those who view them is, you may be sure, but another happiness for the artist. Von Maydell traveled throughout Europe and exhibited in the United States at the Wadsworth Atheneum, the Corcoran Gallery in Washington, D.C. and the Delaware Art Museum.

Faeries as fine art is a familiar motif for both Maureen McCabe and Ernst von Maydell. Maureen’s life’s work as an assemblage artist tell stories of ours and other worlds. She uses her vast knowledge of art and history to curate her harvest of objects spinning three-dimensional tales. Her artistic training started early for when at age 6 when she attended classes at the Boston Museum School. This early training opened her to a world many of us don’t see.

The original plan for this exhibition was to make high quality prints of von Maydell’s watercolors and then cut out images and put them into boxed assemblages but the more time Maureen spent with von Maydell’s work the less she wanted to try to reimagine them.  Maureen called in Amber Perot who used her computer skills to help Maureen gently Photoshop the scanned images.  Von Maydell was absolutely true to Nature and recorded his observations faithfully which prompted Maureen to ask for landscape designer and botanist, Sheila Werthheimer’s input as to color and accuracy. Maureen spent countless hours lovingly hand-coloring the high-quality reproductions of the Baron’s characters, brightening them back to life and then gently modifying the compositions. “It was as if he was standing over my shoulder telling me to add a little more color here or emphasis there.” Maureen said. “My mind is always thinking in three dimensions so with the works too perfect to change I copied and then painstakingly made cut outs to add just that little hint of dimension, that little hint of feeing alive.” With the notion of collaboration still in the back of her mind, Maureen inserted an occasional “signature” such as a tiny antique object as another way of bringing von Maydell’s imagery into Maureen’s three-dimensional world.

The Fantastical Art of Maureen McCabe and Ernst von Maydell will include several of von Maydell's original watercolors alongside Maureen’s reinterpretations as well as some of Maureen’s unique boxed assemblages. Ms. McCabe has had several solo exhibitions at The Cooley Gallery in the last 25 years but this exhibition is unusual as it focuses on her focusing on the work of another artist who is not only deceased but somewhat obscure.

Jeff Cooley was introduced to von Maydell’s work by his father who dealt in antiques and worked with Chick Austin at The Wadsworth Atheneum back in the 1930s when von Maydell had an exhibition there. “My father introduced me to these watercolors.  You can’t help but be drawn into his world of tiny and elaborately dressed creatures.” notes Jeff Cooley owner of the gallery. “I had to show them to Maureen who is well versed in the fantastical imagery of faeries.  She was captivated with them but then again, it’s kind of hard not to be.”  

Von Maydell escaped into worlds of his own creation. Maureen’s assemblages are self-contained worlds. Von Maydell drew his plants and insects from his careful observations of nature. Maureen obsesses about the draftsmanship, accuracy, craftsmanship and sourcing of the pieces she puts in her boxed assemblages. Both artists are very comfortable with the notion of “other worlds.”

The gallery hopes this exhibition shines a light on collaboration, craftsmanship and the notion of other realities. The Fantastical Art of Maureen McCabe & Ernst von Maydell asks if we envision a world does it exist? These works invite you to choose a path to wander as far as you care to go.

The Fantastical Art of Maureen McCabe & Ernst von Maydell opens at The Cooley Gallery, 25 Lyme Street, Old Lyme, Connecticut opens Saturday, October 7th with a reception from 5-7 p.m. and runs through November 12th.  There’s a gallery talk with Maureen McCabe and Jeff Cooley on Wednesday, October 11th at 5:30. These events are free and open to the public.

The Cooley Gallery, 25 Lyme Street in Old Lyme and runs through July 2nd.  Gallery hours are Thursday through Saturday 12 - 5 and Sunday 12 - 4 or by appointment.  For more information, www.cooleygallery.com. Jeff Cooley’s cell: 860-304-2386 or the gallery: 860-434-8807.  

Founded in 1981 and located in the heart of historic Old Lyme, the Cooley Gallery specializes in fine American paintings from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, including the Hudson River School, American Impressionism, and select contemporary artists. Regular gallery hours are Wednesday-Saturday, 12 to 5pm. Sundays, 12 to 4 p.m.