Old Art Building hosts renowned New Yorker cover artist Gayle Kabaker
From staff reports
The Old Art Building (OAB) in Leland is thrilled to announce a rare and captivating summer feature: Finding Beauty & Light: A Gayle Kabaker Exhibit, running daily from Saturday, Aug. 8 until Sunday, Aug. 16. The highly anticipated event kicks off with an Opening Reception on Friday, Aug. 7, from 6-8 pm, giving the public a first look at the collection alongside the internationally acclaimed artist.
Kabaker is an award-winning painter, writer, and visual storyteller celebrated for her work through a distinctly feminine lens. Best known for her iconic New Yorker covers—including her debut 2012 cover “June Brides” celebrating marriage equality, and nine subsequent covers since—Kabaker’s career highlights also include painting 100 portraits for the book and Kennedy Center exhibition Vital Voices: 100 Women Using Their Power to Empower, as well as authoring The Washington Post column, Sketching My Way Through Crisis.
Finding Beauty & Light explores Kabaker’s love of painting and her ongoing quest to capture the extraordinary thread of beauty found within everyday, ordinary moments. The exhibition weaves together quiet observations of daily life, intimate scenes, and travel-inspired landscapes—including paintings deeply inspired by the shifting light on the water and coastal scenery right here in Leland.
“We are incredibly honored to host Gayle Kabaker at the Old Art Building,” said Sarah Mills, OAB executive director. “Her ability to elevate the ordinary into the luminous is remarkable. Having an artist of her global stature not only display her work but also engage directly with our community through public talks and hands-on workshops is a profound opportunity for Northern Michigan.”
