Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, will host “Grounded,” a joint exhibition featuring ceramicist Danielle Whigham and painter Emily McQueen, from January 13 to February 26, 2026, at the Te Paske Gallery. Whigham’s functional ceramic pieces are wheel-thrown and hand-carved with earth-inspired textures, while McQueen’s layered paintings combine printmaking and oil paint to explore nature, seasonality, and loss. Both artists, who live in Glenwood, Iowa, share a thematic focus on the natural world.
The exhibition highlights the work of two local Iowa artists whose practices, though distinct in medium, converge on themes of nature and human experience. Whigham, an alumna of Northwestern College, and McQueen, who also runs a gallery in Malvern, represent the vibrant regional art scene. The show underscores the role of college galleries in fostering community engagement with contemporary craft and painting, offering visitors a chance to see functional ceramics and expressive paintings in dialogue.