Maud Gatewood Takeover

October 4 – December 2025

The Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History is proud to present Maud Gatewood Takeover, a major exhibition opening  October 4, 2025, and running through the end of December. Featuring over 200 works by Maud Gatewood—one of North Carolina’s most acclaimed and sought-after painters—the exhibition offers an unprecedented look at the breadth and depth of her artistic legacy.

Schedule

Friday, October 3, 2025, 6 – 8 p.m.: Exhibit Preview and Reception for Museum members and guests only

October 4 – December 28, 2025:  Exhibit open to the public during regular museum hours

Saturday, October 4, 2025, 3 p.m.: Presentation on Maud Gatewood by Diane P. Kendrick, Professor of Art, Chair of Averett University Art Department

Saturday, November 8, 2025, 1 p.m.: Presentation on Maud Gatewood by Jim Frakes, Professor of Art History, College of Arts and Architecture, UNC Charlotte

Every Saturday from Oct 4 -Dec 27, 2 -3 p.m.: Showing of Gatewood: Facing the White Canvas Documentary by the Empowerment Project

About Maud Gatewood

A native of Caswell County, Gatewood spent much of her teaching career in Danville and is widely celebrated by art historians, curators, museum directors, and collectors as a defining figure in Southern art.

This expansive exhibit includes works from DMFAH’s own collection, including a rare portfolio of early pieces created during Gatewood’s high school years, when she studied under Carson Davenport at Averett College. In addition, more than 70 works will be on loan from major institutions and Gatewood’s family and friends—many of which have never before been publicly displayed.

Gatewood earned her BA from the Woman’s College in Greensboro (now UNC-Greensboro) in 1954, followed by an MA in painting from Ohio State University in 1955. In 1963, she was awarded a Fulbright to study in Austria with the renowned expressionist Oskar Kokoschka. Returning to North Carolina in 1964, she became the founding head of the Art Department at UNC-Charlotte. In 1975, she returned to Caswell County and joined the faculty at Averett College, where she taught until her retirement in 1997.

Her compositions spanned a wide range of themes, from landscapes and figures to architecture, abstract forms, and patterns. She exhibited widely across the Southeast and received numerous honors, including the American Academy of Arts and Letters award, the 1984 North Carolina Governor’s Award in Fine Arts, and an honorary doctorate from UNC-G in 1999.

Gatewood’s work is held in major public and private collections, including the National Museum of Women in the Arts (Washington, D.C.), North Carolina Museum of Art (Raleigh), Asheville Art Museum, Weatherspoon Art Museum (Greensboro), Nasher Art Museum at Duke University (Durham), and the Coca-Cola Corporation (Atlanta).

Though she traveled extensively, Gatewood remained deeply engaged with her home state. She was the first woman elected to the Caswell County Board of Commissioners, where she championed human services, economic development, and responsible land use. Her public service included roles with the North Carolina Arts Council, the Piedmont Triad Council of Governments, and the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners.

Maud Gatewood Takeover celebrates not only a singular artistic voice, but also a life rooted in service, education, and a profound connection to place.