Art has always been the perfect place to explore your imagination. 

Many artists have used their art to explore their inner worlds, taking their emotions, hopes, desires, and the real world. 

This week’s spotlight artist for Women’s History Month is Iowa native, Maggie Vandewalle. Her beloved prints feature wild animals in impossible situations. Described as a “watercolor painter who paints nature and animals with a whiff of whimsy,” Maggie Vandewalle’s canvas art prints add the perfect storybook-vibe to any space.

Maggie Vandewalle’s Bio

Artist Maggie Vandewalle has been concocting imaginary worlds of her own since childhood. She spent a lot of time roaming the fields and woods of Iowa. When she wasn’t exploring, Maggie read every book she could get her hands on or doodling. 

Vandewalle’s early fascination for the natural world created the foundation for many of her paintings.

These interests form the basis of many of her paintings of whimsical creatures and their antics, informing everything from composition to style and subject.

Vandewalle’s watercolor paintings use a variety of wet on wet and dry techniques to create fantastical landscapes. Each detail gets painstakingly added by hand, as revealed on Vandewalle’s YouTube channel.

Vandewalle’s Unique Inspiration

Maggie shared that the book Watership Down by Richard Adams inspired many of her prints. The novel follows a colony of 9 wild rabbits as they journey from their warren into a new home. Although she never uses the names of Adams’ rambunctious rabbits, she includes clues in each painting that readers of the book can easily identify. But, even if you’re not familiar with the story, you can still enjoy Vandewalle’s art prints, which are full of natural charm.

From dancing cows to airborne kittens, Maggie Vandewalle prints are available to purchase on Fine Art Canvas.