“Wide Eyed World” on display at Gallery UMA

  Gallery UMA (at Urban Media Arts in Malden) is pleased to present a new exhibit, “Wide Eyed World,” featuring illustrations for children by Kari Percival and Chie Yasuda and art for healing by Gurleen Anand. The exhibit features artwork centering on seeing the world through the lens of children and finding comfort and healing through maintaining our childlike wonder. The exhibiting artists hope to bring people of different backgrounds together to bond over shared experiences and promote cross-cultural connection.

  Kari Percival studied woodcut printmaking at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. After earning her master’s in environmental science and science teaching, she taught in public schools for several years. Percival writes and illustrates children’s books on science inquiry and nature. She hopes to encourage children to get involved in citizen science and promote a lifelong love of exploring the wonder of nature. Visit her website at karipercival.com.

  Chie Yasuda grew up in Japan and studied art at the University of New Mexico. She specializes in watercolor, seeking to illuminate the beauty of everyday life through common things. She uses art as a way to connect with other people and communicate joy to the entire world. Yasuda works at her studio in Somerville and as an art instructor at the MAP family learning center in Malden. She enjoys teaching children and is working on her first illustrated children’s book about the beauty of cultural diversity. Visit her website at chieyasuda.com.

  Gurleen Anand is a certified art healer from the University of Florida and resides in Malden. Throughout her career, she has worked in the field of creativity and innovation. Anand works with a variety of mediums to create art centered around mindfulness and recovery. She uses art therapy to help individuals heal. She hopes to use her art to bring people of various backgrounds and from all walks of life together.

  This curated arrangement of artworks generates new reflections of childhood and healing through our relationships with ourselves, others and the outside natural world. A family-friendly reception will be held on Saturday, December 3 from 3 to 5 p.m. at Urban Media Arts (formerly MATV), which is located at 145 Pleasant St. in Malden. Alongside the artwork on view, the reception will feature fun art activities and videos from Wonderland Spectacle Co. Masks are recommended. For more info: urbanmediaarts.org.