Dorothy Gillespie

Dorothy Gillespie (1920–2012) was an American artist and sculptor who became known for her large and colorful abstract metal sculptures. She was artist in residence at the Women's Interart Center in New York City. A pioneer for women in the arts, she had a career spanning over 70 years as an activist, lecturer and mentor to creative women throughout the world. Working in such diverse mediums as metal, canvas and paper she distinguished herself as one of the preeminent artists of our time. Her work has been exhibited in prestigious museums such as the Guggenheim, as well as innovative private galleries and is collected by art lovers throughout the world.

Sometimes referred to as the “Wizard of Art,” her spectacular, colorful work conjures up images of rainbows, yellow brick roads and childhood pastimes. While living in Lima, Peru and Exeter, England, she explored an interest in archeology that had a profound impact on her sculpture creations. Long before “The Gates,” Dorothy Gillespie created a wonderland of “walk through triangles” in Central Park in the 1970s.