M WILMINK
CAREER SUMMARY
Maddie Wilmink is an emerging fine artist located in Toronto who fabricates work that reintegrates aspects of nature into urban space. She seeks to challenge and expand upon the history of cast metal in her practice, often combining insect specimens, metal inclusions, and hand sculpted elements. Maddie received her BFA from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and is currently an MFA Candidate at Ontario college of art and Design where she is focusing on incorporating ethnographic entomological research into public sculpture and designed objects. She has traveled throughout North America, helping run production pours with Felion studios, working for Carrie blast furnaces and attending and exhibiting work at independent iron casting events and national conferences. In transforming biological forms into new objects that pay homage to nature, she seeks to forge alternative perceptions of humanity's position within ecology.
EDUCATION
Ontario School Of Art and Design — Interdisciplinary Master’s in Art, Media and Design
September 2024 Toronto ON
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School of the Art Institute of Chicago — Bachelor’s in Fine Arts
August 2019 - May 2024, Chicago, IL
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Scottsdale Fine Artists’ School -Classical Drawing under Tim Reese, The Academy 2016-2018 Scottsdale, Arizona
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RECENT EXHIBITIONS
Eco Art -Gallery 1313, Toronto ON
May 28, 2025
Juried by: Phil Andersonr
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Skimming the Surface -National convention on Cast Iron Arts -Sloss furnaces, Birmingham Al
April 7, 2025
Juried by: Allison Baker
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Tempered Bonds; Grain and Grit -OCAD Great Hall, Toronto ON
March 31, 2025
Curated by: Eira Mcintosh, Joseph Hinds
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One Stick Alone Is Just A Stick -Xpace Cultural Center, Toronto ON
March 28, 2025
Curated by: Siobhan Sprickerhoff
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Who Are You From - OCAD Grad Gallery, 205 Richmond St. West, Toronto ON
November 22-27, 2024
Juried by: Jay Irizawa and Peter Morin
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Winter Lumen -SAIC Gallery on Michigan Ave, Chicago IL
December- February 2023
Juried by: Greg Mowery
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The Feminist Biennial - Woman Made Gallery, Chicago IL
September - November 2022
Curated by : Ashley Wynn
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SAIC at the Field Museum - Harris Education Center, Chicago IL
November 2021
Juried by: Rebecca Banasiak
AWARDS & PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
MRP Thesis & Final Project Grant recipient -Ocad 2025
Canadian Society of contemporary Iron art - Toronto 2025 - present
OCAD foundry club - Toronto 2023- present
Hoosier Pattern pour -FeLion studios Decatur IN, June 2024
Guest performance pour -Sculpture Trails Lincolnwood IL, July 2023
Sloss Iron Arts Convention -Birmingham, AL April 2023 & April 2025
Presidential Merit Scholarship -SAIC 2019-2024
SAIC Foundry Student Casting Club - SAIC 2022-2024
Arts Department Award -Phoenix Country Day School 2019
Co-President of PCDS Artist’s Coalition -Phoenix Country Day School 2017-2019
National Pallet Project Award Recipient - Scottsdale Artists School 2017
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WORK EXPERIENCE
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Teaching Assistant - Studio Tutorial Leader
OCAD Cross-Disciplinary Art Thesis Department
September 2024 to May 2025, September 2025 to May 2026
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Teaching Assistant - Seminar Tutorial Leader
OCAD Design Department - Graphic Design History 20th Century
September to December 2025
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Rivers of Steel Arts Metal Arts Internship
Carrie Blast Furnaces Pittsburgh PA, June & October 2023