Angry Pigeon Memorializes Former Student

The Angry Pigeon Gallery recently hosted a show dedicated to the art of Will Gerould, a very talented alumni who passed away last fall.

“Will was a talented artist and when we heard that he was no longer with us we were devastated,” Julia Cain, College Counselor and Registrar, said. “The [Will Gerould] Memorial Show was a way to remember him not only as a great visual artist, but as an amazing friend and student.”

Gerould was part of the graduating class of 2008 who died in November, 2014.

“After Will passed away, his mom found his artwork in his room,” Cain said. “She immediately approached Sean [Cain] who had been his art teacher and they decided to host a show to commemorate him as a loving son and amazing artist.”

According to Cain, Gerould was one of the most talented artists she had ever seen at the school.

“Will was infuriatingly good,” Cain said. “He had a curious mind and an open heart.”

Although it was hard to revisit the memories of the former student, Cain said it was wonderful for people to get to see the beautiful work that Gerould had created.

“The show was a somber event, but also hopeful and a wonderful way to forever remember Will by,” Cain said. “We listened to people speak about their experiences with him, laughed and cried.”

Many Northwest Academy alumni who had known and loved Gerould attended the Memorial Show, along with many members of the staff. David Wagstaff, Dean of Students and Curator of the Angry Pigeon Gallery, was present and gave his own description of Gerould’s work.

“His work is a somatic meditation, a freedom dance on paper,” Wagstaff said. “The lines, splatters and washes in his drawings embody the questions: What if? What now? Why not?”

According to Wagstaff, Gerould created his own brushes and combined household chemicals and India ink to make beautiful paintings. He also studied Buddhism, quantum physics and mathematical fractals, aspects of his life that he incorporated into his art.

“Will’s hypersensitivity to stimulation is reflected by his innate ability to draw a gestural line, succinctly capturing the essence of the human experience while producing visual tension,” Wagstaff said.

After graduating from Northwest Academy, Gerould attended the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, but dropped out before completing school.

“Will was a very creative, wacky artist,” Cain said. “It is his uniqueness that will make him live on in the minds of people who knew him.”

The Angry Pigeon Gallery hosted two receptions to honor the former student on June 4th and 5th.