"Sculptures at Ooidonk 2007"

Apart from his predilection for nineteenth and early twentieth century painting, Francis Maere also has a passion for sculpture, notably bronze and animalier. He has been supporting and promoting young English artist Jonathan Knight's work for decades, organizing exhibitions at home and abroad. A few years ago, he also organized an exhibition paying tribute to Domien Ingels, an animalier who died at Bachte-Maria-Leerne in 1940, along with work by, among others, Greta Van Puyenbroeck and Patrick Villas.
It was this passion that inspired him to organize a sculpture exhibition on two locations: the splendid park of Ooidonk Castle and the Ooidonk Fine Arts Gallery in the village, Ooidonkdreef 12.
The first edition featured major work by Jonathan Knight, Greta Van Puyenbroeck, Patrick Villas, Joz. De Looze, Marc Dedrie, Kristof Braekevelt, Madeleine Vander Knoop, Erwin Peeters as well as work by Etienne Desmet, Nat Neujean, Véronique Choppinet, Sophie Nyns, Chris Vergote, Jean Coenen, Erwin Peeters, Hilde Van De Walle, Mieja D'hondt, Livia Canestraro, Véronique Clamot, Sytske Miedema, Ellen Welten-Louwers and many others.
Smaller sculptures by the artists were on exhibit at the gallery, alongside a fine selection of nineteenth and early twentieth century paintings.