Maggie Gercken is a freelance stop-motion animator based in Richmond, VA.

Her work combines human and plant anatomy to show the interconnectedness of humans and their environment. Her art explores themes of mortality, ritual, and the human condition. The tactility of clay is at the heart of her artistic style, and she intentionally leaves traces of her process in her animations as a commitment to connection with the physical materials shown on screen.

She graduated from VCU with a BFA in Kinetic Imaging and is currently pursuing her Master’s in the same major. Her debut short film, Where the Mushrooms Grow, was shown in five film festivals between 2025 and 2026 and won second place in the Films for the Forests International Short Films Challenge in the Animated Shorts category.

She is currently working on a new project for her candidacy exhibition next year, and her second short film is in production. When not in the studio, she spends time with her partner and their animals and can occasionally be spotted in the stacks at VCU library.