Tag Archives: Art of the State

Art Along the River: Artsfest 2026 continues tradition of creativity, community

May 26, 2026 | by Alex Foley

For nearly 60 years, Artsfest has brought artists, musicians and festival-goers to downtown Harrisburg each Memorial Day weekend. This year, thousands once again gathered in Riverfront Park for the 58th annual celebration of art, music and community.

Although the festival boasts a 58-year run, many people don’t know the history of the event. Despite this, one thing remains certain: the festival is a summer staple for the city.

Mystery of the History

David Morrison, the executive director of the Historic Harrisburg Association, shed light on the history of Artsfest. Morrison was the event chairperson during the late 1980s.

The first question was: When did the festival start?

“The generally accepted answer is 1968,” stated Morrison. “However, the exact first year has become unclear over time.”

Morrison explained that people tend to use the terms “the first” and “the first annual” interchangeably, and by doing so, the official first year’s date has been lost.

Artsfest began in the plaza located behind the State Museum of Pennsylvania. In 1968, the museum was debuting its newest program, referred to as the “Art of the State” exhibition.

This showcase featured artists from across Pennsylvania. It exhibited painters, sculptors, photographers and artists of all kinds. The annual exhibit still runs to this day.

While the “Art of the State” exhibition was taking place indoors, Artsfest was running outdoors with vendors lining the plaza. The original overseer of the festival was the now-defunct Greater Harrisburg Arts Council.

Over the next two decades, the festival grew into a presence of its own and eventually detached itself from the “Art of the State” showcase.

In the 1990s, Harrisburg decided to move the festival to Riverfront Park along the Susquehanna River, where it has remained since.

“The Harrisburg Artsfest evolved with the times,” Morrison stated.

Over the years, several organizations organized the festival until the city fully took it over several years ago.

“In the olden days, cities used to just plow snow and issue parking tickets, but Harrisburg was branching into the entertainment business,” Morrison explained. “Harrisburg is now very good at running special events. It was a natural evolution, and that is how the Artsfest has continued to thrive.”

Artsfest 2026

This year’s festival brought together juried artists, metalworkers and leatherworkers, textile artists, ceramic sculptors, jewelry makers and more. The festival also featured several musical attractions, including Jazzfest and acts at the UPMC State Street Stage. Artsfest also featured activities for children called Kidsfest.

Many artists shared their histories, stories and inspirations behind their artwork. Festivalgoers offered their opinions and experiences as well.

Marina Radanovic displayed her original paintings. Radanivic spoke about her journey with painting and what inspires her work. Radanivic also displays artwork in galleries.

“I went to school for graphic design, but I realized halfway through that graphic design wasn’t for me. So, I switched to fine art,” she said.

Radanovic graduated with a degree in drawing and relief printmaking, and after graduating, decided to pursue painting. Radanovic painted throughout high school and took painting classes in college, so the medium was familiar.

She spoke about what inspires her work.

“I take inspiration from all sorts of things. Sometimes it’s a dream. Sometimes it’s observations from the world, or if I just happen to snap a photo that fits, I can make it into a composition.”

Nearby, Lora Russell displayed her unique style of paintings. Russell described her artistic process and journey of self-expression through art.

“I was kind of born an artist, but I spent time honing my skills. For 20 years, I did watercolor portraits. Watercolor is very picture-perfect proper. I was also a people pleaser. About six years ago, I had a rebellion against the picture-perfect, people-pleasing attitude, for art and in my life.”

Russell’s paintings now feature colorful, free-flowing and expressive designs.

“One day, I just took everything outside and started throwing paint authentically. I don’t think I was ever an authentic painter before. (My art now) is happy, free-flowing, colorful, vibrant. It’s almost like I just grew as a person and as an artist, and I became extremely happy.”

Carolyn Garay discussed her technical artistic training and choice of medium. Garay’s work leans heavily into imagery of portals and otherworldly beings. The paintings feature lots of space and nature. She attributes these qualities to her worldview.

“In general, I think of my paintings as an expression of my inner world and parts of self. I have always been interested in the idea of how we can never see the world from outside of our own perspectives, yet we still try to.”

Artists’ booths

Garay spoke about her undergraduate degree program and how that eventually led her to pursue oil painting.

“I’ve been oil painting for about 13 years now and drawing since forever. In undergrad, I dual majored in both art and chemistry, but I remember no chemistry. Afterwards, I followed the art path and started showing my work at the Ann Arbor Fair. Eventually, I built up to doing shows full time and have been doing that for the last four years.”

Katie Trainer ran this year’s community art project, an annual tradition for the Harrisburg Artsfest.

This year featured paintings from more than 500 festivalgoers on 24 sheets of parachute fabric. Eventually, these sheets will be stitched together into a banner displaying everyone’s work.

Previous years’ community art projects include the 2024 “Fish of City Island” project and the 2025 “Block Print Planter Art” displayed throughout downtown Harrisburg.

Lorenzo Hoban at Artsfest

Lorenzo Hoban of York said it was his second time attending Artsfest.

Hoban praised the originality of the artwork at the festival, saying, “Even with the rise of generative AI art, I haven’t seen any artists trying to sell it here.”

Likewise, Karen and Don Carrick of Reading were attending for their second year

“We just had such a great time in the past, so we had to come back,” Karen said.

Despite parts of the festival’s history being lost over time, Artsfest still brings people together year after year. Whether it was artists sharing their work, families walking along Riverfront Park or festivalgoers stopping to talk with vendors, the event once again showed why it has remained such an important part of Harrisburg for nearly six decades.

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Bob’s Art Blog: September’s Song, Off the Beaten Path

September 17, 2024 | by Bob MacGinnes

It’s that special time of year when the calendar flipped to September before we knew it, and the glorious kaleidoscope of color that lies ahead. The kids are back in school and Labor Day’s end of summer salute foretold the changing of the seasons. “September Song” sounds sweet to all the senses, “as the days become shorter and the leaves turn to flame…September, remember”…that art lies in the heart everywhere you look. The fall forecast is full of thought-provoking, awe-inspiring art. 3rd in the Burg’s bough for September breaks just days from now.

“Reconvered Pieces” by Andrea Lapioli

If you are art lovers of a certain age, you may want to start your 3rd in the Burg activities early like we do, say a midafternoon date for the State Museum at 300 North St. Its latest exhibit, new as of Gallery Walk Sunday, is the 57th edition of the annual “Art of the State” juried exhibition. In all, over $5,000 in cash prizes were awarded to a select group of statewide artists across five categories that included painting, work on paper, sculpture, craft and photography/digital media. A total of 96 works from 96 artists culled from 28 counties throughout the state were chosen from over 2,200 entries. The winners represent the cream of the crop as chosen by a group of discerning judges. Local artist Angela Lapioli took first place in the painting category. Her abstract work, titled “Recovered Pieces,” is an acrylic on canvas that garnered the Elizabethtown resident top honors. Lapioli’s paintings feature diverse approaches, moving from the abstract to more figurative styles. She employs acrylics, collage and oil, as well as cold wax. The museum closes its doors at 4:30 p.m. so give yourself a good hour to walk and view “Art of the State.” The exhibit closes Jan. 5 in the new year.

Rubicon and Mangia Qui in Harrisburg

Afterwards, an early dinner may be just the ticket. So close to the museum it lies doors away at 270-272 North St., Mangia Qui/Rubicon, an epicurean’s delight. First seating for reservations starts at 5 p.m. This Italian fine dining establishment’s reputation places it among the top of any gourmand’s list for a memorable evening of a sumptuous repast. The restaurant is enhanced throughout by art to complete the experience. Mangia Qui translates to “eat here.” While there, be sure to tell Qui Qui Musarra, Mangia Qui’s co-owner and chef, that Ted and Linda Walke of Gallery@2nd heartily recommended her establishment as the go-to place on the way to their art emporium.

Harrisburg’s hidden gem of an art address is Ted’s gallery found at 608 N. 2nd St. in a handsome, Federal-style building. The destination is referenced in Ken Frew’s book, “Building Harrisburg.” The house was built by a brick mason and his son’s way back in 1839. Owner-proprietor and artist in residence, Ted’s approach to ambiance affords two floors devoted to his ink-and-acrylic-on-wood renderings, with one for local artists on an invitational guest list. Ted is erudite and articulate especially when waxing lyrical about art. Gallery@2nd has been in operation since 2010 and is open to the public on 3rd in the Burg evenings and by appointment. Ted’s niche nouveau nonpareil “notes” navigate the lowbrow appeal of pulp comics, masterfully mixing surreal scenes with his alter ego, “Munkybear” an art animal who takes the guard rails off. It’s an experience you don’t want to miss.

“Yellow Magnolias,” fabric art by Barbara Passeri-Warfel

Noteworthy news of a grand reopening for the fall season finds Sunday, Sept. 29 marked on the calendar as Arts on the Square, located at Market Square Presbyterian Church, unveils guest artist, Barbara Passeri-Warfel. Her mixed media, fiber art and paintings provide the centerpiece for an opening afternoon reception at the church at 20 S. 2nd St., from 12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., upstairs in Geneva Hall. Under the leadership of art gallery director, Beth Hager, the church is excited to start its season, which will continue into the new year. Passeri-Warfel expertly weaves the tapestry of the everyday elevating it to a new level of fine art. A highlight of the show is her fabric art masterpiece, “Yellow Magnolias.” The exhibit runs through Dec. 29.

Fall officially arrives this Sunday at 8:44 a.m. Get an early start in style at anyone of the 40 galleries, museums, restaurants, clubs, bar and bistros that comprise the Harrisburg Arts District in Midtown, downtown and all around the square.

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The Painted Word: A world of creative surprises awaits at “Art House.”

May 31, 2022 | by Bob MacGinnes

Paintings by Michael McCullough.

Art House “is a very, very, very fine house with two cats in the yard…”

At the risk of dating myself, the two cats are “hep” as in “way cool” (‘60s beatnik lingo), and the house nestled in the Fairfield Valley is full of art from floor to ceiling. June may be the perfect month for road trips. In fact, anytime through the fall works well to venture to the McCullough “House of Art.”

Michael McCullough and wife, Sharon Pierce McCullough, have made art their life, and it is evident in the shrine they have built to it throughout their eclectic dwelling. Both artists work in diverse media and their tastes, although uniquely different, complement each other as represented in their approaches and presentations. As with other married couples, they complete a yin and yang with ample latitude for limitless imagination coming together to create a holistic habitat rich and deeply textured. Both deal in abstract expressionistic paintings, with Sharon adding statuary as well as geometric equations to the mix. Schooled in the self-taught realm of “experience being the best teacher,” the couple constantly pushes their art to dramatic heights, embracing challenges as opportunities in developing new works.

Michael started his career as a furniture maker, evolving into photography, printmaking and painting. All mediums are based in large part to his “connection and exploration with the world.”

“The work is intended to evoke an emotion or thought which might not necessarily be my own,” the artist shared.

Michael’s outsized abstract paintings are often depicted on stretched canvases that permeate outdoor installations. He engages with the world through assemblage, drawing, photography and painting. He leans into “personal interactions linking a place or book to the process involved in creating, often informed by the movement of layers of paint.” They bring about remembrance and resolution. Michael’s work has been juried into national exhibitions that include the Washington County Museum of Art in Maryland and the State Museum of PA in Harrisburg.

Sharon’s journey started out as a “visual artist engaging in a multi-disciplinary practice that encompasses painting and sculpture,” she said. Her ever-expanding universe now eclipses four decades of creating her own orbit of art.

With elements of cement, plaster, cardboard and found metal objects, her statues take on a personality all their own. Standing up to 5 feet tall, they often appear larger than life. Colorfully abstract in their construct, the paintings she creates are lyrical and narrative, following the muse of the artist, which leads her to expand a theme that becomes serialized. In their rendering, they offer a before, now and after, allowing the viewer a complete story by the end. She holds a deep appreciation for negative and positive space, which influences the process of creating, as well as providing color and form.

Geometric configurations play a repeating role in Sharon’s art, offering dimensional problem-solving resulting in a different algorithm. Well known and shown, she is most proud of a statue on exhibit at the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C. The juried exhibition features work created by the Washington Sculptors Group, of which she is a member. In addition, McCullough took first place in the “Sculpture” category in 2015 at “Art of the State” at the PA State Museum. Her body of work has included stops nationally and internationally in Europe.

Perhaps the elephant in the room is the house itself, in its role as repository of an ever-expanding collection created by the McCulloughs and friends and then curated to perfection by the couple. Pulling up to the property in Cashtown, one sees a stage already set with statues dotting the landscape, canvases floating off the line, and acreage relegated to massive rustic wheels connecting the present to the past. Part museum, part fantasy theme park, the property takes visitors through time in viewing folk art that pays homage to historical tradition, offering treasure upon treasure that leads from one vignette to the next, room by room. When viewed as a whole, the effect may feel like Alice in Wonderland going down the rabbit hole. But, when taken in small doses, the art is educationally sound and, like Graham Nash wrote, “the windows are illuminated by the evening sunshine through them.”

Art House exists in large part for the art enthusiast who embraces creativity and is willing to take a drive for an adventure to a magical land of imagination and meaning, a world of enchantment full of treasures, jewels and “fiery gems for you, only for you.”

Art House “is a very, very, very fine house.” The “cats” await.

For more information, visit www.sharonpiercemccullough.com, follow on Instagram @share333 or email at [email protected].

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The Week that Was: News and features around Harrisburg

October 9, 2020 | by Lawrance Binda and Maddie Conley

The Black Burg, a community group run by college students.

We are in the thick of election season, and many of our stories this week reflect that, including our monthly podcast. First, register to vote, then catch up on this week’s news below.

Art season in Harrisburg looks much different this year, due to the COVID-19 crisis. Our magazine story highlights the way that local theaters, art museums and musical groups are adjusting. The show must go on!

The Black Burg, a community group run by college students, is holding “Ballots for the Burg,” a voter engagement day in Reservoir Park. The event on Oct. 10 will feature voting assistance, free food and a concert by young local artists, our online story reports.

Bob’s Art Blog features “Art of the State” winners from around Pennsylvania. Check out a few of the photographs, paintings and sculptures that were honored this year.

Braver Angels was founded shortly after the 2016 election to help neutralize the negative emotions and attitudes between red and blue Americans. Here’s the backstory on Braver Angels and their work in PA.

TheBurg Podcast dives into the political divide with the organization Braver Angels, to bring you survival tips. What does it mean to be civil, and is it possible during election season? Subscribe to TheBurg Podcast on your favorite podcast platform!

COVID-19 cases in PA are again on the rise, our online story reports. On average, there were more than 1,100 new cases each day over the past week.

Gamut Theatre brings back live shows with “The Zoo Story.” Our review presents an honest opinion of this unsettling story performed by a two-man cast.

Harrisburg City Council discussed more potential amendments to a proposed police advisory board, our online story reports. The suggested amendment would encourage the Police Bureau’s compliance with requests for information.

The Harrisburg Fire Bureau swore in 10 new firefighters last week. According to Chief Brian Enterline, this set a record high for the number of personnel in the bureau in over a decade, our online story reports.

The Harrisburg School District gave student-athletes the “OK” to play fall sports, after previously canceling the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Athletic Director Calvin Everett believes their teams will be behind, but he’s excited they can now participate, our online story reported.

Harrisburg United, an open coalition of Harrisburg region civic, labor, religious and community organizations, issued a statement of support for victims of recent hate behaviors in the city. They encouraged Harrisburg residents to respond by reporting hate activity and supporting those who are targeted.

Our October recipe is centered around the versatile zucchini. Rosemary tells you how to prepare the perfect sausage-stuffed zucchini the Italian way.

Power to the Hill is an organization in Allison Hill focused on increasing civic engagement in the area. Read about the ways that they have helped residents find a voice through exercising their right to vote.

Sara Bozich has a “fall bucket list” for you to check out and plenty of other fun October events. Take a look through her Weekend Roundup, here.

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Bob’s Art Blog: “Art of the State”

October 6, 2020 | by Bob MacGinnes

It’s been nearly a month since “Art of the State” award winners were announced. Awards were given in the categories of painting, photography, craft, sculpture and work on paper.

One hundred and nine works are represented from 108 artists across 29 counties. Over 1,900 entries from 680 artists started the field back in February. It is an honor to be selected as a finalist in the 2020 edition of “Art of the State.” Here are 10 local “honorees” in no particular order with the following “snapshots.”

Theodore Prescott’s “Traveler” is a mixed media sculpture formed from mementos one may accumulate at various points on a “dig” found at a 22nd-century outpost. Collectively, they create meaning based on the viewer’s experience.

Andrew Guth’s “Orion” is a triptych painting of male figures in varied states of dress and personas formed around the theme of mutual attraction. Orion, Greek mythology informs, is the most handsome of men and a hunter by trade. Yet there is a poignant sense of loss in that the work’s subtitle, “Tales I Wish He Had Told Me,” conveys a deeper meaning of longing for what was left unsaid in the relationship.

Andrew Guth’s “Orion”

Ryan Spahr’s black and white photo, “Treats,” seems taken from an era of the past undisclosed for interpretation. Yet it evokes an image perhaps from the days of punk rock or of a character from a Lynchian film. The choice is yours to make.

Ryan Spahr’s “Treats”

Marjaneh Talebi’s black and white photograph, entitled “Memory,” is a perfect example of pattern-on-pattern play amplifying the medium to new heights. Subtle yet dramatic, the depth achieved is multi-layered for rumination and reflection.

Marjaneh Talebi’s “Memory”

Marc VanDyke’s color photograph, “Surface-005,” takes the viewer on a journey to a faraway galaxy where the denseness of stars is so thick that one gasps at the enormity of the universe. Putting life in perspective, we are but a speck, and yet that speck makes a world of difference.

Marc VanDyke’s “Surface-005”

Hannah Steele’s “Cavern” turns spelunking on its head. She explores textures in wood by inverting a table in such a manner that the stalactites’ drippings form art of peerless proportion.

Hannah Steele’s “Cavern”

Autumn Wright’s work on paper, “Flight Pattern,” has an old world feel, reminiscent of rare ancient maps and the beginning of cartography. Viewers will see a wide range of images. As for me, I saw specter-like markings, creating a flight of fancy.

Autumn Wright’s “Flight Pattern”

Sanh Tran’s color photograph, “Pretty in Pink, 2,” depicts a model in pink and black dressed to the nines with hat and gloves and, the coup-de-grace, a white plastic grocery bag as the finishing accessory. It represents the perfect marriage of high and low fashion.

The color photograph by Shelby Wormley, “Reflections, Assemblage Series,” is of a young boy astride his father’s shoulders, providing an uplifting moment shared by both. The little boy cradles his father’s face while the elder holds onto his son’s legs with a smile that lights up the frame.

Shelby Wormley’s “Reflections, Assemblage Series”

“La Prenza-Resistencia Ciudadana” from Eddy Lopez is a work on paper announcing a call to arms. A color bleed one sheet from an international newspaper highlights the message, “citing the press, citizen resistance,” albeit the power of the people.

Odd Ones Update: What was an annual event over the Thanksgiving weekend has been moved up a month to take advantage of the beautiful fall weather. Tara Chickey, art director of the Millworks, has moved the date of the Odd Ones Bazaar to Saturday, Oct. 17, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a rain date (just in case) scheduled for the following Saturday, Oct. 24. With vendors a plenty, Millworks beer will be flowing and chef Pat will be cooking up treats for purchase. The bazaar will be held outside on the grass on the lots at 3rd and Verbeke streets. This is an annual event that the art-going public anticipates with relish—whether you are odd or even. It’s a great gala gathering for friends and neighbors of Midtown and the central PA area, so mark your calendar. Be sure to mask up, after all, Halloween is just two weeks away. Social distance and feel free to be as odd as you can be. I promise you won’t be alone in that. For more information, visit the Millwork’s website.

A special word of thanks to Howard Pollman of the Pennsylvania State Historical Museum Commission for his assistance with “Art of the State.” For more photos, please visit October’s Artist in Focus, “Art of the State,” or the “Art of the State” landing page.

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Artist in Focus: “Art of the State”

September 30, 2020 | by TheBurg Editor

“Art of the State” is among the most anticipated exhibits each year at the State Museum of Pennsylvania.

For 2020, though, like with so many things, you can only visit through your computer screen.

“Art of the State” has gone virtual, but that’s not stopping us from highlighting the annual juried exhibit, which includes some of the most noteworthy works by PA artists over the past year.

We’re especially proud that two of our contributing artists, Ryan Spahr and Andrew Guth, both of Harrisburg, had works accepted to be part of the exhibit. Their artwork was among the 108 finalists from 1,901 total entries.

If you like the art featured on this page, we encourage you to go online and take the virtual 360-degree tour to see the other works that comprise this year’s “Art of the State.”

“Art of the State: Pennsylvania 2020” runs virtually through Jan. 3 at www.statemuseumpa.org/aos2020.

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James Erikson

Ellen Silberlicht

Nancy Middlebrook

Andrew Guth

Travis Prince

Ryan Spahr

The Painted Word: On the hunt for art at Gallery Walk

August 31, 2020 | by Bob MacGinnes

Mars #3 by Bryan Thomas Molloy at Old City Hall

Harrisburg’s annual art showcase, Gallery Walk, is nearly upon on us. The 32nd edition features a number of special treasures, so be sure to check them off the list as you search.

Greeting visitors at the Art Association of Harrisburg is an eight-foot zebra grinning from ear to ear and balanced on one hoof. Made of papier-mâché by Harrisburg artist Charlie Feathers, “Jumper” is the unofficial mascot for Gallery Walk. Meanwhile, good things also come in much smaller packages, like the member’s show at AAH, “La Petite Exhibition.”

Chances are you won’t need roadside assistance from AAA, but it does represent “Art, Artifacts and Architecture” at the Historic Society of Dauphin County at the John Harris-Simon Cameron Mansion. Up the street, look for a breath of fresh air from Jonathan Frazier’s plein air paintings in the Riverfront Gallery at St. Stephen’s Cathedral.

Up on Allison Hill, Gloria Merrick, executive director at the Latino Hispanic American Community Center on Derry Street, has assembled a quartet of artists near and far. Legendary Lucy Giboyeaux’s award-winning art is a highlight, as is Peruvian painter Claudia Salazar’s tribute to Frida Kahlo. Raul Cruz’s recycled materials turn into magic. Nora Carreras creates art from found objects and paints with artistic abandon in what may be a one-day show at LHACC.

“Liminality” is the “Twilight Zone” episode you don’t want to miss at Capital Area School for the Arts in Strawberry Square. It is an experimental exhibition and explores transition from “What has Been to What Will Be,” as the liminal space is the crossing-over space. Both students and alumni create this world, which may change your view of the transition from student to graduate. The mood is heightened, as all visitors will be wearing masks.

That exhibit provides the perfect segue to Old City Hall‘s exhibit of stunning proportion from Harrisburg/Boston impressionist painter, Bryan Thomas Molloy, who takes us to Mars in his oil studies. Is there life on Mars? You might find a clue.

Is a church a gallery or a place of worship? In the case of St. Michael’s Lutheran Church, it is both. Its magnificent sanctuary with marble carvings is a work of art, as are the stained glass windows from Germany. Look for art from Sylvia Hepler and photography by John Robinson, Barry Ridge and Eric Smith. And, speaking of churches, don’t miss Barbara James’ art, which mixes mediums with manual dexterity at Salem United Church of Christ.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania unveils its annual blockbuster, “Art of the State,” which runs through Jan. 3. Pre-registration is required and free timed tickets will be issued for viewing due to limited access.

Be sure not to “Overlook” the Civic Club of Harrisburg, which dates back to 1898. Within the landmark riverfront mansion, enjoy the art of Dave Lenker and Stacy Brown with multimedia presentations of “Oneness” and “Blue.” Consider it your civic duty to pay a visit to the organization that was founded to benefit those in need.

And you thought City House Bed and Breakfast was just a place to hang your hat? Anything but as the art showcased by art impresario Robert Armetta of New York and Harrisburg is world-class on all levels. If this is your last stop, make reservations to spend the night.

Up on 3rd Street, stop into the magnificent Historic Harrisburg Resource Center, as there is much under one roof. If it’s a resource pertinent to Harrisburg, you’ll find it here. This includes an incredible exhibit, “With Open Heart and Open Arms: LGBTQ Cuban Refugees and the LGBTQ Community’s Response to the Mariel Boatlift.”

Across the street, Vivi on Verbeke is always full of vitality and variety as Vivi Sterste and Jeb Boyd roll out their vision for the upcoming fall season. The new interior layout features amber inlaid candlesticks, floral acrylic paintings and photography highlighting significant Harrisburg architecture.

Around the corner, raise a glass and toast “Here’s to you Mrs. Robinson,” sung by Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. Today, she may “Graduate” to more meaningful pursuits at Midtown Scholar Bookstore’s Robinson Gallery, where something is “bound” to grab your attention.

The symbiotic relationship between art and music is amplified to perfection in the groundbreaking exhibit, “Creating Joy: Art Inspired by Music,” which may be viewed at the Susquehanna Art Museum at the Marty. Right next door, the other standalone gallery in Midtown is turning 1 year old. Join us in wishing Michael Hertrich Fine Art a happy anniversary in his upper-level gallery. Award-winning artist Adelaide LaFond pays tribute in pastel paintings with ethereal scenes of our city.

Finally, this veteran gallery-walker offers some tips for the day. Major museums and galleries may be busier than usual with the day’s special events, so perhaps plan on visiting some of the venues on the roads less traveled. Map out your route and call ahead with a planned time of arrival for optimal viewing. Mask up and maintain that safe space of social distancing. Everyone will appreciate your consideration, and it will make for an all-around positive experience. Art lovers care; it is in our very nature.

The unique umbrella of museums, galleries and merchants participating is a testament to Carrie Wissler-Thomas and her inventiveness. One needs to appreciate the scope and work involved by the AAH CEO. The team of art coordinators, as well as the aggregate artists at each venue, is to be commended. A special thanks to Ted and Linda Walke of Gallery@Second for maps designed and distributed for this event. The Walkes create this annually to guide us safely on the path to great art.

Gallery Walk takes place on Sunday, Sept. 13, noon to 5 p.m., at 17 venues throughout Harrisburg. For more information, visit www.artassocofhbg.com/events.

Bob’s Art Blog: A Year in Art

January 6, 2020 | by Bob MacGinnes

The painting of more than a dozen murals was a highlight of the year in art in Harrisburg.

With one year ended and another just beginning, “end of year lists” are a common feature in publications of all ilk. “Bob’s Art Blog” for TheBurg is no exception. In a year filled with great art happenings on both sides of the Susquehanna, there were many exhibits and events to choose from. So, here is a baker’s dozen—you be the judge.

Most likely to leap tall buildings: In September, Sprocket Mural Works’ unveiling of 14 spectacular citywide murals led right into the 31st edition of the Gallery Walk art tour. As always, Gallery Walk kicked off the fall art season under the auspices of the Art Association of Harrisburg’s CEO Carrie Wissler-Thomas, who celebrated her 40th year with the AAH.

Art tackles socially relevant issues in a way that words cannot accomplish. With just one painting or photograph, the collective conscious grasps the import and deeper meaning brought to light by its focus. In a year when social debate reached its zenith, art activist Carrie Breschi, at the Carlisle Arts Learning Center, mounted a show that resonates resoundingly almost a year later. Shining a much needed spotlight on the plight of the homeless and its ever growing population, Breschi, within her context of cardboard, “Home Sweet Home, The Real Faces of Homelessness,” struck at the very core of why art exists in the first place.

Right on CALC’s heels in terms of social awareness and its call for equality, the Art Association of Harrisburg’s dual show celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots in New York City, which advanced the rights of the LGBT community. Curator Rachel O’Connor, with the blessing of Barry Loveland of the LGBT Center of Central Pennsylvania, presented a history in varied mediums of the community’s struggle for acceptance and inclusion. Paired with Maria Maneos’ “Brush With The Law” initiative, highlighting the opioid crisis through art, both exhibits struck home.

Beware the “Ides of March,” as March 15 began my journey in covering 3rd in the Burg art events. In the center ring upstairs at H*MAC, boxer Charles Bootleg Feathers met fellow avant-garde artist Gary Bartlett for a bare-knuckled brawl with the last man standing having bragging rights. In the end, it was a split decision. Both artists delivered a powerful punch with knocked-out art.

Earth Day was spent with Mother Earth, Vivian Sterste, and Father Time, Jackson “Jeb” Boyd, at Vivi on Verbeke, providing the perfect antidote from a long winter. Pottery, photography, pterodactyls and more brought the promise of spring, delivered to the door at 258 Verbeke St., Harrisburg. Over at CALC, an over-the-rainbow fantasy, curated by Cathy Stone, showed interpretive works from found-object sculptor, Sharon McCullough. It resembled Paris in the spring, with a darkly rich palette from painter Arlyn Pettingell’s advanced portrait studies of Parisian vocations. In the Upstairs Gallery, instructor Thomas Oakes’s collection of art from CPARC students demonstrated that disabilities have no bearing on creativity.

In the merry month of May, my birthday surprise was opening night for the Art Association’s 91st “International Juried Art Show.” Art from all over the world filled the upstairs and down, and curator O’Connor’s delightfully dizzying delivery of central PA artists made for quite an experience.

The State Museum of Pennsylvania’s 52nd edition of “Art of the State,” curated by Amy Hammond and Carol Buck, brought varied work from 100 artists selected statewide, representing 35 counties, to center stage for a star-studded awards ceremony, kicking off its three-month run in June. Pictured: “Best Seat in the House” by Donna Barlup.

Summer in the city brought “Picasso: A Life in Prints” to the Susquehanna Art Museum, which connected its Executive Director Alice Anne Schwab to the Big Apple’s John Szoke Gallery in New York City with serendipitous style. The erudite Mr. Szoke’s talk and gallery tour was one of the highlights of the summer season. Two late summer shows, one at the Carlisle Arts Learning Center with “This Place I Call Home,” featured the poetic photography of Lori Snyder and potent pottery of Kurt Brantner, providing a serious study in art appreciation. “Eclectic Energized,” across the river at AAH, presented the perfect counterpoint with psychedelic trappings from Enola artist Andrew Brodisch, as well as York-based portraitist Rone Del Galeone’s use of bold colors and brush strokes.

St. Stephen’s Riverfront Gallery upped the ante with its fall arrival of “Icons in Transformation,” a moving and monumentally meaningful show filled with a personal side of mourning, shared with the world by artist Ludmila Pawlowska.

What constitutes great art was shown to us on an August 3rd in the Burg, starting with the Millworks’ hive of activity. Artists were abuzz gearing up for the citywide Gallery Walk. Tara Chickey, art director for the Millworks, gave us the tour of artists’ studios, enabling us to meet a coterie of creatives. Venturing further up Verbeke, we experienced an Earth Day déjà vu, running into Vivi and Jeb out on their perfect-for-people-watching bench at Vivi’s. Capping off the night with a jolt of energy, Elyse Irvis, entrepreneur extraordinaire, elaborated at her eclectic enclave, La Cultura. On hand for the evening’s festivities was artist Dillon Mitchell. In the end, “Atmosphere, Relationships and Time” created the acronym ART for another memorable 3^rd in the Burg.

Art displayed at Nyianga Store in Harrisburg.

October proved to be the busiest month on the art calendar. Paper Lion Gallery in Lemoyne opened it with a roar as owner Chuck Schulz brought an ancient Peruvian celebration in photographic splendor by Dilmar Santos to its freshly painted walls, displaying “Mamacha Carmen, The Festival of the Lady of Mt. Carmel” for its first new exhibit. Next was the celebration of American Craft Week at One Good Woman in Camp Hill with local painter’s Gail Coleman’s color-laden bursts of imagination, Toby Bouder’s wood-turned vessels in wonderfully wrought wood and Charlie Feathers’ teapot tureens in a highly creative presentation.

October’s 3rd in the Burg took us to meet Harrisburg’s newest gallery owner, Michael Hertrich, at his eponymous Hertrich Fine Art and Frame. In addition, Chantal Nga Eloundou, proprietress of her gallery/clothing and jewelry emporium, Nyianga Store, greeted us as we entered a bit of her native land, Cameroon. Closing out the 3rd, the Harrisburg Sketchers finished their run at the De Soto Gallery in the Susquehanna Art Museum. Also, Valerie Larko, artist of abandonedness, gave a tour of her paintings found off the highways and byways that she has come to know and love.

“It’s a Nice Night for a Picnic” by Peter Ydeen

November heralded a big top event, celebrating the 70th year for the Paxtang Art Association’s Annual Art Sale of over 3,000 paintings, led by ringmaster/instructor Nick Feher. Featured throughout, pop artist Michele Phillips, not of the Mamas and Papas but famous in her own right, displayed vibrantly colored and quirky character studies of people, places and animals. Over at SAM, Lauren Nye’s curation featuring Peter Ydeen’s haunting photographs of “Easton at Night” were safely locked up in the De Soto Vault with Inka Essenhigh’s “Other Worlds” showcased upstairs in the Main Gallery, which was like Dali meeting Disney. “War is Only Half the Story,” a photographic expose, rounded out the show.

December’s gifts came in small and big packages. One Good Woman’s original owners kicked off the month arriving back in town as Joe O’Connor, Poet Lariat, “roped” in a standing-room-only audience to hear his readings from his newly published book, “Why Poetry?” Joe and Holly were back for a one night only, closing out their fall book tour in their beloved Camp Hill.

The big red bow of a present waited to be untied at the State Museum of Pennsylvania as a gift to be treasured with its exhibit on muralist Violet Oakley’s preparatory sketches for her art depicted inside the state Capitol. As Midtown entered the new “Roaring 20’s,” the year-end icing on the cake was like an art salon of Paris in the 1920s with an open house by “Bootleg” Charlie Feathers and Reina “R76” Wooden, showcasing new works and admired by local luminaries and art lovers.

In the end, it was a memorable year and, judging by the exceptional works displayed, it is safe to say the art scene in central Pennsylvania is vibrantly alive and well.

Bob’s Art Blog: Powerful Art Association exhibits spotlight LGBTQ history, opioid crisis

October 28, 2019 | by Bob MacGinnes

“Growth,” acrylic on paper, at the Art Association of Harrisburg

The summer of 1969, now half a century past, was one for the annals of time.

Revolutionary on many fronts, the year included the celebration of “peace, music and love” at Woodstock and the first men to land on the moon. In New York’s Greenwich Village, three days of violent riots took place to protest police harassment in a raid at the Stonewall Inn. The latter proved to be a watershed moment for advancing LGBT rights, pushing that movement to the foreground in a battle for equality and gay liberation.

The Art Association of Harrisburg, in conjunction with the LGBT Center of Central Pennsylvania and the Dickinson College archives, has mounted the exhibit, “Hope, Memory & Pride: Artists View Equality,” curated by AAH’s wunderkind, Rachel O’Connor. It showcases the event in picture and prose across varied mediums.

The juried exhibit is part of a dual show featuring the work of award-winning artist, Maria Maneos, and her “Brush With the Law” initiative. That exhibit deals directly with the opioid epidemic. Maneos won a juried award for her entry in Pennsylvania’s “Art of the State” in 2018. Since then, she has become even more of an agent of change, bringing the opioid crisis front and center through her art.

The exhibit that became “Hope, Memory and Pride” was the brainchild of Barry Loveland, chair of the LGBT Center’s History Project, who brought the idea to AAH to help commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Inn riots.

Given free reign and the LGBT Center’s blessing, curator O’Connor sought artists to view the History Project’s collection, stored at Dickinson, and create art inspired by items from its trove of materials. In addition, O’Connor asked the artists “to write a statement of accompaniment as to why LGBTQ visibility/equality is meaningful, what transpired at Stonewall meant to them or their thoughts on being an ally for the cause.”

In emphasizing the struggle the LGBT community faced back in 1969 and that continues today, O’Connor drew on the properties of vinyl when illustrating the artists’ viewpoints. Vinyl represents durability, resistance to abrasion and, in a metaphorical sense, is often used in fencing.

With Stonewall, the gay community took a stand tearing down the fences, the barriers of society represented by the police raid, stating that no more would they be put in a box as outcasts. It became the battle cry then and for generations to come. Representative of the individualistic interpretations are artist Robert McCormick’s, “Trans-American Gothic,” (pictured) a riff on Grant Wood’s iconic 1930 painting of a Midwestern couple posed outside their house. McCormick’s assemblage, incorporating true blue denim, patchwork fabric, paint, metal, wood and paper, puts a 21^st-century spin on the American classic. In another, an acrylic by STEN features a “Dude in Blue T-shirt” through a heavily textured painting rich in colors and tone. The painting lends credence to its insight that “there is courage and a knowing that makes coming out the ultimate choice.”

No matter gender, color or sexual orientation, we are human beings and should be given equal rights by law. With “Hope, Memory & Pride,” the LGBTQ community’s just cause is given their due historically and fundamentally.

The Second Floor Gallery is devoted to the second exhibit, “Bits & Pieces of the Past,” which reflects the efforts of one person to promote radical change toward reversing a trend that has reached epidemic proportions. The ever-growing numbers of opioid overdoses and deaths has hit critical mass.

Artist Maria Maneos and her program, “Brush With the Law,” takes the purposeful and restorative nature of art therapy to the prisons, teaching inmates like her son the power of creating a personal statement of reflection and growth out of their pain of addiction. Maneos’ art pulls no punches in its stark portrayal. Her award-winning “Art of the State” work, titled “5535-2017,” referenced the staggering number of lives lost to opioid overdoses in 2017. One of her timely works from this exhibit is “Power,” an outsized oil on canvas of a woman dressed only in her undergarments draped over a commode, making the power of drugs palpable (pictured). Another work by an inmate, entitled “Growth,” acrylic on paper, may be a unique take on personal reflection as a vine wraps around the figure, extending upward beyond her pain.

The connection between the two exhibits hinges on the word “Hope.” Society’s narrow view of what lies outside the norm often loses sight of the universal need that we all share regardless of our own walk. Hope can overcome all obstacles in our journey, for, with hope, obstacles can become opportunities and agency for change. Hope for tolerance and acceptance. Hope for a brighter tomorrow in which we all respect one another no matter race, religion, color, creed, gender or sexual orientation.

“Hope, Memory & Pride: Artists View Equality” and “Bits & Pieces of the Past” run through Nov. 21 at the Art Association of Harrisburg, 21 N. Front St., Harrisburg. For more information, visit their website.

Textured Life: Ceramist Amy LeFever sees patterns all around us.

August 30, 2019 | by Yaasmeen Piper

During a good portion of our interview at Little Amps, Amy LeFever was staring at the brick wall behind me in the Harrisburg coffee shop.

“I love a lot of the textures in there, the patterns—how it’s breaking down,” she said. “That’s as good as my piece in the State Museum. I would hang that.”

It’s everyday sights like these that inspire LeFever and help launch her into her next project. The Middletown resident created hundreds of ceramic pieces full of unique textures and patterns. One of her latest works, rectangular white tile pieces covered in diagonal lines and divots, landed her first place this year in the ceramics category of the annual “Art of the State” competition.

“It was a sense of affirmation of what you do,” said LeFever, a HACC adjunct professor. “I came in and hung the piece myself. I was kind of nervous about it. It was something I shouldn’t have been nervous about, but I was. I was thinking about everything that could possibly go wrong, but it went super smoothly.”

Before her piece was hung in the State Museum, before winning numerous awards, and before traveling across the country to study art, LeFever was a musician. She started playing classical piano when she was in the third grade, her favorite being Chopin.

It was in high school when LeFever first started “messing around” with art. Her sister Letitia, who was an artist, would fish out clay from the creek behind their house and together they would create different creatures and objects from it.

It wasn’t until she started at HACC in 2004 that she really fell into the ceramics world. For her general studies major, she needed an art elective, so she took “Ceramics 1.”

“It sucked me right in,” she said. “I just spent all my time in there, and then I just continued down that path.”

From then, she won first and second place in two student art exhibits at HACC and was a featured artist in the Radius Gallery in the State Museum.

After earning her associate’s degree, LeFever studied at Alfred University in New York and earned her bachelor’s degree in fine arts. Her art then took her across the world to study at the Jingdezhen Ceramics Institute in China. For a month, LeFever went sightseeing in various cities, such as Shanghai, and learned different clay techniques.

“[My favorite part] was seeing ceramics in a new way, a new place, and working with new material,” she said.

Between her residencies at HACC and George Fox University in Oregon—and eventually earning her masters at the University of Tennesee in 2018—LeFever created numerous pieces and even dove into new media such as fabric work and digital design.

It wasn’t until three years ago that she started to really develop her signature look. Her art is known for having unique shapes and lines and for mixing different textures and patterns. It wasn’t something that was planned out or analyzed. According to LeFever, usually, when she is working on a piece, she doesn’t have a final look in mind. Instead, her work is the result of a series of reactions from the time she initiates the piece until she feels as if it’s finished.

“In some ways, I have a few different trajectories in ceramics that all come together at a certain point,” she said. “ I love rough sorts of textures and really playing with the material.”

Her upbringing also had a part in shaping her, and, therefore, her art. Living in Lancaster County with her conservative Mennonite family but going to church on Herr Street in Harrisburg, she saw a lot of different cultures mixing together.

When LeFever was in the eighth grade, her eldest sister was in a car accident that severely altered her brain.

“There was a certain tearing apart of the physicality of her brain, but also our family and how that changes you,” she said. “I always played with the concept of making a form, cutting it apart and reassembling it in different ways.”

Though these and other events have influenced her, she doesn’t really show them through her art.

“I wouldn’t say that my art is depicting these things, but they are integral to who I am,” she said. “I don’t think it’s why I’m interested in that certain visual language, but it just sort of makes sense to me.”

When asked what’s next, she shrugged and laughed. Her family keeps her pretty busy so she doesn’t have a firm timeframe for her art. However, she is still on the hunt for new shows, and, she says, making new art is always the goal.

But right now, having her work hanging in the State Museum where hundreds of people can see it—that’s enough for her.

You can check out Amy LeFever’s work at “Art of the State” at the State Museum of Pennsylvania through Sept. 8. To see more, visit her website at www.amylefever.com.

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