Pauly Friedman Art Gallery hosts Artist-led Encaustic Workshop and reception for “Flashpoints: Material/Intent/Fused”

Pauly Friedman Art Gallery hosts Artist-led Encaustic Workshop and reception for “Flashpoints: Material/Intent/Fused”

The Pauly Friedman Art Gallery at Misericordia University invites the public to meet curator and artist Reni Gower, M.F.A., who is featured in the exhibition “Flashpoints: Material/Intent/Fused,” on display until March 31, 2023. Gower will lead a workshop on the medium of encaustic, or pigmented hot wax, on March 16th from 3:30 to 5:30p.m. All materials and supplies will be provided. Participants are asked to wear a smock or apron and closed-toe shoes. The cost of the workshop is $20 for the general public and free for Misericordia University students, faculty, and staff. Workshop space is limited and preregistration is required through the gallery website misericordia.edu/art or by calling the gallery at (570) 674-6250.

Following the workshop at 6:00 p.m. the public is invited to a free reception where Gower will give a walkthrough of the exhibition. The University Welcome will be given by Tanya Easton, Ed.D., Vice President for University Advancement. Live string music will be presented by Leah Valenches of the NEPA Philharmonic.

This event coincides with Misericordia University’s celebration of Women’s History Month, which includes poetry readings, movie screenings, and faculty presentations highlighting women’s contributions throughout history. Gallery Director Lalaine Little, Ph.D., says that the workshop’s focus on wax highlights the importance of women as creators and consumers. “The medium of wax is appropriate given that women are a driving force for that industry. Wax is pervasive in many aspects of modern daily life and generates billions of dollars per year globally, particularly in candles and cosmetics.”

“Flashpoints” Curator and artist Reni Gower was inspired by the similarities in geometric decorative patterns from around the globe, including motifs drawn from Islamic and Celtic traditions to create two grids of encaustic paintings. The thick arrangements of saturated colors invite meditation, as if looking at stained glass windows. Professor Gower retired from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2018 and is a 2020 Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant Recipient.

This exhibition and related programming was made possible with the support of the Sandra Dycewski Maffei Endowment Fund for the Modern Visual Arts.

Regular gallery hours are 12-7 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday and 12-5 p.m. Friday to Monday. Other times are available by appointment. The gallery is closed during university closings and holidays. Admission is always free to all. Please call or check the gallery website www.misericordia.edu/art to confirm visit. To schedule a free tour or private appointment, or for more information, please contact the Gallery Director Lalaine Little, PhD, at (570) 674-8420 or email llittle@misericordia.edu.