July Art Roundup

Posted by Victoria Rose on June 30, 2022

Faces of West Chester, Susan Curtin, Church Street Gallery

There is always more art to find in the Brandywine Valley! While some galleries take a break for the summer and art camps, street festivals and art pop-ups take over. Keep your eyes peeled for these amazing shows and others that are happening throughout the region. Remember to check websites and social media for updated health and safety measures for each venue.

Bison, Stan Smokler, Delaware Art Museum

Local artist Emie Hughes will showcase her unique combination of artwork and performance in a solo show, Stages of Blue, from July 1^st through the 29^th. Her large-scale pieces are created using cyanotype, an old technique originally used as a form of photography. Hughes uses cyanotype to create gorgeous sun print pieces with botanical themes. This show gets more physical, showcasing large cyanotype canvases which Hughes created by pressing her body on special paper placed in the sun. The resulting artworks, including cyanotypes, paintings, and choreography, are evocative and dynamic. This exhibition will culminate in a final Closing Reception & Performance, in which Hughes will dance among, rather than upon, the Stages of Blue. Exhibition and performance will be at The Blue Ball Barn at Alapocas Run State Park, 914 West Park Drive, Wilmington, DE. More information can be found at BlueJarLLC.com.

An evocative set of exhibitions gives new perspectives and invites conversation at the Brandywine River Museum of Art. Gatecrashers, curated by Katherine Jentleson and organized by the High Museum of Art, is on display from May 28^th through September 5^th, 2022. Night Coming Tenderly, Black features photographs by Dawoud Bey from his acclaimed 2017 series. It is on view in the Brandywine’s Strawbridge Family Gallery from May 19^th through August 31^st, 2022. The Brandywine River Museum is located at 1 Hoffman’s Mill Road, Chadds Ford, PA. More information can be found online at Brandywine.org/Museum.

Take a stroll through the Sculpture Garden and the Galleries at The Delaware Art Museum to experience Steel in Flux, a retrospective show celebrating the artwork of Stan Smokler, on display from June 25^th through September 11^th. These steel pieces, which range in scale from two-dimensional wall pieces to large outdoor installations, invite the viewer to see beyond metal to the ethereal. A workshop will be held at Smokler’s Marshall Bridge Studio introducing students to metalsmithing on July 16^th. Also on view are e. jean lanyon: The Magic Language through August 7th, Indigenous Faces of Wilmington through September 8th, and Art Addiction through July 31^st. The Delaware Art Museum is located at 2301 Kentmere Parkway, Wilmington, DE. More information about all these exhibits, workshops, and more can be found at DelArt.org.

Recycle Reclaim, ARTsisters, Main Line Art Center

You may spot a familiar face at Church Street Gallery this month, as Faces of West Chester is on display, featuring ten dozen pencil artworks by Susan Curtin. The Opening Reception is Wednesday, June 29^th from 5 to 8 pm and the show runs through July 9^th. Explore this gallery and others during First Friday in West Chester each month. The Church Street Gallery is at 12 S. Church Street, West Chester, PA. More information can be found at ChurchStreetGalleryWC.com.

The Media Arts Council will open its July exhibitions with an Opening Reception on July 1^st celebrating the three shows that will be on display through the month. Orna Willis and the Main Line Stitchers showcases beautiful, intricate geometric shapes created with fine needlepoint skills. The show features Willis’s artwork from the past two decades, including wall pieces, jewelry, and more. MAC will also host the Rustic Scenes, featuring artwork by Carol Wade, and EXPOSURES, with figurative paintings by Maryanne Buschini. The MAC Arts Center is located at 11 E. State Street, Media, PA. More information can be found at MediaArtsCouncil.org.

Celebrate the agency of the artist at Untethered Vision at The Art Trust, on display through August 5^th. Featuring eight self-taught artists, this exhibition is in partnership with The Creative Vision Factory. Hear from the artists themselves at the Artist’s Talk on July 14^th from 7 to 8 pm. Closing Reception will be held on August 4^th from 5 to 8:30 pm. The Art Trust is at 16 West Market Street, West Chester, PA. More information can be found at TheArtTrust.org.

Believe in Tomorrow: Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition takes over the grounds of The Main Line Art Center now through October 14^th. The ARTsisters also are presenting an exhibit, Recycle/Reclaim, through July 21^st. The Main Line Art Center is located at 746 Panmure Road, Haverford, PA. More information can be found at MainLineArt.org.

The Oxford Arts Alliance hosts the Annual Members Exhibition, July 1^st through the 29^th. The Emerging Artist Gallery will show the work of Kay Reyburn, a Richard Beards Scholarship Recipient and Oxford Area High School Art Student, in Kay’s Kreations, from July 1^st through August 26^th. The Oxford Arts Alliance is at 38 S. Third Street, Oxford, PA. More information can be found at OxfordArt.org.

Stages of Blue, Emie Hughes, Blue Ball Barn

The Cottage Art Show will feature various studio artists at Gallery 222 through the summer. Check their website to confirm hours, or the show is available to view online or by appointment. Gallery 222 is located at 222 East King Street, Malvern, PA. More information can be found at Gallery222Malvern.com.

The Station Gallery will have its annual Summer Group Show from July 1^st to the 29^th. The Station Gallery is located at 3922 Kennett Pike, Greenville, DE. More information can be found at StationGallery.net.

The Wilmington Art Loop is held every First Friday in Downtown Wilmington. A complimentary shuttle will run between the stops from The Delaware Contemporary, 200 South Madison Street, Wilmington, DE, DEContemporary.org. More information, including all the stops and featured artists and shows on the Loop, can be found at ArtLoopWilmington.org. The Blue Streak Gallery is located at 1721 Delaware Avenue, Wilmington, DE.

About Victoria Rose

Victoria Rose (she/her) is an editor, writer, avid reader, self-described geek, and fan of all things creative. Her passion for words has led to her current career as a freelance editor, and she is the owner of Flickering Words, an editing service. When not wielding a red pen (or cursor), she loves reading books of all genres, playing video, board, and word games, baking ridiculous creations to show off on the internet, or enjoying the gorgeous outdoors. She is a board member of the West Chester Film Festival and part of the Thirsty Monsters, a team of streamers from around the world who fundraise for various charities supporting LGBTQIA+ and accessibility rights. She can be found online @WordsFlickering or the Brandywine Art Guide @BrandywineArtGuide.