Artistic doubleheader on Broad Street

On Saturday, Nov. 8, The Artery - which takes up a good bit of Broad Street - will shine a light on the work of their artists and artisans. It will draw passersby in closer to look at the huge windows displaying an ever-changing eclectic collection which includes photography, paintings, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, and fine burled wooden objects.

On the second Saturday of each month, from July through November, The Artery holds featured exhibits of their member artists whose work is then on display for about a month. Each exhibit kicks off with a reception open to the public and light refreshments are passed around. These receptions have become a staple of the community and people look forward to meeting the artists and communicating about the art.

The forthcoming exhibit/reception will be held Nov. 8 from 2 to 4 p.m. - the last reception of the season. The Artery makes an effort to show a variety of works and styles and this reception shows two artistic representations which couldn’t be more different.

In half of the front room, The Delaware Highlands Conservancy will show the winners of its eighth annual juried photo contest billed as “Confluence: Land, Water, Wildlife.” The contest invites local photographers to capture striking nature photos from the Upper Delaware River region in five categories: landscape, wildlife, macro, water, and the Van Scott Nature Reserve, plus a youth category for photographers under age 18.

“The public is encouraged to visit the exhibit throughout its month-long installation to enjoy the talent of these photographers, the awesome beauty that surrounds us in the Delaware River valley, and learn about the Conservancy,” Gallery Director Marie Liu said.

Among the winners of this juried contest are April Richling for the Landscape category, and Eileen Chorba for the People’s Choice category.

In the other half of the front room, Artery member Laura Dudes will exhibit her work which is quite varied. She worked as a graphic artist for many years and created printed designs and packaging for companies such as M&M Mars, Crayola and BASF. Some of her graphic designs were even sold in Macy’s. Dudes studied at the Art Institute of Philadelphia.”

“I spent years painting landscapes, portraits and working from reference. The texture and dimension in my paintings are techniques that I have come up with over the years,” she said. “I now paint from my imagination. I hope viewers are struck by the color and texture and drawn in by the story I am telling. I get my ideas from all kinds of things; conversations, something I heard on television, or music. Many of them portray emotions that we all deal with.”

The Delaware Highlands Conservancy’s mission is to conserve the forests, farmland, clean waters, and wildlife habitat of the Upper Delaware River region for present and future generations and to foster environmental stewardship through community engagement.

The Artery Gallery is located at 210 Broad St. and open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. from April through December every Thursday through Monday. From January through March it is open Friday through Monday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. For information, call (507) 409-1234.