Art Works: Meet Creatives That Enrich Lancaster City

Thank you to our editorial sponsor—the High® companies: celebrating the City of Lancaster and committed to innovative community leadership, sustainable building practices, and advancement through the preservation of local heritage.

Lancaster is brimming with art in every form. This is the city of Gallery Row, Makers Markets, and PCA&D, after all. Beeswax, sea glass, plaster, beechwood—artists here are working with surprising materials in thrilling new ways. With an exciting performing arts scene, painters and sculpture artists working at the highest levels of the game, experimental young artists making big statements, and an interior design scene that’s attracting attention from across the nation, Lancaster’s artists are making their marks. On these pages, meet some of the artists who have helped shape the vibrant, thriving Lancaster art scene—from the fine artist with Amish roots whose work has been shown around the world to the bold young collage artist just starting out.

Thank you to Pennsylvania College of Art & Design for allowing us to use their studios and teaching spaces to capture Lancaster’s creativity for these photos. 

Red Raven Art Company

Red Raven offers a diverse range of work from 30+ local and regional artists. Monthly changing exhibits and events mean that you will always find something extraordinary at Red Raven.

Fred Rodger  is a painter who works almost exclusively in acrylics while dabbling in sculpture using found objects, metal junk, and even bronze. “My work only reflects what I’m thinking about or find interesting at the moment. I stop the series when I feel it has ‘run its course’ and then I move on.”

Art Harrington is a mixed media artist who’s been painting his whole life. “My artwork creates in me a unique feeling, one where I am able to transform an idea that is solely mine into a piece that belongs to the world.”

Regina Martin uncovers the extraordinary in everyday objects and nature through her painting. She uses acrylics to layer paint and scumble, adding depth. “My approach to art making is closest to expressionism—responding to the emotion created by brush strokes, color, line, shape, tension rather than to actually represent external reality.”

Lee Lovett, manager of Red Raven Art Company, paints in oils because she likes to move things around and comes back to her paintings again and again. “Painters are the current historians of our times. We document our lives, what is around us, what is important to us, the unusual perspective, or perhaps the unique light.”

Patricia Wertz  paints landscapes, still life and figure, and narrative in oils. She worked as a graphic designer before turning to painting full time. “Painting, or for that matter any creative effort, offers us an opportunity to see the world differently. To me, it is life giving to follow your passion.”

Jackie Madsen’s ’ first love is drawing. Her paintings are heavily influenced by mark-making. “As Pablo Picasso said, ‘The artist is a receptacle for emotions that come from all over the place: from the sky, from the earth, from a scrap of paper, from a passing shape, from a spider’s web.’”

Mark Dennis has been a sculptor for 36 years. He uses architectural epoxy to direct-sculpt portraits and animals. “Some sculptures are character studies, some are retellings of mankind’s various myths, some are just for fun.”

Steve Wilson is a full-time artist working as a graphic designer, illustrator, and fine artist. Steve’s main medium is watercolor. “On this painting, I used a limited palette and many layers of masking fluid. Pulling off layers of mask would reveal lighter areas and clean edges.”

Rhoda Kahler’s clay tile work is inspired by nature. Each piece embodies the emotion felt by a relationship to the source of inspiration. “There is an illustrator deep inside me, however, the need to sculpt is just as strong. Combining illustrations on clay was the perfect way to express my views of the world.”

Lancaster City Alliance

Downtown Investment District

Lancaster City Alliance is a nonprofit that cultivates partnerships with business, local communities, the arts, education, nonprofits, and government to ensure Lancaster is a clean, safe, and vibrant City for all. Along with the Downtown Investment District, we celebrate the local artists whose work inspires and elevates our City’s collective worth. Meet some of the artists who call Lancaster home.

Katherine Blough: “Art is limitless. There’s no right way or wrong way to create.”

Lourdes Torres-Shepard: Lourdes, native of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, has been a resident of Lancaster for the past eight years. She is a self-taught abstract artist and works primarily in acrylics, house paints, and glazes.

Osmyn Oree: “I like the possibility of creating new stories or sharing others’ stories through photography. I’ve learned so much about my friends and people I photographed just through taking their pictures.”

Keisha Finnie:  “The purpose of my art has always been to make myself feel good while showing others the way I see and interpret the world.”

Dreya Moore: “Art how you think you should art and damn the naysayers,” says Dreya of Spindle & Spire and co-owner of Artist Studio and Gallery at Annex 24.

David Lyall Design

David Lyall, Interior Designer, has been in the business for more than 25 years; his vast portfolio features residential and commercial interiors throughout Central Pennsylvania, the mid-Atlantic, and beyond. The David Lyall Home & Design showroom is located on Prince Street in downtown Lancaster in an historic brick warehouse built in 1885 as part of the Teller Brothers-Reed Tobacco District.

David’s design aesthetic fuses both contemporary and traditional forms, with a touch of the eclectic. David is stimulated by how people live, what they love, and what they treasure, which informs his thoughtful approach to designing spaces that reflect those elements of his clients’ lives.

“I relate what I do to a trained chef,” says David. “I combine simple elements to create something visually delicious.”

LeFevre Funk Architects

The belief that good architecture is a balance between art and science, grace and precision, stands at the center of LeFevre Funk Architects.

With more than 72 years of industry experience combined, owners Steven Funk and Melanie Burnette have mastered the art of transforming clients’ needs into striking designs.

“We approach each project without any pre-conceived notion of its ultimate form or style. Our designs begin with our clients: their needs, wants, likes, and dislikes,” says Steven. “We often end up spending a lot of time with our clients, both in professional and social settings, really getting to know them. Our designs then grow organically from the knowledge we’ve gained through those relationships.”

While the vision and designs are influenced greatly by the client’s needs, Melanie and Steven’s work tends to boast a clean modern look featuring refined detailing, with a hint of industrial flavoring. Whether they are restoring a historic landmark like The Keppel Building or leading the vision behind Lancaster’s newest and most transformative project, 101NQ, Melanie believes, “Architecture at its finest is a response to the environment in which it lies.”

Freiman Stoltzfus Gallery

Freiman Stoltzfus is a painter, sculptor, native Pennsylvanian, and perpetual student of life.

“Very simply, I believe in beauty,” says Freiman. “I seek harmony, music, light, and meditative reflection in my work, for my own sake and as antidote to a chaotic, darkened world. I create first for myself; following my passions for music, architecture, nature and the four seasons, and floral life.”

A prolific artist, Freiman has lived, studied, and exhibited his work in New York and in Europe. He owns and operates Freiman Stoltzfus Gallery in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Presently, Freiman is working on a series for Fall ArtWalk entitled “Field Hymns,” finding musical patterns and harmonies in Pennsylvania landscapes.

He offers the following advice to aspiring artists: “Do not wait for inspiration to strike. Show up in your studio, at your kitchen table with a canvas and paint, or with a sketchbook and pencil outside—begin!”

Henrietta Heisler Interiors

Henrietta Heisler  and her team have been transforming spaces for 19 years. Her work is built on the belief that design transforms lives. Every project begins with a deep conversation where she gets to know her clients and their known and unknown needs. She and her team then use their eyes, tools, and resources to craft and fulfill the new vision. Knowing that people are happier and more productive in spaces she has designed is deeply fulfilling for Henrietta.

“My appreciation of art and beautiful design started when I was a child,” says Henrietta. “As a teenager I walked through the private estate of a descendant of Henry Frances Dupont who built Winterthur and witnessed a stunning living room with malachite tile floors and coffee tables, white sofas, and exquisite artwork. Everything was beautifully coordinated, it was breathtaking. At that moment I knew I wanted to create such beauty. The designer of that home had a huge impact on making me the designer I am today.”

Friendship Heart Gallery

Celebrating 5 years downtown, Friendship Heart Gallery works to cultivate the capabilities of more than 75 Artists with intellectual disability and autism. The purpose of this art is to share with the world the immense abilities and unique personalities of the Heart Artists through creative expression.

Through their creations, the Heart Artists are able to advocate for themselves by building their self-worth and confidence. This is a person-centered program that looks to create meaningful, everyday lives for individuals with intellectual disability and autism.

“We are in existence to build community and break down stigmas people may have about individuals with intellectual disability and autism,” says Ally Rohland, Gallery Coordinator. “This art is here to start a conversation about the power the Heart Artists have to affect our lives.”

Briahna had never painted before attending Friendship Heart Gallery and now she creates textured abstract acrylic paintings by using quick-moving strokes that jump across her canvas. Briahna enjoys working from inspiration photos—especially those of flowers, which she says are beautiful. I like to paint. I feel free,” says Briahna.

Stacy utilizes big and bold strokes with thick paint to make her creations. She is interested in light and growth and her paintings exude this lightness, often putting a smile on the viewer’s face. Her paintings are funky and have a major punch of personality infused in them.

Gail Gray Studio

Gail C. Gray is an experienced fine artist working in many media including painting, printmaking, fabric and fiber art, collage, assemblage, and installations. She has lived and worked in Lancaster since the early 1970s and graduated with a BFA in both painting and design, in addition to completion of graduate work in printmaking, from Carnegie Mellon University. Her artwork can be seen in the Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Center at LGH, the Lancaster Marriott Hotel, and the Lancaster Bar Association, among many other public spaces throughout Lancaster and Pennsylvania.

This year, Gail has been focused on using a medium of oils, after taking time to use nontoxic, water-based materials for the past 18 years. Gail uses a proprietary interactive system of water-based materials to achieve extraordinary multi-layered textural effects.

“I am a scientifically inspired artist and since joining Franklin and Marshall’s Evolution Roundtable 15 years ago, I have had a unique opportunity to explore the deep connections of human art-making far back into the distant prehistoric past,” says Gail. She credits returning to school at age 50 to study philosophy as the greatest influence on the direction and meaning of her work today. Gail received an honorary Doctor of Arts degree from Franklin and Marshall College in 2016 and shares the 2017 Governor’s Award for the Arts in Pennsylvania with her husband, former Mayor Rick Gray, for their promotion of the arts.

Allegro Orchestra Lancaster

& NextGEN, its new youth instrumental program

Brian Norcross is the Founder, Director, and Conductor for Allegro Orchestra Lancaster. Brian is also known to many as a conductor at Franklin and Marshall and the Director of Music with First United Methodist Church.

“After giving too many constructive comments to an ensemble of musicians, I am known to say, ‘All I want is everything…now.’ This usually results in laughter, which is something that I think is really important in music and life in general. The harder the talks, the more we need to laugh.”

The vision of NextGEN youth music is to provide learning opportunities for instrumental music students of all ages and abilities through the highest quality of individualized instruction, performance ensembles, and community involvement. We believe that every child should have the opportunity to develop their intellectual and artistic capacity through playing a musical instrument, and that every community should enjoy the benefits of music.

Make music with Allegro! They have four ensembles starting this fall. Visit allegrolancaster.org for more info.

Fulton Theatre

Marc Robin,  Executive Artistic Producer at Fulton Theatre, has staged more than 40 productions. Some of his personal favorites include “Rags”, “Sweeney Todd”, “August Osage County”, “Ghost”, “Treasure Island”, and “The Wizard of Oz”. He served as Artistic Director for seven years and, most recently, has been given the honor to move into a new role as Executive Artistic Producer. As a freelance director he has worked all over the United States, earning multiple awards and nominations, and has staged close to 400 productions.

Originally from Chicago (24 years) he is a proud “Lancastrian” who has been a resident here since 2005. “At the Fulton, we create artistic experiences that gather our community and engage, enlighten, or entertain,” says Marc. “It’s a collaboration of talented artists, administrators, and patrons who all have a shared passion for the way in which theatre can be a joyous and necessary experience.”

Marc is guided by the wise words: always be in love with the art in yourself and not yourself in the art.

Vivace Live & Bring On The Bash

Vivace Live, a contemporary string quartet, and the popular wedding DJ Bring On The Bash have joined together to provide a cutting-edge sound by combining the beauty of strings and the pop presence of a DJ. Together, they perform everything from pop and classic rock to well-known dance hits and originals. Their on-stage energy is the result of a passion for blending strings with popular party music to create their own unique renditions for parties, weddings, and corporate events.

“Vivace Live, with 30 string professionals on the team, brings the joy, passion, gratitude, and camaraderie that we share as a group, to every audience we perform for,” says Sara Irvine, Director of Vivace Live.

“I’ve had an obsessive love for music since I was a child,” says Taylor Courtney, Founder of Bring On The Bash. “This love naturally led me into DJ’ing. Then the wedding industry revolutionized itself with inspiration from Pinterest and Instagram. Weddings became hip but I felt as though wedding DJs were stagnant. I wanted to bring my excitement for DJ’ing to weddings and not match the bar but raise it. Crafting dance parties is a passion of mine and all I want is for everyone to dance their faces off!”

AK Interiors

Alison McIndoe of AK Interiors is passionate about helping people make the most out of the spaces where they live, work, and play. She provides a full host of interior design services along with boutique home furnishings and gifts out of her West Orange Street Shoppe in downtown Lancaster.

“Interior design is one of the few arts that affects us nearly every moment of every day,” says Alison. “Creating the spaces that surround us requires thoughtful reflection and careful planning. Not only should our spaces be beautiful, but they should also be functional and inspiring.”

Gallery on Market

For Cindy Schlosser, painting and creating brings her immense joy running deep within her soul. She has always loved to paint and draw, and began pursuing her art full time about 26 years ago—first, at home and at occasional art shows, and now, as the owner of Gallery on Market.

Cindy’s work is unique in Lancaster City, as she is the only fine artist that does decorative painting and fine folk art. She is well known for her original, hand-painted beechwood bowls that are fully functional “art you can use”, as well as antique repurposed shutters, door panels, windows, and other furniture. “I enjoy giving life to old things that were destined for destruction. One will usually find them sitting around my gallery waiting to be painted until the piece ‘speaks to me’.”

Inspired by others who also create from joy, Cindy is influenced by folk artist Grandma Moses and Suk Shuglie, for their perseverance to continue to create in spite of personal struggles.

Gallery on Market has been downtown for the past seven years; Cindy and her recognizable sunflower, poppy, and herb painted bowls are a beautiful part of the Downtown Lancaster art family.

Every year, Cindy picks a word to live by. This year, she picked the word grateful. “I am grateful that I have the opportunity to do one of the things that brings me joy and a living!”

Barrick Candles

Rick Faulkner, of Barrick Candles, has been creating contemporary candles to illuminate homes since 1970. His simple, modern candles come in vibrant colors. Rick is influenced by the Danish modern designers and craftsmen who combined clean, simple design with solid craftsmanship to create enduring objects for the home after World War II.

The process for making these signature candles begins with Rick making a mold, into which he pours hot, colorful wax. The wax castings are then polished and refined into a final candle.

“The candles are simple yet sophisticated,” says Rick. “They provide a bright splash of color for your home or party table. They can be used as a design and color accent yet are fully functional and provide a warm glowing flame for cold fall evenings.”

The Barrick Design Studio is open Monday – Friday 9 am – 5 pm and Saturdays in November
and December.

Susan J. Gottlieb

Susan Gottlieb is a multi-media painter, traveler, and teacher. World cultures lure Susan on adventures, and fill her with ideas. Cultural origins and connections fascinate Susan. Many of her recent works are inspired by her travels and experiences in far-off places.

“My work is an attempt to concretize my experiences,” she says. “The multi-media paintings combine with snippets of travel notes, writings, and dismantled artwork. They are collections of personal experiences focusing on the most elemental parts of my nomadic journeys while circling the globe—the textures, patterns, lights, and colors that hold fast in my mind’s eye.”

Susan’s paintings evolve in layers stacked, constructed, and torn back to reveal earlier occurrences. Her latest work is a series of paintings inspired by travel to India and Italy.

“If I can paint the remembered sensation, I have it with me forever,” she says. “Better yet, if I can evoke a light, a power, an atmosphere so that it is palpable, if I can draw attention to what may otherwise be unseen, to share the wonder of it all, that is my greatest thrill.”

Her art can be found in galleries across Pennsylvania, and she is represented by Red Raven Art Company.

First United Methodist Church

Brian Lehman characterizes his art as a record of his own personal experiences and emotional reactions. He creates paintings, sketches, and collages that depict his spiritual journey. Rooted in daily sketches, his images document the people and places he encounters.

“My small sketchbook is always on hand to take advantage of any spare moments in a busy life,” says Brian. “These quick renderings keep the artistic muscles active and ready for the rare opportunities when more time allows for larger, more involved artistic endeavors.”

Brian is motivated to grow his ability and capture what is seen and unseen in the world around him. “My purpose is to model this practice and inspire people of all ages to embrace their inner artist and engage in this lifelong, world-changing mode of communication and expression.”

Check out the adult art class with Brian this fall at engagegodfirst.org.

Services: 

Traditional Worship every Sunday at 8:15 am with communion and 10:45 am

Contemporary Worship 9:30 am Sunday School for all ages 9:30 am

Qualified child care 8 am – 12:30 pm

First Friday Events: 

October 5, 7:30 pm
Silver Wood and Ivory Concert

Nov 2, 5 – 9 pm
Temple Avenue Jazz

Triode Media Group

Jason Kershner  specializes in Creative Video and Live Broadcast Production, and is Creative Director at Triode Media Group. The majority of Jason’s career was spent with ESPN, where he primarily produced or directed live broadcasts and featured content. Today at Triode Media Group, he collaborates with a great group of passionate creatives and helps clients tell their stories through the art of cinematic and innovative video production. “My goal is to determine the most creative, effective, and engaging ways to reach and connect with an audience,” says Jason.

Jason feels lucky to have grown up in such an amazing cinematic era, and became fascinated with movies and TV at a very young age. He loves the work of Spielberg and Lucas, of course, but his own approach to visual storytelling is also influenced by cowboy and renowned sculptor Herb Mignery.

“His passion for telling stories truly inspires me,” says Jason. “When viewing his work, my interest and imagination is instantly sparked, and I can get lost in the moment.”

“Every piece not only captures the culture and history of the American West, but each intricate detail makes me want to learn everything about the featured subject or scene, and I find myself asking… ‘And then what happened?’”

The Designers Behind Fig

Behind Fig magazine, , there is a small but mighty team of creatives—designers, writers, photographers, marketers, and community builders—bringing the City of Lancaster to life with digital, social, and print communication.

Each page in the arts section (as well as the rest of the magazine) started as a mere concept and was executed with an eye for detail through photography, creative direction, storytelling, and design.

At the heart of Fig Industries is a passion for great design, a spirit for relationship building, and an abundance of creativity.

Creatively Lancaster

The Creatively Lancaster Makers Market is a curated monthly pop-up market featuring a wide assortment of talented local makers— artists, hobbyists, crafters, creators, bakers, designers, upcyclers, and more. We are passionate about providing a platform for talented local artisans to share their creativity with the Lancaster community. We believe in the power of creativity to bring about innovation and change. Communities grow stronger when our creative energies come together to fuel one another. Everyone has unique creative power waiting to be released. We’re here to provide outlets to cultivate your creative passion. We’d love to see you at the next Makers Market!

Upcoming Makers Markets:

September 8, 10 am – 3 pm Clipper Magazine Stadium

October 13, 10 am – 3 pm Clipper Magazine Stadium

November 24, 10 am – 5 pm Spooky Nook Sports

Learn more and apply now: creativelylancaster.com