‘Shine On’ the Latest Exhibit at D’Arrigo Family Art Gallery

A new exhibit, titled “Shine On,” will be on display through Oct. 19, 2022, at the D’Arrigo Family Art Gallery outside the Bennet Lounge at the Hafter Student Community Center on the Elkins Park, Pennsylvania campus of Salus University.

The exhibit, by artists Anne Leith and Kathleen Spicer, is the third leg of a traveling exhibit making the stop at Salus in Montgomery County. The fourth leg of the tour has not yet been determined.

“I have seen all three installments of this show and each is different, adapting to the different environments,” said Elynne Rosenfeld, curator of the D’Arrigo Gallery. “Not only do the pieces complement one another, but they illustrate the connection between these two exceptional artists. There is synergy when they join forces.”

Leith and Spicer work very differently — Leith works directly in “plein air” painting style, using oil on wood board, and Spicer builds complex wall hung painted reliefs and sculptures. However, both focus on semi-abstract nature-based imagery. They decided to stretch beyond their comfort zones and explore their mutual interest in metallics for this show.

For Leith, the reflective quality of silver, gold and copper leaf creates another dimension that is very seductive, changing with every light condition. For Spicer, metal, rust and metallic paint enhance the notions of what is nature-made and man-made, what is old and what is new, in seamless harmony. The two inspired each other to bring out ideas that had been brewing and make them come to life, with powerful effect.

Leith has a Master in Fine Arts in Painting from the University of Pennsylvania, and a Master of Arts in Art History from Sotheby’s Institute, London. Her work has shown in galleries and non-profit spaces both nationally and internationally. She currently is an adjunct professor of Fine Art at Rosemont College. Her company, AllartStudio, creates videos for both individuals and businesses. 

Spicer attended Philadelphia College of Art (now the University of the Arts) and received her Bachelor of Arts from Parson School of Art in New York City. Recipient of numerous grants and awards, as well as public art commissions, she has shown extensively in galleries and museums across the United States and is included in numerous public and private collections nationally and internationally, including a new commission currently in progress for New Market West in Philadelphia.