If you find yourself in State College, Pennsylvania, during April, consider a visit to Schlow Centre Region Library, 211 S. Allen St., where its community room gallery is hosting an art exhibit of close to 60 pieces by 15 members of the Farmland Preservation Artists of Central Pennsylvania.
Started in 2005 to “promote the preservation and appreciation of farmland through the visual arts,” the Farmland Preservation Artists (FPA) group was created as a joint venture between the Art Alliance of Central Pennsylvania and the Centre County Farmland Trust.
The participating artists are not preserved- farm owners, nor is their subject matter typically preserved farms. However, their artworks must portray farms in central Pennsylvania, roughly defined as between Bloomsburg and Dubois, from Maryland to the New York line.
“Truck and Barn,” a photograph by R. Thomas Berner.
The FPA group of accomplished artisans works in varied media, ranging from paintings and other illustrations to photography. They portray themes that feature the beauty of the rural landscape, highlight farm life and agricultural products, as well as illustrate issues affecting farmers and their communities.
In support of these goals, FPA members also strive to increase awareness and support for farmland preservation through the exhibition and sale of their art. A portion of their financial proceeds is contributed to the Centre County Farmland Trust.
R. Thomas Berner is a professor emeritus of journalism at Penn State and an FPA member since 2012. His area of artistic expertise is photography.
The exhibit includes his photo titled “Steering Wheel.” It captures the steering wheel of a tractor viewed through a hole in the scarred wooden siding of an old Centre County barn. He is also displaying two other photographic works, “Truck and Barn” and “Barn Window.”
“Steering Wheel,” a photograph by R. Thomas Berner.
Berner attributes his interest in barns to noticing their appeal while driving on Interstate 81 decades ago.
“As a photographer, I noticed how wonderfully scenic barns were,” he said. That appeal led him to a passion for photographing barns and resulted in his self-publishing two books, “Pennsylvania Barn Stories” and “Pennsylvania Quilt Barns.” He subsequently discovered and joined FPA, as well as the Historic Barn and Farm Foundation of Pennsylvania.
Bellefonte-based plein air artist Susan Nicholas Gephart, a founding member of the Farmland Preservation Artists of Central Pennsylvania, describes herself as having a great passion for landscapes, the outdoors and nature.
Since moving to the area in 1977, this Penn State graduate has been pained to see farmland being eaten up by both residential and commercial development and feels strongly that “this landscape is worthy of our seeing, in artwork, if not in person.”
“Sunset Bliss,” a pastel by Susan Nicholas Gepfert.
The owner of S.Nicholas Art Studios, Nicholas Gephart’s artworks have been a part of most of the Farmland Preservation Artists’ exhibits through the years, including her three works on display at Schlow Library.
“Sunset Bliss,” done in pastel, was completed at Hameau Farm near Belleville, where Nicolas Gephart rents studio space and also leads artist retreats.
Her other two pieces are oil paintings. The riverbank near Lock Haven was where she painted “Crosswinds Along the Susquehanna,” on a blustery April day when the skies were alternately spitting rain and snow. “Last Snow in the Valley” is another plein air piece, which captures a chilly feel.
“Abundant Yellow,” a floral work done in pastel, is among three entries being exhibited by State College artist Anne Kenyon. Painted in September, its bright yellow wildflowers and goldenrod are surrounded by other vegetation and trees that are starting to fade to autumn tones.
That picture, as well as her other two submissions, “Butterfly Garden” and “Too Hot for Plein Air,” were all painted in a Centre County park that was once a farm. Kenyon, who joined the FPA about 15 years ago, frequently displays her fine art pieces at the organization’s exhibitions.
“Abundant Yellow,” a pastel by Anne Kenyon
Landscapes of natural spaces are her specialty, drawing on local scenes, farms and gardens for her inspiration. Kenyon describes herself as coming to State College from the Philadelphia area to go to school, marrying into a family that loves camping and fishing and never leaving the area she now loves.
In addition to cherishing Centre County’s remaining rural beauty and appreciating the mission of farmland preservation as a way to retain it, Kenyon notes she became involved with FPA in part due to her admiration for the caliber of its founding artists.
Artwork by members of the Farmland Preservation Artists is also on display and for sale at venues other than formal exhibitions.
Until recently, when a renovation project got underway at Toftrees Golf Resort’s The Field Restaurant, it showcased FPA’s pieces on an ongoing basis. While that facility is temporarily out of use, two other locations that continue to display small exhibits of FPA works are The Federal Taphouse in State College and Bull Run Taphouse in Lewisburg.
Schlow Centre Region Library’s hours are Monday through Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Thursday, noon to 8 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday, 1 to 5 p.m. For more information, visit lanc.farm/4aLZ5Ll.
