September 24, 2025
The crisp days of fall are drawing nigh as Wayne Art Center readies its galleries for six exciting exhibitions opening this autumn. From September 8 through October 4, the 2025 Faculty Exhibition will celebrate the work of over 80 WAC faculty members and workshop instructors, highlighting their skills in painting, drawing, ceramics, sculpture, mixed media, jewelry, metal works, stained glass and photography in the Davenport and Vidinghoff Galleries.
In conjunction, the Philadelphia Pastel Society returns with Visions in Pastel 2025 in the Ethel Sergeant Clark Smith Gallery. Juror of Selection Sandra Burshell chose 65 of the nation’s most talented pastel artists, and Juror of Awards Erin Pryor Gill selected the winning paintings which were announced at the exhibition reception and awards ceremony on Sunday, September 14 from 3-5 pm.
October will also see the return of one of WAC’s most beloved annual shows, Wayne Art Center’s Fall Members Juried Exhibition, which will be in the Ethel Sergeant Clark Smith Gallery from October 13 through November 15. Juror Doug Martenson, a professor at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, will select over 100 of WAC’s most accomplished artists and announce the winners at a reception on Sunday, October 19 from 3-5 pm.
Additionally, artist Scott Noel, whose critically acclaimed exhibition Eternal Recurrence: Scott Noel Large Figure Compositions 1982-2024 was on view last October, returns to curate Contre-Jour and the Corinthian Maid which will be on display in the Davenport and Vidinghoff Galleries. In this exhibition, paintings by contemporary artists Jeffrey Carr, Chris Feiro, Frank Galuszka, Philip Geiger, Mark Green, Paul Raphaelson and Elaine S. Wilson, will exemplify the expressive depiction of the presence and power of light. “Contre-jour” is French for “against daylight” and Noel notes that “any light condition is susceptible to a contre-jour interpretation: morning, midday, evening, window light, lamplight, a pagan afternoon or the light of heaven.” There will be a Curator’s Gallery Talk on Saturday, November 1 at 11 am and Noel is also holding a two-day Contre-Jour workshop October 25-26 from 10 am-4 pm. To register or learn more about the workshop, visit wayneart.org.
The final exhibitions of the year include CraftForms 2025, Living with Craft, and Abstraction to Attraction. CraftForms 2025 marks the 30th anniversary of the international juried exhibition of contemporary fine craft and will showcase an eclectic collection of museum-quality work by established and emerging national and international artists in the Davenport Gallery. Juror Bruce Pepich, the Founding Director Emeritus of the Racine Art Museum (RAM), will select nearly 100 exquisitely executed works including ceramics, fiber, glass, wearable art, metal, mixed media, jewelry, wood, and digital technology. The CraftForms Preview Party, an annual fundraiser, will be held on Saturday, December 6 from 6-9 pm followed by a Juror’s Talk and an opportunity to meet the artists on Sunday, December 7 from 1-4 pm. Please visit craftforms.org for information about event tickets and sponsorship opportunities.
Living with Craft will be on display in the Ethel Sergeant Clark Smith Gallery and is a revisited exhibition from 2014 that celebrates both the aesthetic and functional role craft plays in our everyday lives. Nancy Campbell, WAC Executive Director and Chief Curator along with independent curators Jane Milosh and Josephine Shea will select and assemble a unique and eclectic body of work including furniture, lighting, floor coverings, textiles, ceramics, jewelry, glass, fiber, metal and mixed media to demonstrate the potential for contemporary craft to complement and enhance one’s home décor.
Finally, Attraction to Abstraction will feature abstract paintings by WAC’s adult students and community members in the Vidinghoff Gallery. All three exhibitions will be on display from December 6 through January 24, 2026.
Since its founding in 1931, Wayne Art Center, a non-profit organization, has been dedicated to enriching the community through the arts. Wayne Art Center remains steadfast in its mission to afford artists and the broader region an interdisciplinary venue to explore, share and learn, while fostering a sense of camaraderie for arts education and appreciation. More than 500 classes and workshops are offered annually to over 5,000 students of all ages and abilities. The galleries receive over 35,000 visitors a year for their extensive exhibits, lectures and special events. Wayne Art Center is located at 413 Maplewood Avenue, Wayne, PA 19087. Gallery hours are Monday through Friday, 10 am-5 pm and Saturday, 10 am-4 pm. The art center is closed Sundays except for designated dates and times. For more information, please visit www.wayneart.org or call 610-688-3553.
