OCEAN CITY, Md. - A new month of art is kicking off with five new exhibits, live demonstrations, and a community food drive at the Ocean City Center for the Arts on Friday, Nov. 7 from 5–7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.
The Art League of Ocean City is encouraging visitors to bring canned or packaged food to support Sarah’s Food Pantry at the Community Church in Ocean Pines. The donations will accompany the “Feast for the Eyes” group exhibit in the Sisson Galleria, a collection of visual works celebrating food, flavor and form.
Award-winning painter John Schisler is featured in the Thaler Gallery for November. Schisler, who studied classical techniques using Maroger mediums at Conrad Miller Studio in Baltimore, has since become known for his detailed still lifes and plein air landscapes. He was juried into the prestigious Plein Air Easton event in 2020 and has received numerous awards.
Ocean Pines artist Gwen Lehman will take over Studio E as November’s artist-in-residence. Lehman, a long-time educator at Stephen Decatur High School, works in acrylics, collage, cold wax, and photography. Her “Stage Door” series explores abstract landscapes and the passage of time through deteriorating scenery.
In the Schwab Spotlight Gallery, artists Jamey Krebs and B.K. Slocum will share wall space. Krebs’ highly detailed water and landscape scenes have a photographic quality, while Slocum’s work captures fleeting moments in the natural world and cultural life, blending plein air and studio painting styles.
The artisan of the month is JoAnn Stratakos from Chincoteague Island, Virginia. Her work spans pottery, painting, fused glass, and felting, and she operates three art studios on the island.
Additional work will be on display throughout the building. Aria Islam continues her exhibit in the Burbage Staircase Gallery, and Art League instructors will offer live demonstrations and previews of upcoming classes during the opening.
Satellite galleries also feature local artists: Anabela Ferguson is exhibiting at the Princess Royale Hotel on 91st Street, and Gail Stern’s artwork is on display at the Coffee Beanery on 94th Street and Coastal Highway.
All exhibits at the Ocean City Center for the Arts will remain open through Nov. 29, with satellite locations running through Dec. 27.