2025 EXHIBITS
"Tools of the Trade"
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The poem “The Village Blacksmith” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow speaks of a blacksmith’s bellows and brawny arms. Hammer, pencil, frying pan, a needle and thread, words (spoken or written), hands, a soft calming touch – what do all these have in common? Any one of them may serve as a tool of someone’s trade. The tools we use in our lives’ work have endless possibilities. We asked artists to express in any medium their visions of tool of their trade or of anyone else’s trade.
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"Tools of the Trade" has a total of 52 pieces by 26 artists from six central-Pennsylvania counties and the state of Rhode Island.
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The show runs Monday, May 5th, through Friday, June 13th, with the reception from 5 to 8 p.m. on June's First Friday, the 6th. For more information about First Fridays, visit DowntownBloomsburg.org/first-fridays.
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"American Dreams"
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In a collaboration between The Exchange and WVIA, northeastern Pennsylvania's public radio and television station, as part of a series of programs that WVIA will facilitate on the subject of the arts and civic engagement, The Exchange asked artists these questions: What does it mean to be an American? What are the big ideas that we have built our nation on? Which of those ideas really work? Which of them do we still need to work on? How do we as artists drive these conversations and these efforts? In short, we want to see your artwork about the ideas that have shaped America, or could have, or should have, or will.
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America is more than one idea; in fact, it is the sum of all of our ideas – thus the plural name of the show, “American Dreams”.
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"American Dreams" has a total of 80 pieces by 40 artists from seven central-Pennsylvania counties and the state of Virginia; eight of these artists have work here for the first time -- welcome!
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The show runs Monday, March 24th, through Friday, May 2nd, with the reception from 5 to 8 p.m. on April's First Friday, the 4th. For more information about First Fridays, visit DowntownBloomsburg.org/first-fridays.
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To watch WVIA's Keystone Edition: Arts on the topic of American dreams, click here. The panel discussion led by WVIA's Erika Funke included Misericordia University's LaLaine Bangilan Little and Brian Carso and The Exchange's Oren B. Helbok.
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To watch the video of Storytelling at The Exchange on the topic of American dreams, click here.
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"Follow the Leader"
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The Exchange invited art teachers from throughout our region to show off their own work as well as that by some of their most promising students. We received entries from Northwest Area High School (Luzerne County), Millville High School (Columbia County), the Hazleton Area Arts & Humanities Academy (Luzerne County), Columbia County Christian School, Central Columbia Middle School, and Bloomsburg Area High School (Columbia County).
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"Follow the Leader" has a total of 51 pieces by 27 artists -- six teachers and 21 of their students; 22 of these artists have work here for the first time -- welcome!
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The show runs Tuesday, February 18th, through Friday, March 21st, with the reception from 5 to 8 p.m. on March's First Friday, the 7th. For more information about First Fridays, visit DowntownBloomsburg.org/first-fridays.
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"A Stroke of Luck"
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The Exchange Gallery sought artwork created by chance, randomness, or improvisation. Some modern art styles such as automatism and abstract expressionism rely on spontaneity as a means to produce artwork. Perhaps an artist started out with a specific plan for a piece and ended up with something completely different than the original intention. We asked: Have you ever accidentally spilled water on your painting or unintentionally blurred a photograph only to find that you ended up liking the deviation more than the original plan?
And we gave these links for inspiration:
Letting Go: Making Art with the Element of Chance – moma.org/magazine/articles/393
How to Do the Classic Pulled String Art Project – youtube.com/watch?v=vuD3Xo1vK_Q
Blow Painting with Straws – youtube.com/watch?v=8o5zT1_aKf8
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"A Stroke of Luck" had a total of 95 pieces by 29 artists who live in Columbia, Montour, Luzerne, Northumberland, and Snyder Counties (and one has moved to Israel); five of these artists have work here for the first time -- welcome!
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The show ran Monday, January 6th, through Friday, February 14th, with the reception from 5 to 8 p.m. on February's First Friday, the 7th. For more information about First Fridays, visit DowntownBloomsburg.org/first-fridays.
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