Join us at Lancaster Art Vault for First Friday, April 3rd, as we open Petals of Being, a solo exhibition by resident artist Christiane David, on view through April 25th.

In this beautifully layered collection, Christiane presents her signature impressionistic florals—lush, expressive, and alive with movement—alongside select landscapes and figurative works. Rooted in a lifelong relationship with art that began in Belgium, her paintings capture the emotional essence of a moment. Color, rhythm, and gesture take precedence, inviting viewers into a deeply personal and intuitive visual experience.

Educated in Brussels and influenced by the legacy of great Belgian painters, Christiane brings both technical mastery and poetic sensitivity to her work. Her paintings feel like a reflection of life’s fleeting beauty, distilled through color and form.  Petals of Being celebrates the beauty of  our natural world and the quiet power of observation.

The U-Gallery at LAV showcases the work of four remarkable artists: Angela Lapioli, Jon Bond, Marilyn Fox, and Steffany Minotti. Though varied in medium, experience, and perspective, each artist explores the relationship between inner life and the natural or domestic worlds that shape it, creating a thoughtful dialogue between observation, memory, and emotion.

Angela Lapioli’s paintings are rooted in an intuitive process inspired by nature and organic growth. Through layered acrylics, oils, and mixed media, she explores the parallels between natural forms and human experience, inviting viewers to find connection, mystery, and wonder in the rhythms of the environment. Her work reflects a deep commitment to mark-making as both a physical and emotional journey.

For more than five decades, Berks County artist Jon Bond has drawn inspiration from the rural landscapes surrounding his Kempton studio. His egg tempera paintings, created over the past seven years, evoke the hills, farmsteads, and quiet remnants of Pennsylvania Dutch country. With a muted palette and dreamlike sensibility, Bond’s work transforms familiar terrain into contemplative spaces where memory and imagination meet.

Marilyn Fox brings a lifelong engagement with art—as painter, curator, and educator—to her nonobjective works. While abstract in form, her paintings are informed by ideas surrounding nature, culture, and contemporary life. Through experimentation, collage, and layered surfaces, she creates visual tension that keeps each piece dynamic and alive. Her work prioritizes color, form, and sustained engagement, inviting viewers to live with the art and discover new meanings over time.

Lancaster-based painter Steffany Minotti approaches her practice through the lens of care, family life, and emotional authenticity. Balancing roles as artist, nurse, wife, and mother, she creates layered acrylic and mixed media paintings that hold space for vulnerability and quiet reflection. Inspired by the intimacy of home and the power of color, her work is designed to live within personal spaces, offering warmth, beauty, and moments of honest connection.

Opens First Friday, March 6 through April 25, 2026

Kat Chapman is a multidisciplinary painter based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Their work explores a shared human impulse toward connection, using visual storytelling rooted in folklore, the natural world, and historical painting traditions.

Working across predominantly gouache and oil, Kat often uses plant and animal life as stand-ins for human experience, building symbolic, slightly surreal narratives that balance humor with sincerity. Their practice engages themes of queer identity and gender, as well as personal mythmaking, translating lived experience into universal, visual stories.

In response to a world that can feel bleak, Kat creates visual myths that celebrate beauty, curiosity, and connection.

Quiet Abundance presents a body of work rooted in close observation and the interwoven relationships that sustain natural environments. Rather than depicting nature at its most dramatic, these paintings focus on moments of stillness—where growth, exchange, and balance unfold quietly over time.

Ponds serve as gathering places within the exhibition, anchoring the work in reflection and accumulation. Trees and plants meet the water’s edge, light settles on the surface, and multiple forms of life coexist in shared space. Surrounding this stillness, flowers and insects reveal another layer of interdependence—pollination, movement, and fleeting contact that quietly sustains abundance.

Together, these works consider nature not as isolated subjects, but as interconnected systems. Quiet Abundance invites viewers to slow their attention, to notice how richness emerges through reciprocity, and to recognize abundance not in excess, but in the delicate balance of interwoven life.

Presence is a dynamic exhibition that explores the human form and the human experience in all of its expressions. While rooted in figurative work and portraiture, the exhibition extends beyond literal representation to include symbolic, conceptual, and abstract interpretations of what it means to be human.

Through a diverse range of mediums and artistic voices, the works on view examine identity, emotion, memory, movement, and connection. Some pieces speak through gesture and anatomy, others through suggestion and atmosphere—capturing moments, inner states, and shared experiences that define our humanity.

Together, these works create a thoughtful and layered narrative that invites viewers to reflect on the many ways the human presence can be felt, interpreted, and expressed. Presence is both an exploration of form and a celebration of the stories, emotions, and experiences that live within it.

We hope you will join us at our First Friday opening on March 6 at 5:00PM through April 25 as we celebrate the stories and shared experiences carried within the human form.

Featuring Guest Artists:

• Cheryl Elmo

• David Timothy

• Jason Ward

• Jeanine Pennell

• Rebecca Carpenter

• Sandra Sedmak Engel

• and Emerging Artist Ceanna Davis

Also showcasing 40+ works from our Call Selected Artists: Alana Beall, Anthony Wiker, Beth Rabinowitz, Cynda Valle, Darren Ingram, Elaina Posey, Ethan Gross, Isiah Bates, Jane Palmer, Jennifer Dowell, Joe Jennings, John Cramer, Josiah Stoltzfus, Kelby Weaver, Kellie Pederson, Kelly Cottingham, Kyle Newkirk, Leah Yancoskie, Lee Shannon, Marisa Canino, Mark Dennis, Natalie Shope, Robert Young, Sam Yesko, Steve Fabian, Svetlana Koval, and Tracy Male

“Yes, And” is a group of mixed media works  that explore the first rule of improv “Yes, And”.

“Yes, And…”

When in a scene, an improvisor should accept (‘Yes’) whatever the other player has thrown at them, no matter how nonsensical or absurd, and then expand (‘And’) on that line of thinking. Technically, one could disagree with what was offered to them, but this would harm the flow of the scene.

This series invites the viewer to try their hand at unconditional agreement. It also dovetails perfectly into “If, Then…”, the “second” rule of improv. To put it simply:

“If, Then” = If this unusual thing is true, then what else is true?

You’ve Yes, And’ed the idea of this exhibit being art…so if that is true, then what other things can be art as well?

Grandma’s Walls is an intimate exhibition on loan from the private collection of Beverly Smith, curated by the late Lenwood Sloan, a revered historian, storyteller, and cultural steward in the African American community whose life’s work centered on preserving Black art, history, and lived experience in Lancaster and beyond. Beverly Smith is a pioneering journalist and broadcaster whose decades-long career in radio and television—most notably as the first African American woman to host a nationally syndicated radio talk show—has been dedicated to elevating Black voices, culture, and civic dialogue.

The exhibition from Bev's private collection features works by notable artists including Charles Bibbs, Ernie Barnes, and others, reflecting the historical importance and cultural legacy embedded in the works. Much like the walls of Bev Smith’s home—which long served as an informal gallery for family, friends, and community—Grandma’s Walls celebrates art as heritage, storytelling, and intergenerational connection, honoring both the artists and the visionaries who preserved their work.

The Lancaster Art Vault proudly presents Expressions of Strength: A Celebration of Black Art and Identity. This dynamic exhibition honors the creativity, resilience, and powerful voices of Black artists through a multidisciplinary experience that brings visual art, poetry, and performance together under one roof. The exhibition features the work of 9 visual artists alongside the words of 13 poets, whose writing will be woven throughout the gallery, creating a rich dialogue between image and language.  The exhibition also includes works by notable artists Charles Bibbs, Ernie Barnes, and others from the private collection of renowned talk show host Beverly Smith, curated by her late brother, Lenwood Sloan.  

The exhibition runs January 30 through February 28, with a free opening reception on January 30 from 6-8:30PM featuring visual art, poetry, live performances, community and refreshments - We hope you will join us for an immersive celebration of artistic expression, culture, and identity.

Opening Reception – January 30th 6:00PM-8:30PM:

Celebrate the opening of this extraordinary exhibition with an evening of art, community, and live performances. The reception will feature a spoken word experience led by Sir Dominique Jordan and others, African Drumming performed by Gerri McCritty & the PAVAA Crew, a live fire painting by King Prolifik, and refreshments and celebration.   

Guests will enjoy: Light fare and a cash bar provided in partnership with Mark and Val Wines and Gourmet Market Lancaster. 

Opening December 4 and running through January 24, Home for the Holidays celebrates the talented Resident Artists who call Lancaster Art Vault their creative home.

This festive exhibition showcases the diverse styles, mediums, and voices that define our artistic community—offering a vibrant collection of works that reflect the warmth, creativity, and spirit of the season.

Featuring Artists:
Ann Benton Yeager, Brad Maurer, Carla Fisher, Christiane David, Elizabeth A. Pituch, Ellen Silberlicht, Frank Nolan, Gabrielle Shelley, James Michael Elia, Kristin Witbeck Lee, Marcy Stone, Melissa Zane, Peter Stevenson, Robin Ashby, Sara Stichler, Stone Stafford, Britney Lorraine Krouse, Kat Chapman, Kelby Weaver, Oscar McDonah, SOOP, Tatiana Tisdale, Tina Borchert, Ceanna Davis, Kayla Smith, and Nicole Wesoloski.

From bold contemporary works and expressive paintings to delicate textiles, sculpture, and mixed-media pieces, Home for the Holidays offers a joyful and inspiring journey through the creativity of our Resident Artists—making it the perfect destination for seasonal art lovers, collectors, and holiday shoppers.

Exhibiting in the Main Gallery is Resident Artist Carla Fisher’s In Collaboration with Nature. Fisher invites viewers into a world where fiber, texture, and the natural world intertwine. Sculpting with thread as her primary medium, Fisher uses a water-soluble substrate and layers of color to create ethereal two- and three-dimensional works that evoke the quiet strength of nature itself.

Guided by her lifelong muse—the natural world—Fisher transforms ordinary and discarded materials such as Tyvek envelopes, coffee filters, and dryer lint into works of unexpected beauty. More recently, she has incorporated true elements of nature—including shells, skins, and sycamore bark—blurring the line between what is organic and what is artist-made.

With each intricate stitch, Fisher captures nature’s textures, rhythms, and renewals, celebrating transformation and the enduring connection between art and the environment. In Collaboration with Nature is both an homage and a partnership—where thread, time, and the natural world work together to create something quietly transcendent. 

This body of work is a dialogue between geometry, surface, and texture — an exploration of how elemental materials and modernist structure can coexist in balance and tension. Each piece serves as both an individual statement and part of a larger visual language, tied together through contrasts of precision and spontaneity, permanence and impermanence, order and entropy.

Jeff Sibbett is a self-taught artist, working out of his home studio in Lancaster, PA. His artistic portfolio grows in the avenue of abstract and multimedia arts. Many of his works speak to the homeostasis of line constraint, highly visual textures, laced with the raw material aesthetics. Furthermore, Jeff experiments with various washes and chemical processes to achieve the unique finishes applied to his works.

His most current body of work combines industrialism and raw organics, with mid-century modern echoes. Jeff’s aim is to advocate that structured, line markings and organic texture can coexist. Although his works are usually symmetrical in their aesthetic, this balance is a fabric to contain, and give room, to those adjacent textures, tones and voices within the pieces.

The U-Gallery at LAV showcases the work of four remarkable artists: Christiane David, Julia Swartz, Jessica Shiner and Ann Benton Yeager

Christiane David is a Belgium born and celebrated Lancaster artist known for her vibrant use of color and expressive brushwork. In Parfum de Fleurs, Christiane’s luminous watercolors and oils capture the flowers that have inspired Europe’s most iconic perfume houses—Chanel, Dior, and YSL. Blending color, form, and fragrance, her floral and figurative works evoke elegance, sensuality, and timeless beauty.

Ann Benton Yeager, a native of Millersville in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, carries on a strong artistic lineage as the great-great-niece of renowned American painter Thomas Hart Benton, mentor to Jackson Pollock. An abstract and contemporary artist, Ann specializes in acrylic mixed media, cold wax and oil, acrylic pouring, and alcohol inks, while also exploring watercolor. She is known for her dynamic textures, often using unconventional materials to bring depth, energy, and visual intrigue to her layered, expressive canvases.

Jessica Shiner, a mixed media abstract artist based in Lancaster, PA, layers acrylics and found materials to evoke the textures of decay and erosion. Inspired by peeling paint, oxidized metals, and weathered surfaces, her work reveals the beauty within life’s imperfections. Through this interplay of decay and resilience, Shiner’s abstract compositions reflect the endurance of both human and natural landscapes. Jess perceives profound beauty in life'simperfections, embodying her belief that, “True beauty can emerge from the cracks and crevices revealed by time and misfortune.”

Julia Swartz, a lifelong resident of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, discovered her love of art with her mother’s oil paints. In 1999, after overcoming non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, her perspective and artistic vision were transformed, leading her to embrace impressionism. Inspired by New York’s art scene, she developed a distinctive style marked by bold, textured palette knife techniques. Her work ranges from landscapes to portraits, reflecting both her aversion to repetition and her constant pursuit of new challenges. For Swartz, art is a limitless journey, fueled by passion, resilience, and an enduring love of expression.

Opening First Friday October 3rd with sneak peaks beginning Thursday October 2nd at 10AM.

Lancaster Art Vault presents MIXED, a dynamic exhibition celebrating the bold, layered, and boundary-blurring world of mixed media art. This show highlights six artists, Noelle Turco, Rhonda Counts, Suzanne Bartlett, Polly Davis Chalfont, Alicia Byler, and emerging artist Alivia Haltom, who combine materials, techniques, and textures—pushing beyond traditional definitions of painting, drawing, and sculpture to create work that is visually rich and conceptually engaging. In addition, the works of 25+ selected artists further enrich the exhibition bringing diverse interpretations and mediums. 

From found-object assemblage and layered collage to works that incorporate fabric, wood, paper, and more, MIXED showcases the creative possibilities that emerge when mediums merge. Each piece invites viewers to explore the interplay of form, material, and meaning.

Join us as we explore the possibilities that emerge when artists refuse to be confined by a single medium.

Also showing in “Mixed”: Alana Beall, Angela Lapioli, Ann Benton Yeager, Aubrey Maurer, Eily Stetler, Jackie Eberle, Jane Palmer, Jody Graff, Johanne Lamarche, Josiah Stoltzfus, Karon Shaub, Kate Cogswell, Kelly Ennis, Kelsey Winters, Kyle Hollinger, Lynne Hockley, Marcy Stone, Marisa Canino, Mark A. Dennis, Mimi Shapiro, Monica Youn, Nicole Gochnaur, Pankti Mehta, Rhonda Babb, Robert McRae, Steffany Minotti, Tracy Male

Opens First Friday October 3^rd at 5:00PM with sneak peaks in the Gallery beginning Thursday October 2^nd at 10AM.