Wendy Halperin’s solo exhibition at the Adams County Arts Council (ACAC), “Women in Menopause: Portraits in Natural Light,” offers black and white photographs of women. Each carries an emotional resonance. Smitha, for example, depicts physician Smitha Nair reclining on a boulder, having an absolute blast. This piece is particularly poignant to me because boulders are often used as metaphors for obstacles in life. We wonder how to overcome them without considering the option of engaging them, figuratively or, in this case, literally, as an opportunity for play. I’m inspired, Smitha! Contrast that with Wendy Halperin: Self Portrait, which was shot during a period of difficulty in the artist’s life. She stands with a dazed expression, literally “in the weeds.” The variety of feelings expressed in these portraits honors the uniqueness of each woman in a particular season and circumstance of her life.
ACAC also hosts two other solo photo exhibitions, very much worth seeing. Even though Eric Plump’s elegant photos primarily depict buildings and objects, they resemble portraits because they intimately depict single focal points rather than multi-subject scenes. Plump is all about the angles, often shooting from unusual vantage points to offer us fresh, sexy takes on seemingly mundane subjects.
In the back gallery at ACAC, we find landscapes and nature studies by Andrew Muenzfeld, who shared with me that he had taken a long break from photography to have a separate career and has now returned to it with gusto in retirement. To him I say, “Thank goodness for us that you did; they are lovely, and you may want to consider raising your prices.” (Big hint to my readers with bare walls! )
The Garryowen Irish Pub is exhibiting new small paintings by Rachel York. They are precious in scale but overflow with bold and luscious brushstrokes paired with dramatic chiaroscuro lighting. These aesthetic choices make the oil paintings, which depict bouquets and birds reminiscent of Dutch still lifes, feel intimate and symbolic. These qualities give them a reverent, almost religious feeling that titles such as Reapers/Sowers, From Above, and The Offering support. I recommend not going during the weekend dinner rush as I did. Thank you again to the gracious couples whose dates I interrupted saying, “Pardon me. I’m an art critic.”
I love the energy, fun, and archetypal embodiment found in a good drag performance, but prior to two weeks ago, I’d never attended a pageant. The contestants and judges for Miss Gay Gettysburg buckled in for a long day, with 4 hours on stage for the question and answer, talent, and eveningwear segments punctuated by jokes and banter from the emcees, dance performances by former local and state winners, and seemingly endless tabulation of rubric scores. Prior to the pageant contestants faced hours of graded personal interviews with the judges and met with them after the show to receive feedback.
I captured a photo of a hairpin mishap that occurred during the crowning of our new Miss Gay Gettysburg 2025, Ariana Autumn. The photo, which resembles a Caravaggio painting (especially after I darkened the background in Photoshop) captures the emotion of this high-stake event which is part of a national system with winners advancing onto regionals, states, and finally Miss Gay America. It also highlights the vulnerability and mental and physical exhaustion of contestants Ariana Autumn (bottom middle) and Alonya (top left), as well as the touching love and mentorship in the community. Congratulations to the contestants, participants, and organizer Chad-Alan Carr for their dedication, passion, and courageous authenticity!
Find more information on our Art Exhibitions Page.
Sarah Jacobs is a contemporary maximalist and surrealist artist. Her canvas work is represented in NYC by Fremin Gallery and in Pittsburgh by Zynka Gallery. She also paints murals. Jacobs was raised in Littlestown and educated in Art History at Gettysburg College. She received her MFA from the Hoffberger School of Painting at the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore in 2010. There she studied under Joyce Kozloff, founding member of the Pattern & Decoration and Feminist art movements of the 1970’s. Jacobs moved back to the USA in 2014 after three years living in London and Bristol, UK where she became a naturalized British citizen. She now lives and paints in Gettysburg. Besides making and studying art, she enjoys fine wine, reading novels and philosophy, long walks in the battlefield, and being with her friends.