The Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center is pleased to present “Nature/Nurture,” a solo exhibition of oil paintings by Pennsylvania-based artist Elody Gyekis, on view August 15 through September 6. The exhibition explores connections among the natural world, mythology, the human form, and the human spirit. The public is invited to an opening reception on Saturday, August 15, from 2:00 to 4:00 PM, featuring an artist talk by Gyekis. Light refreshments will be generously provided by Dancing Flame Sangha Meditation members of the Gmeiner community.
Gyekis’s vibrant oil paintings draw from nature, mythology, the human figure, and gender. In “Nature/Nurture,” she considers how ancient cultures understood nature as a divine feminine creator while challenging contemporary limits placed on gender roles.
The exhibition brings together Gyekis’s studies of the natural world with figurative works that celebrate women and femininity. In her artist statement, she describes nature as a source of nourishment and her gender-focused work as honoring those who nurture and protect what is precious.
Gyekis earned a BFA from Penn State University and an MFA from the New York Academy of Art. Her work has been exhibited throughout the United States, Central America, and Europe. She teaches continuing education courses at the New York Academy of Art and is developing Sirona Falls, an artist retreat in Rosecrans, Pennsylvania.
Gyekis will also serve as the speaker and official judge for the Wellsboro Art Club’s Wellsboro Wilds Plein Air Competition & Festival, held September 10–13 at the Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center. This outdoor festival invites artists and art lovers to gather in Wellsboro to paint, observe works in progress, and celebrate the local landscape. Proceeds from the event support the historic club’s annual scholarship for a local high school senior pursuing a college art degree.
Artists of all ages and skill levels are invited to participate using any two-dimensional medium. Gyekis will evaluate submissions from multiple painting sessions, including sunrise, sunset, and timed challenges. The public is invited to watch live paintings, enjoy family-friendly festival activities, and join the 2:00 PM Alla Prima Student Painting Class on the Green, sponsored by the Art’s Friends of the Gmeiner. The festival concludes on Sunday, September 13, with an awards ceremony, public art sale, and reception at the Gmeiner.
Admission to the Gmeiner Art & Cultural Center is always free and open to the public. Located at 134 Main Street in Wellsboro—just behind the Green Free Library—the Gmeiner is open Tuesday through Sunday from 12:00 PM to 5:00 PM. As a vibrant hub for the local arts community, the center offers rotating exhibitions, workshops, and cultural events throughout the year.
For more information about the exhibition, visit gmeinerartculturalcenter.org. To register or view details for the Plein Air Festival, visit wellsboroartclub.com.