William Schneider, OPAM, Dream a Little Dream of Me, oil on linen, 16 x 20"

Among the 100 artists who were selected from the 600 applicants is Leah Wiedemer, whose juried work Sugar and Spice is a profile portrait of a child sitting by the window after a sweet snack, while hummingbirds hover around the flowers outside. Three years ago Wiedemer’s son and his family moved to Europe, and she missed her 4-year-old granddaughter terribly. “So I began a series of narrative paintings tapping into the superpower of imagination that all children possess,” the artist explains. “Thinking like a child has exercised my own imagination, making it stronger and more elastic. I discovered the joy of visual storytelling as the silver lining in what began as just a very difficult and emotional life event.”

Leah Wiedemer, Sugar and Spice, oil, 20 x 16"

Member artist Johanne Mangi enjoys OPA exhibitions because the high level of artistry represented pushes her to be a better painter. Her piece The Protector depicts a Great Pyrenees, a livestock guardian dog. “They are loving but are serious working dogs,” says Mangi, who is constantly inspired by the unique personalities of animals and how they exist in their environment. “There is much to admire about this dog. It’s in their DNA to protect their flock. They are not trained to do this. It comes naturally. My concept for this painting was to depict the essence of this particular characteristic.”

Patrick Saunders, OPAM, Central Market Roses, oil on linen, 12 x 12"

This will be Patrick Saunders’ fourth time showing in the Eastern Regional Exhibition and he finds that that the change in location helps introduce his work to new collectors. His juried piece, Central Market Roses, is about the possibility of finding inspiration anytime and anywhere. “I came across these roses while standing in line at my favorite local grocery store,” says Saunders. “That’s how most of my paintings originate. My paintings are all about personal experience and authenticity. I don’t seek out inspiration or subjects—they are a part of my everyday life.”

Johanne Mangi, The Protector, oil, 16 x 12"

 Mary Hubley’s featured work, Country Linen, is a still life that the artist says “captures a serene moment of rustic tranquility at the edge of a bustling kitchen. While the cooking may be quite lively, this painting draws attention to the quiet stillness of white linen draped on a table, waiting to be set. The play of light and shadow in the folds of the white linen tablecloth was a significant inspiration for me.” Hubley continues, “This painting is all about a pause, a reflective moment, inviting viewers to appreciate rustic simplicity and the often-overlooked details of everyday life.”

Mary Hubley, Country Linen, oil, 20 x 16"

Another still life by Sean Witucki features a stack of well-worn vintage books. “The Lone Ranger is about my thoughts on how most young boys dream of being a cowboy,” says Witucki. “The stories told in these books were read by children from the 1930s and passed down through today. This is shown by the wear on their bindings. I want the viewer to reminisce on these thoughts from when they were young without the worries of the adult world.”

Sean Witucki, The Lone Ranger, oil, 8 x 10"

To purchase a painting from this exhibition, contact The Centerpiece gallery directly at (919) 870-5342 or by email at contact@thecenterpiece.com. You can find coverage of OPA’s Western Regional Exhibition, held at the Phippen Museum in Prescott, Arizona, from October 12, 2024, through January 5, 2025, in our sister publication, Western Art Collector. —