Lyceum Gallery
The Shows and the Artists
There is a schedule of shows. They change once every three months. Sometimes artists apply to show their work and sometimes Friends or friends suggest the work of someone they know. In either case the artist is contacted and a visit is scheduled for the artist to see the Gallery, and for a clerk/curator to view some of the artist's actual work. The only exception is if the committee members already know the work of the artist. In some cases work will not be accepted, for example if the work seems foreign to Quaker values or the artist is really not ready to show despite the good intentions of their friends. We do not discriminate based on age, gender, race, or even religious persuasion.
Purchasing Art
Art available for purchase is clearly marked. All wall art is purchased directly from the artist, not Sandy Spring Monthly Meeting. Purchased artwork must remain in the gallery until the conclusion of the exhibit. Bin works, cards, and stickers can be purchased through the Meeting online (sandyspring.org/donate) or by check; no cash. Note/memo line should include the artist’s name.
The Gallery
The Lyceum Gallery began in a glassed-in area between the older historic Lyceum building and a new two-story addition for committee meetings and the education of children and adults. The architect, Miche Booz, also an artist, helped plan it as a gallery and Meeting members installed gallery hanging systems so works could be displayed on the variety of walls. Additional space will soon be available in the area beyond the main Gallery.
The Gallery's Mission
Visual art can be a meditation of the artist or a meditation for the viewer. Often artists talk about getting to the "zone" which is a place beyond time and intention in which something comes together for the artist and is transferred to the viewer through their media. Artists aren't always in the "zone" and viewers may have very different reactions to a work than the artist's original intention. A viewer may find a work meditative or a challenge, but, like a piece of music, visual art can strike a new note in the heart of the viewer. Each piece is a message relayed by the artist. The viewer may like or dislike the work but the message stands.