Although we generally feature mainstream art galleries or museums, we wanted to take a moment to highlight this art exhibit that crossed our path at the Friendship Heart Gallery in downtown Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
For the month of June, Friendship Heart Gallery will display the “Bicycle Exhibit”, which showcases 40 paintings by various artists, many who have intellectual disabilities, autism or are volunteers or local partner artists who help support the gallery. Each month, the gallery has a different theme and works to breakdown the stigma associated with intellectual disabilities and autism through art.
As for this month’s theme of bicycles, gallery coordinator Allison Rohland spoke to us about its origins.
“We always brainstorm and discuss what’s relevant and happening in downtown [Lancaster]. The city has added bike lanes making it more bike-friendly, and there is now a bike-sharing program in the city.”
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Community involvement is key to the Friendship Heart Gallery.
“We always want to give back – art is for everyone,” shared Rohland. “We want everyone to have that chance [to express their self] for themselves creatively, whether it be art or music.”
The Gallery hosted a community-involved bike runway event where participants could bring in their bike and dress it up in streamers, glasses, boas and more.
“We wanted to fuse creativity with arts and bikes,” noted Rohland on why having this event was important for the Gallery and for the community. “It is a lot like what our exhibit is doing.”
The bicycle paintings can be viewed at the Friendship Heart Gallery in Lancaster, PA, or online – where they can also be purchased. Profits from the artwork benefit the Gallery and the artist.
Read more at friendshipart.net.