Looking Back at Here and Now: 100 Years of LUAG, 100 Local Artists

I packed up my tiny blue self and rolled over to Lehigh University Art Galleries (LUAG) to experience Here and Now: 100 Years of LUAG, 100 Local Artists—a centennial exhibition celebrating both the gallery's history and the remarkable creative community of the Lehigh Valley.

Looking back, what stays with me most is the feeling of the exhibition. From the moment I arrived, I could sense the care behind it. LUAG has a way of making art feel welcoming while also encouraging visitors to slow down, look closely, and spend time with ideas that might otherwise pass us by.

Bringing together the work of 100 regional artists, the exhibition offered an extraordinary range of perspectives, materials, and artistic voices. Painting, sculpture, fiber, installation, mixed media, photography, and works that happily resist easy categorization all shared the space. Rather than feeling like a collection of individual pieces, the exhibition felt like a portrait of an entire creative community.

One of my favorite things about Here and Now was the opportunity to move from one artistic approach to another. Quiet, intimate works invited careful observation, while larger installations encouraged viewers to experience the gallery in new ways. Every turn revealed another artist's unique way of seeing the world.

What I appreciated most was LUAG's commitment to celebrating artists working right here in our region. Local artists contribute enormously to the cultural life of the Lehigh Valley, and this exhibition recognized that contribution in a meaningful way. By presenting such a broad cross-section of contemporary work, LUAG highlighted the depth, diversity, and vitality of our creative community.

As a docent of uncommon size but considerable emotional depth, I found that especially inspiring.

The exhibition also reflected LUAG's long-standing mission of connecting art, education, and public access. Rather than simply commemorating its first century, Here and Now invited visitors to consider the present: who is creating here today, what conversations artists are having, and how those voices help shape our community.

I'm grateful I had the chance to experience this milestone exhibition and to spend time with the work of so many talented artists. It served as a reminder that art isn't just something we look at—it is something that connects us, challenges us, and reflects the many stories unfolding around us every day.

I approve.