West Reading Avenues Fall 2021 - 26

Arts & Culture in the Community
The Fall Art SceneWhat's Going Down at Art Plus Gallery
T
here's always something new at Art Plus Gallery, 604
Penn Avenue. The exhibit in the main gallery changes
every two months to showcase the newest work from
all 25 members of the artist cooperative. On top of that, each
month their Featured Exhibit Gallery is devoted to a single
artist or group.
OCTOBER FEATURED EXHIBIT
ARTCESSORIES
The wearable one-of-a-kind
artwork of Marilyn Pounder
Long-time Ar t Plus
member Marilyn Pounder
channels her well-known
flair for fun, funky and fine
designs into four collections
of unique jewelry, purses
and accessories: Night
Out, Upcycled, Seasonal
and Everyday.
An impressive array of
talents has gone into
producing the 100+ oneof-a-kind
pieces unveiled in this show. Marilyn is an accomplished
jeweler, potter, weaver, seamstress, needleworker, calligrapher,
photographer, illustrator and painter. She's been juried into
Reading-Berks Chapter of the Pennsylvania Guild of Craftsmen
for Polymer Clay Jewelry, Beadweaving, and Fabric Accessories.
Her materials are similarly diverse. For her jewelry, these include
polymer beads, semi-precious stones, freshwater and glass pearls,
and glass beads, for starters.
" I started jewelry and polymer clay in the late '90s and I haven't
looked back, " Marilyn says. " Making jewelry calls on many of my
resources, including color and design skills. Each piece usually
starts with a color combination. I'll pick out bead colors I want
to put together and narrow it down from there. I call the unused
pieces 'bead soup' and put them aside for a future project. "
24 Avenues Fall 2021
Her penchant for beautifully repurposing leftover and discarded
items shines through Marilyn's " Upcycled " collection. In her
skillful hands, well-worn pairs of blue jeans find new life as
fashionably funky purses and cuff bracelets.
In ARTcessories, you'll likely find something unique, delightful
and just right for every style and occasion.
NOVEMBER FEATURED EXHIBIT
GOING LOCAL
Berks County Landscapes by Russell Slocum
Russell Slocum spent much of 2021 creating a painterly homage
to his home turf of Berks County. Many of the 40+ oil paintings
and pastels in " Going Local " are displayed in public for the
first time.
The full-time landscape artist has canvased Berks and beyond,
and also includes a few paintings of Schuylkill, Chester, Lancaster
and Lehigh counties. But the strongest presence is more local-
Wyomissing, where he lives, and West Reading, where he is
co-director of Art Plus Gallery.
Russ and his easel are familiar sites in both boroughs, where
most of his paintings are done en plein air, at least to start.
" I prefer to paint on location because I see and feel things that I
West Reading Avenues Fall 2021

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