Independent Arts News Reporting 
Pictured Above: Gestation by Lisa Naples. Photo Credit: Contributed.
Impressions in Motion: The Ever-Evolving Canvas of the Michener Art Museum
By: Chrysa Smith
In this feature, Arts News Now’s latest contributor, Chrysa Smith takes us inside the Michener Art Museum, where stained glass, sculpture, ceramics, and cultural commentary converge. From deeply personal new works to dynamic upcoming exhibits, the museum continues to surprise, inspire, and reflect the creative spirit of Bucks County and beyond.
The Michener Art Museum in Bucks County’s Art District is an ever-changing canvas. From its permanent Garber installation to regional painter Edward Willis Redfield, woodworker/architect George Nakashima and rotating collections—it’s a sometimes-overlooked arts gem in downtown Doylestown. It celebrates American art, showcasing the work of many regional, Delaware Valley artists. And as with many artistic sites, it sits on the grounds of repurposed space. In this instance, the old Bucks County Jail on Pine Street, just adjacent to the township’s library and across from what is lovingly known as the world’s largest sandcastle, the quirky and mysterious oddity-filled Mercer Museum.
During a recent Michener visit, was a stop to view the outdoor sculptures dotting the 40,000 square footprint they inhabit. Inside, an urban vibe, as you’re greeted by the gift shop and new café, Mama Hawk’s. Something to check out for sure, but this day, I was on a mission to see two new rotating exhibits. The first was an illuminated gallery showcasing the work of stained-glass artist Judith Schaechter. Super/Natural, as it is named, features both wall and 3-dimensional art, including a life size dome depicting heaven, earth and the underground. According to Rachel Olenick, the museum’s Marketing & Communications Specialist, it’s the artist’s biggest debut at Michener. She says, “It shows beauty, terror and the violence of nature. A juxtaposition—more than a pretty landscape.” Also, the use of nature demonstrates humankind’s connection to the natural order. The stained-glass composition is actually achieved through a method which includes sandblasting, followed by engraving flash glass (layers of colored glass overlayed on clear glass), and using silver stain. It’s Schaechter’s first public exhibit of this work, having made its way from her Philadelphia studio, where the dome was disassembled, brought to the Michener and reassembled. It’s gorgeous and definitely worth a visit for admiration of beauty, detail, composition or just awe-inspired contemplation. The artist, who lives in Philadelphia, has had works collected internationally, and has received many awards –exhibiting at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Smithsonian, The Hermitage and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. The exhibit runs through September 14th.
Pictured Above: Judith Schaechter, Super/Natural (detail), 2023-2025. Stained-glass panels and wood frame, 96 x 60 x 60 inches. Courtesy of the artist and Claire Oliver Gallery, NYC, with support from the Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics. Photo by Christian Giannelli.
In Michener’s Pfundt Gallery is the newest exhibit–a collection from New Jersey based ceramicist Lisa Naples. The local artist has her ‘Grounded in Gold’ exhibit on display through November 23rd. It captured my attention, not only for its beauty and symbolism, but for the fact that we had in fact crossed paths in the distant past. I had visited her Doylestown ceramics studio when her work consisted of functional pottery, which Lisa said was her mainstay for three decades. But in 2018, she said “Two pieces came through me. A vessel splitting in two.” With several life challenges happening simultaneously, Lisa claims, “When adversity is present, it can be an opportunity for deeper things to come through. That’s why the first two pieces are called Gestation l and ll.” During the years since, the museum chose to obtain Gestation ll for their permanent collection and began the discussion of bringing the rest of her collection for public viewing. According to Naples, it’s been an exploration for me of my internal world. In the first two works, as the vessel splits, the representation is of one person with different internal voices and conflicts. The exhibit contains 14 pieces with six major works. The use of gold came out in a big way, the ceramicist says, over the last six years. It’s representative of who we really are (and should likely remember)—grounded in gold.
She also uses contrasting colors, blue and green, black and white which are not really opposite, but they have each other in them. A study in integration. “We might think we’re different,” she says, “But we’re really not.” Rabbit avatars also hold a symbolic meaning in her sculptures. “The rabbit is a creature that deals with lots of fear, yet they haven’t just survived, they’ve thrived.”
Pictured Above: Renée Fleming. Photo Credit: Andrew Eccles Decca.
She made an interesting observation, saying we can be aware of anger, but not be angry. You can’t be the feeling, but you can feel it. Lisa, who works out of her Frenchtown, New Jersey studio, is both sculptor and teacher, collaborating with other artists while teaching the up-and-coming. With a master’s degree in ceramics and an undergrad degree in literature, lots of new things are happening for her, including jurying the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show. “That and the Smithsonian are the best in the country.” There’s also a documentary being made about her, which should be out in the near future.
You can catch Lisa at the Michener on Sunday, August 10th from 1-3 pm for an ‘Unplugged Family Day’. And again, you can meet the artist during a studio tour on September 30th, from 2-3pm (ticketed event) and during a free Educator Workshop on October 16th, from 5-8pm.
Coming up next is a study in light and shadow retrospective in an exhibition from Pakastani-American artist Anila Agha, whose work uses texture to explore the differences in cultural and social mores. It touches on everything from gender roles to religious to controversial political statements. She says she uses light, patternmaking and reflection to make her statements. The exhibition, called Interwoven runs from September 6th through January 11th.
Then in October, painter Peter Paone’s work comes to the museum. He depicts human emotions as displayed through a variety of animal and seemingly unrelated objects in his 40 piece exhibit. According to the painter, his work exhibits more than inanimate objects, but is symbolic of his life, as it is formed by his experiences. The Philadelphia artist and teacher has his work on display at national museums, and will be at the Michener, beginning in fall. Not So Still Life runs October 11th through March 15th.
An outdoor installation called The Short Line, is a temporary installation, once a corridor from the original jail to the guardhouse. In essence, a reflective garden that is part of the modern and contemporary art collection that as the curator says, “Draws attention to the history of the site and stands as a symbol of healing and renewal.” It runs through September 30th, 2026.
In addition to the rotating collections, there are ongoing companion activities that draw in the community. Yoga classes, concerts, adult workshops, the new cafe and venue rentals provide both practical and sensual experiences within a beautifully curated venue. Admission is free on second Sundays of the month for families to come experience all that art has to offer, and the program Art After Dark on First Thursdays provides an entirely different vibe, and an opportunity for those who are unavailable during daytime hours.
I believe a visit wouldn’t be complete without spending some time in the permanent Nakashima Reading Room—a tribute to the famous furniture-maker Mira Nakashima from her son George. Designed after a Japanese tearoom, the room uses simplistic, plain sawn wood furnishings set in a light-filtered environment, perfect for quiet contemplation. George, also a woodworker believed that trees have two lives—one while planted and another when transformed for yet another important purpose.
Pictured Above: The exterior of the James A. Michener Museum. Photo Credit: Contributed.
The Michener Art Museum is located at 138 South Pine Street, Doylestown, PA 18901. Michenerartmuseum.org. Regular hours are Wednesday through Sunday, 10-5pm.
