06/12/2026
"Exchange of Talents" artist spotlight
We will let Jessica Rightnour-Miller of Bloomsburg have the last word on the "Exchange of Talents" show -- a show that she had 20 pieces in, including these two mixed-media "Gummy Bear Shadow Boxes" (each 6 inches square, $11, and sold).
Jessica wrote a letter to The Exchange that has hung with these two pieces:
"In the description of this show one thing stood out to me, "more than 1,600 people have exhibited work here." As a longtime artist and one included in that number it is awe-inspiring the range of art I've seen by visiting several shows and viewing images of past ones. I appreciate that Oren believes in you as the artist and your interpretation of what the theme of the show is.
"What I absolutely love about The Exchange is 1,600 people of all ages, backgrounds, artistic styles, and talents have shown their artwork for all to see. The art displays different views, beliefs, ,a nd emotions, and I feel very lucky that I have the freedom to do so.
"So, what does The Exchange mean to me? As an artist that likes to dabble in a variety of mediums it is very freeing to display somewhere without restrictions. I absolutely love to push myself with the themes of the shows, really thinking outside the box sometimes and even learning new techniques to do so. I have created so much art that I love that would not be in existence without knowing of The Exchange, I am still learning who I am as an artist. Will I ever be known for a specific art style? That remains to be seen, but every show I do at The Exchange I learn something new.
"I am so appreciative to display my wide range of art at The Exchange but also to be amongst the great talent of other artists.
"Yours truly, Jessica"
Thank you for those generous words, Jessica -- and we feel very appreciative that you bring your work here to share with us!
"Exchange of Talents" has 76 pieces by 29 artists who live in six central-Pennsylvania counties. The show runs through tomorrow, Friday, the 12th of June.
Since 2014, the Exchange Gallery has hosted about 90 open-call shows, and almost 1,800 people of all ages have exhibited work here. We have immense gratitude for each and every one of them; we very literally would not have a Gallery without the artists who have shared thousands of artworks and thousands of stories. They bring life life to this space; they are the heartbeat of The Exchange.
We asked artists to reflect on us: What do The Exchange and the Exchange Gallery mean to them? How has exhibiting in this space changed their experience of art, whether making art or displaying art or looking at art or thinking about art? Have they formed new relationships through their experience at The Exchange?
Some brought new work, some brought things that they'd exhibited before -- perhaps the very first piece that they'd showed here, which for many people means the first piece that they ever showed publicly anywhere.
