The James A. Michener Art Museum presents Mavis Smith. Hidden Realities an exhibition on view January 14-May 20, 2012. Reception: February 3, 6-7:30 p.m.

Mavis Smith Night Pool, 2009, Egg tempera on panel.

The paintings of Mavis Smith—part storyteller, part portraitist, and part stage director—are like single frames of a movie with no beginning and no end, as mysterious figures gaze out at the world with enigmatic calm, surrounded by swimming pools, moody interiors, and distant skies. Often working in the ancient craft of egg tempera, which was used by artists as diverse as Botticelli, Vermeer, and Andrew Wyeth, Smith slowly builds up layer upon layer of translucent color. The resulting images seem to radiate light from within, making the people who inhabit her luminous world both arresting and slightly surreal.

For more information on hours and admission rates, please contact the museum at 215-340-9800 or visit www.michenerartmuseum.org.

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