The second exhibition for the spring season will feature Betty Calabria’s Pretty Pattern Process in Sleeth Gallery in McCuskey Hall at West Virginia Wesleyan College. Pretty Pattern Process will be exhibited February 18 through March 6 with an opening reception on Tuesday, February 18 at 4:30-6:00 p.m. Gallery talk will begin at 6 p.m.

A native New Yorker, Calabria began her professional career with a degree in nursing from Villanova University. It was through her work in Public Health and opportunities involving cultural diversity that she began to realize that there were many approaches to daily living. She knew she wanted to travel and most importantly, she wanted to make art. In 1996, Calabria earned an MFA at James Madison University in Virginia.

Calabria captures her artistic inspirations in three-dimensional works that incorporates fiber, paint, metal, waxed paper, and “found” objects. She focuses her creative expression on painting assemblage and construction, which often lead to sewing, welding, and sand blasting.

Studio aprons worn by the artist are inspiration for Calabria's work. The artist's apron is an archival surface of color and gesture. Like snippets of conversation, the aprons are visual records. The graphic notations provide a basis for formal elaboration. In recent work, apron contours are emphasized. Apron contours are superimposed so that the artist literally juggles line, color and shape. The actions evoke qualities of an emerging and trippy choreography. Wall compositions vary from open, spirited engagements to quiet closed introspections. Select aprons from an earlier period will also be included. Materials in work include recovered roofing material, costume jewelry and wax paper.