COLORFUL INSPIRATIONS – NEAR AND FAR
by Linda Bohlman Trauger, Roy Blankenship and Lois Showalter Blankenship
October 15th through December 18th, 2025
A reception will be held with the artists on Saturday November 8th, 2025, from 12PM to 3PM
The artists will also be available at the Mennonite Heritage Center’s Christmas Market for a meet and greet on December 5th and 6th from 10AM to 4PM.
Celebrate the many colors of the seasons with a major art exhibit by Linda Bohlman Trauger, her niece Lois Showalter Blankenship, and Roy Blankenship titled: “Colorful Inspirations—Near and Far.” The exhibit of over 60 works will be on display at the Mennonite Heritage Center, 565 Yoder Rd. Harleysville, Pa., from October 15 through December 18, 2025. The public is invited to an artists’ reception on Saturday, November 8, 2025, from 12 to 3 p.m. In addition, the artists will be available at the Mennonite Heritage Center’s Christmas Market for a meet and greet on December 5 and 6 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Trauger and the Blankenships will feature oil paintings, watercolors, acrylics, and pastels of 
interesting subjects primarily of southeastern Pennsylvania, New England and the Middle Atlantic states: “near and far.” Each artist’s distinctive medium and style will be on display offering their personal interpretations on how splashes of color break into exciting scenes and spaces. They are long time members of numerous art associations and have won many awards for their paintings.
Linda Bohlman Trauger is a Bucks County native who graduated from Palisades High School and Kutztown University. After graduating from Kutztown, she spent 31 years as an art educator in the Pennridge School District and has mentored dozens of aspiring artists. After retirement Linda began studying watercolor, pastel, and drawing, with national and local instructors. She has participated in numerous juried and member’s exhibits and has won many awards. Linda enjoys painting rural landscapes of the Delaware Valley, Vermont, the seacoast of New England, animals, old houses, barns, and historical buildings. She is intrigued with old barns and time worn buildings. Linda presently lives in Harleysville, Pennsylvania, with her husband Ray, and their dog Shotzi. She has painted all of her life and has spent much of her energy teaching art to her students. After retiring, she found renewed art inspirations for her own creative spirit and decided to concentrate her efforts painting watercolors of genre and historical subjects within the natural beauty of Bucks County and beyond. Linda explains; “I work in watercolor, and have learned to enjoy its quirks and challenges. Of which there are many. For this exhibit, one of my inspirations has been the connection of all creatures, people and pets, which I understand personally. An animal’s soul is in its eyes. Additionally, my early life in rural Bucks County sparked my desire to depict structures from a by-gone era, in various seasons. From New England and Canada, to more local areas, time worn structures fascinate me. Vivid blossoms, and meditative moments round out my contribution to this display.”
The husband-and-wife team of professional artists Roy Blankenship and Lois Showalter Blankenship are life-long painters who actively exhibit, lecture, and demonstrate their painting techniques to collectors, artists, and educators. Home based in Wilmington, Delaware, in winter months, they spend their summer months in the New England states. Roy works in oil, watercolor, and pastel. He is also a professional conservator specializing in paintings, having studied conservation under the conservation staff at The Winterthur Museum, Wilmington, DE.
He is a fellow of the American Institute for Conservation. Roy is a graduate of the University of Delaware, and attended graduate school at the Tyler School of Art in Elkins Park, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA. Roy explains, “I became much more confident in my painting technique after becoming a painting conservator. I often strive for my eclectic subjects to resonate with the viewer as timeless or story-telling. For this show I offer snowscapes and peaceful landscape scenes of the Chesapeake Bay, New England marine subjects, floral, amusement, and Christmas themes.”
Lois is primarily engaged in painting colorful floral works, landscapes, marine subjects, and genre scenes. She enjoys painting in watercolor, acrylic and gouache. Her abstract use of color and shape is reminiscent of the masters. A graduate of Christopher Dock, she attended Hesston College, and graduated from Lock Haven University. Lois works with her husband in their conservation business, is a professional jeweler, and a gifted poet. She explains; “I am bringing to this exhibit a variety of new intriguing subjects in acrylic medium from recognizable locations and undiscovered pathways. I am inspired by the light and play of shadows on my subjects and my palette of colors capture the time of day or the seasons of the year.”
Lois Blankenship’s LASB Jewelry featuring repurposed combinations along with her original designs will also be available during the exhibit.