NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. — Joyce Werwie Perry returns to Penn State New Kensington as the featured artist in the campus’ Art Gallery throughout May. The Pittsburgh-based artist will showcase her works, which feature her own unique knife-painting technique, from May 1 to 31.

“Painting for me is all about stirring emotion with texture and movement,” said Perry on her website.

Perry, who was last year’s featured artist during the 2018 Off the Wall pARTy at the campus, developed her knives-in-oils technique as she worked to add a sense of immediacy and newness to her paintings. Since then, she has honed the skill and has been teaching others the rapid application method at her own space, Le Poire Fine Art Studio and Gallery in Crafton, for more than 14 years. She also has taught color theory and figure drawing and led workshops at her studio and regional art centers such as the Chautauqua Institution in New York and Sweetwater Center for the Arts in Sewickley.

The artist received the Medal of Honor for Painting from the National Association of Women Artists in 2018. She has received numerous other accolades and awards for her art and participated in approximately 50 exhibitions in Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, Kansas and Florida.

Her works have been shown nationally, as well as throughout the Pittsburgh region, including the Andy Warhol Museum and Carnegie Museum of Art. In addition, she has been invited to organize multiple collections, including her Remnants Collection based on her interest in photos from the past and the Allegheny Collection featuring Western Pennsylvania's architecture and topography. Perry also inspired two book covers by author Rosalind Kaliden.

Perry earned her associate in science degree in art from Community College of Allegheny County. Her memberships include the National Association of Women Artists, Associated Artists of Pittsburgh, and the Oil Painters of America.

The exhibit can be viewed in the gallery from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on weekdays and noon to 5 p.m. on weekends.

Penn State New Kensington’s gallery features monthly multimedia works of local, regional, national and international artists. All exhibits are free to the public. For more information about the gallery and how to become a future exhibitor, contact Tina Booth, gallery director, at 724-334-6056 or tms57@psu.edu. Additional information is available at www.newkensington.psu.edu/art-gallery.