Market Daze: Central Market in the ‘70s

September 5 - September 27

At The Demuth Museum

Lancaster, PA – The Demuth Museum is pleased to present Gail Gray’s pencil drawings of people in Lancaster’s Central Market in the early seventies. This group of drawings captures a wonderful moment in time of this beloved city icon. A bustling hub of downtown activity continues to this day to thrive as a lively farmer’s market.  While stand holders change and the type of food and goods offered evolve over time, there are still many of the same stands and stand holders in 2015 as there were forty years ago.

Gray, who is now better known for her abstract paintings, began her career as a courtroom artist for WGAL.  This group of drawings were what won Gray her long-standing position at WGAL.  As we can see from these market people pictures, Gray is extremely gifted at capturing a quick moment or exchange between customer and stand holder or two stand holders having a good gossip! And market is filled with regular shoppers greeting one another as well as the stand holders chatting to fill the time between customers. Others go to market to pick up the famous celery or the horseradish which has been sold at the same stand for more than 75 years!

In each of the renderings Gray uses her deft handling of the pencil to evoke various textures such as; a fur coat and babushka , the rattan of a market basket, Angie Colatta’s up-do and long nails, and the finely cared for beard of an Amish man.  Many of the market goers in the pictures are identified, but some are not, Gray did not try to meet everyone she drew.  In fact, she often had to be very covert about focusing in on one person too long.  Executive Director Anne M. Lampe notes, “it will be fun for people to come and maybe see themselves or a relative captured in these wonderful drawings.  And for those who doubt an abstract artist can capture our retinal reality – Gray dispels any questions through these sensitive and finely rendered pencil drawings.

An opening reception will be held on Friday, September 4, 2015 from 5-8 p.m.

The Demuth Museum is located at 120 E. King St., Lancaster, PA.

Regular Museum Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10-4 & Sunday 1-4.