Enjoy bites and bubbly, and connect with the artists in person in Baltimore and Chevy Chase — or virtually in Haverford.
BALTIMORE
WEDNESDAY, OCT 22
4–7PM
RFA GALLERY Village of Cross Keys
88 Village Square Baltimore, MD
CHEVY CHASE
THURSDAY, OCT 23
4–7PM
MERRITT GALLERY
The Collection 5445 Wisconsin Ave Chevy Chase, MD
HAVERFORD
WEDNESDAY, OCT 22
4–7PM
MERRITT GALLERY Haverford Square
385 Lancaster Ave Haverford, PA
RSVP
In Haverford, guests are invited to connect with the artists virtually via FaceTime during the reception
Featuring the work of Joseph Adolphe, Carly Allen Martin, Paul Balmer, and Meredith Pardue, Beyond the Surface brings together four artists whose practices reveal the layers—literal and metaphorical—that shape perception.
From lyrical abstractions and organic forms to painterly narratives and etched cityscapes, the exhibition invites you to move past first impressions and uncover the subtle energies, textures, and emotional depth within each work.
Joseph Adolphe
Adolphe was born in Calgary, Canada, and received his MFA in New York City. His paintings, spanning landscapes, animals, origami figures, and still lifes, explore the physical essence of a subject while giving form to the unseen forces that shape it. Within his work, the world our senses perceive reflects deeper metaphysical connections, balancing universal themes with intimate autobiographical context. Adolphe has exhibited widely in the U.S. and abroad and teaches drawing and painting at St. John’s University in New York City.
VIEW MORE WORK BY ADOLPHE
Adolphe
A Beginning No. 20
Oil on canvas
60 x 50 in.
Joseph
Joseph Adolphe The Offering Oil on canvas 58 x 62 in.
Joseph Adolphe
Equus No. 17
Oil on canvas
72 x 80 in.
Carly Allen Martin
Carly Allen Martin is known for her use of color and layered textures, creating vibrant, expressive paintings that open up a world of connection and hope. Working on paper, panel, and linen, she builds one-of-a-kind compositions through gestural sketches, washes of color, and intuitive mark-making with charcoal, graphite, pastel, and oil. Her work explores human connection, resilience, and optimism, and is collected publicly and privately in the U.S. and internationally. She studied art in Florence, Trier, and Tokyo, and earned her BFA from Texas Christian University.
VIEW MORE WORK BY ALLEN MARTIN
All of It's True
Mixed media on paper 52 x 42 in.
Carly Allen Martin
Carly Allen Martin Glimmers
Mixed media on panel 60 x 48 in.
OPPOSITE: Carly Allen Martin Poets & Painters
Mixed media on panel 48 x 60 in.
Paul Balmer
Born and raised in South Africa, Paul Balmer moved to Sydney, Australia at seventeen to study Fine Art and Graphic Design. After working in illustration and advertising, he traveled through Europe, exploring Neoclassical architecture and sculpture, which informed his first gallery shows in London and Boston. Moving to New York in 1999, Balmer’s work shifted from traditional academic painting to imaginative, naïve, and abstracted compositions. His work—cityscapes, still lifes, and abstractions—reflect color, form, and the influence of his South African and Australian roots. His paintings are collected worldwide.
VIEW MORE WORK BY BALMER
Paul Balmer Empire Day Oil on panel
48 x 48 in.
Paul Balmer
French Table
Oil on panel
48 x 48 in.
OPPOSITE: Paul Balmer
Mapping the Sky
Mixed media on canvas 58 x 72 in.
Meredith Pardue
Born in Monroe, Louisiana, Meredith Pardue earned her BFA from Savannah College of Art and Design and her MFA from Parsons School of Design in New York City. Her abstract paintings evoke botanical and geological forms through sinuous, layered compositions. Drawing inspiration from extensive travel across the United States, France, and the Caribbean, she balances texture, color, and movement to create dynamic, intuitive works. Pardue has exhibited internationally and is collected in notable private and corporate collections worldwide. She lives and works in Austin, Texas.
