“Playing with Color” explores the surreal through Yevette Hendler’s infrared photography and color manipulation in an exhibition through Dec. 2, with an artist’s reception, 6 - 8 p.m. Nov. 16, Civic Theatre 514 Gallery, Alentown.

The exhibition, curated by Deborah Rabinsky, features dreamlike landscapes, blossoms, and the human figure.

“We are surrounded by so much reality these days that we just can’t escape it. So rather than reflect back the reality that is readily available, I present a surrealistic view through my art,” states Hendler.

The self-taught artist has been working for six years on the work in the exhibition. Although based in New Jersey, Hendler has developed strong ties to the Lehigh Valley arts community.

Hendler captures a surreal looking landscape through the IR camera lens, then finishes the converted image with Adobe Photoshop and similar software.

“Playing With Fort Mifflin Color” (2013-2018, digital C-Print, 9 in. x 12 in.) is a colorfully eerie view of the parade ground of the Revolutionary War era fortification shot from one of the parapets. The IR image was taken in 2013 and was later processed in 2018. The Revolutionary War era fortification is near Philadelphia International Airport.

“Belong Together” (2014-2018, digital C-Print, 5 in. x 7 in.) is an example of Hendler’s experimentation with IR macro photography. The blossoms are in shades of blue and turquoise, with a burst of orange sky behind.

Hendler’s “Be Fabulous Wherever” (2018-2018, digital C-Print, 5 in. x 7 in.) features a woman clad in a transparent lavender nightgown with straight arms partly spread downward on each side. She appears moth-like while walking away from the camera toward the dark monochromatic woods. Her hands and feet are almost the color of a light-skinned person.

The photographer tweaks some of the color back to “normal” to create what she calls an “anchor” for the work. She describes “anchor” as a device that provides people with something they can relate to, which draws them into rest of the image.

Says Hendler, “There is beauty everywhere in ordinary things with a surreal quality where anything is possible. Infrared has even made its way into my figure and form artwork as well.

“I found that by adding the human element combined with colors that were unexpected, I could tell different or more dramatic stories.”

Each of the 28 images were photographed with a standard or super infrared converted camera. Hendler hopes to upgrade to a hyper-color converted camera, which provides a wider range of options.

Civic Theatre514 Gallery, 514 N. 19th St., Allentown. Gallery hours: One hour before stage theate performances and 30 minutes before movie showtimes. civictheatre.com; 610-432-8943