“The 5 x 5 Show: 5 Artists in 5 Media,” through March 21, Banko Gallery, The Banana Factory, Bethlehem, is an exhibition of the work of five artists who have shared their artistic visions in Lehigh Valley galleries for the past six years.

Richard Begbie (photography), Patricia Delluva (printmaking, drawing) James A. DePietro (oil, acrylic painting), Barbara Kozero (mosaics, sculpture), and Jacqueline Meyerson (pastels) find a common voice while utilizing different media.

Begbie seeks abstract patterns with his photography, as in “Composition #4” (2019; Archival print on fine art paper; 30 in. x 24 in.). The image was captured while he was touring Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

“It is a close-up of what have been called pod houses,” says Begbie. “An architect back in the ’60s created these apartment houses out of cubes that are set catty-corner to each other. They’re all kind of tilted in various ways.”

The image of windows and siding coming together in the shot is one of the artist’s favorites, as well as one of his more challenging projects.

Delluva, who spends much of her creative time with printmaking, decided to go back to drawing with charcoal.

“I found it to be so wonderful during this period of time,” she says. “I could get messy and experiment with just the simple line charcoal.”

She worked areas of the images with a kneaded eraser, and in some, used white charcoal pencil for highlights.

Prior to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Delluva would photograph scenery that resonated with her in walks along the canal. These provided references for her artwork.

“Towpath Meanderings: A Glimpse of the River” (2020; Charcoal; 14 in. x 16 in.) is one in a series of drawings from her towpath journeys. Delluva renders tangled trees in bold strokes with delicate foliage seemingly flowing from the branches.

Among DePietro’s works in the gallery are three from his “Stream of Consciousness Series.” Loaded with symbolic images, the paintings express the artist’s political views regarding racism, the coronavirus pandemic and the United States.

“A History of American Racism: Sign O’ The Times” (2021; Mixed media: Oil, acrylic, spray paint on gesso board; 24 in. x 36 in.) is from the series. The vertical triptych depicts the feet of a lynched man in the top panel. The word “Breathe” in the center links the upper part with the painted collage-like lower image.

“The bottom half is a patchwork quilt that symbolizes the different protest groups that are fighting against the injustice and the groups that are creating the injustice,” says DePietro.

Patches, flags and emblems relating to the Black Lives Matter movement visually collide. A handmade doll depicting an African-American girl and a sprig from a cotton plant lay on top.

“Rose Window” (2020; Mosaic, 22 in. x 31 in.) by Kozero started with a frame she had found. She created a non-transparent mosaic that resembles a stained-glass window with a mosaic rose resting on the sill.

“I have a lot of iridescent glass. I have Rembrandt glass which has painting on the back, gold-luster tiles, and these tiles I made,” she says.

The work is a combination of found objects, like the frame, glass pieces she has collected, and glass she has manufactured in her own kiln.

Master Pastelist Jacqueline Meyerson sweetens up the show with “Tootsies” (2019; Pastel; 27 in. x 27 in.).

Inspired by the bowl of bite-size Tootsie Rolls that she and her husband kept around for their grandchildren, the photorealistic rendering is a large-scale close-up of the jumbled, tightly-wrapped candy.

“It’s fun and it reminds me of when I was a kid,” says Meyerson, adding that Tootsie Rolls were among her favorite penny candies.

The award-winning piece is from Meyerson’s “Organized Chaos Series,” where she strategically arranges her subject matter “to take your eye on a journey.”

Also on view is “The Lehigh Art Alliance 86th Annual Winter Juried Exhibition,” through April 25, Crayola Gallery.

The Banana Factory, 25 W. Third St., Bethlehem, 8 a.m. - 9:30 p.m. Monday - Friday. 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday

Artwork from the exhibits can be viewed online via a link on the Banana Factory website:

https://www.bananafactory.org/

“Gallery View” is a column about artists, exhibitions and galleries. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com