“Dreams, Memories, Reflections” at Arthaus at the Mezz highlights the landscapes of Judy Targan and William Hudders. Curated by Deborah Rabinsky, the community art space exhibition in the Renaissance Allentown Hotel, 12 N. Seventh St., Allentown, concluded Sept. 30.

Arthaus at the Mezz, which reopened on the hotel’s mezzanine level gallery, was closed during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic shutdown.

As a lifelong artist, Targan is still producing fresh works at age 90. “Her whimsical, almost dream-like, landscapes and seascapes bring back longtime memories,” Rabinsky stated, describing the South Orange, N.J.,-based artist’s style.

“I generally work on two or three paintings at the same time,” said Targan.

Since the works share a common theme, but with different shapes, the artist grouped them into a series.

An example of this is “Endless Seasons 9” (2016; oil on cradled wood panel, 16 in. x 16 in.). The scene is painted on the panel’s cradled edges giving it a 3-D look.

Targan primed the surfaces with gesso, then built an imagined landscape with basic geometric shapes while rendering them organically. The half-circle island with a triangular stand of trees is surrounded by semi-circle waves. She created texture with thick applications of gesso with a plastic spoon.

Her other dimensional paintings on birch plywood are prepared by a carpenter friend. She subdivides a flat panel into nine adjacent planes, with eight of them framing the larger center panel featuring a bright geometric landscape. Corner accents are created by Targan with hardware. Acrylic paint is applied over the oils to create additional “dimension.”

Targan, born in New York City, was educated in the Walden School and graduated from Smith College in 1953. “I was born an artist,” she reflected, “I really became a painter when I moved to New Jersey when I got married.” After attending graduate printmaking classes at Rutgers University, Targan became a professional printmaker of limited edition relief prints with inkless intaglio.

Bruce Waldman of The W Art Collection, is responsible for introducing Targan’s work to the Lehigh Valley. Waldman was a business associate of Targan’s late husband.

Hudders’ “Wipe-Out” (2020; oil on canvas, 72 in. x 56 in.) was the largest painting in his exhibit of oils and watercolors. It features a knocked-over bicycle among other items set up for a still-life, dominated by the brightly sunlit trees, buildings and puffy, cumulus clouds beyond the windowsill behind them.

“There are a lot of accidental, happy accidents, that happen with oil that I really like,” said Hudders, explaining how bits of color can inadvertently get into what is being mixed, changing it from what was intended.

He specializes in painting from direct observation, not from photographs. “Looking at something from life changes as you go,” Hudders said.

Hudders graduated from Rhode Island School of Design in 1986. He studied with Neil Welliver while receiving an MFA at the University of Pennsylvania. He’s a professor at Northampton Community College.

Hudders’ collages were exhibited at Arthaus, 645 W. Hamilton St., Allentown.

Arthaus at the Mezz is a partnership between RE:find and the Allentown Arts Commission.

Arthaus at the Mezz, mezzanine level gallery, Renaissance Allentown Hotel, 12 N. Seventh St., Allentown. Open 24 hours. www.allentownarts.com; 610-841-4866