Ronald K. De Long, “Wind-shifts, Mood-swings, & Other Anomalies,” highlights the prolific artist’s recent work, including watercolors, oils, landscapes, portraits, collages and three-dimensional mixed-media assemblages.

The Lehigh Valley-based artist, educator and philanthropist’s exhibition concludes with a reception, 6 - 8 p.m. Aug. 18, David E. Rodale and Rodale Family Galleries, The Baum School of Art, Allentown.

Genres in the exhibition range from impressionistic through the abstract. De Long refers to these variations as “Mood-swings” and Japanese-inspired “Wind-shifts,” hence the exhibition’s title.

“This is not just one collection of work,” says Baum School of Art Development and Communications Director Lauren Faurl. The pieces are drawn from multiple series, yet they complement each other, she says.

“I took a class to the Allentown Rose Garden. A class of adult learners,” says De Long, whose De Long’s Studio & Gallery 2908 is in Slatington.

De Long provided instruction on sketching from life and bringing those studies back to the studio.

De Long’s “Allentown Rose Garden” (2022, oil on canvas, 24 in. x 36 in.) was created while using the studies as reference. “I take photographic notes as well,” says the artist.

Instead of limiting himself to colors in the photographs, De Long sometimes changes them while following color theory when rendering his compositions.

Regarding the “Rose Garden” painting, De Long says, “I didn’t want it to be realistic, I didn’t want it to be impressionistic, and I wanted it to be more stylized.

“It’s my interpretation of the space.”

He humbly asserts, “I can’t create anything better than the Great Maker upstairs can create them.”

Among the exhibition’s “Other Anomalies” are imaginative watercolors and oils of crows that De Long initially sketched in his backyard for his “Raven’s Quote” series.

Also, inspired as a child by Mary Martin’s televised portrayal of Peter Pan, De Long created the nautically-whimsical “Sailing Through Neverland” series several years ago. A flotilla was created with wooden toy ship hulls and outfitted with sails constructed of photographic images of his family, friends and memories, along with other fun and nostalgic elements.

De Long knew he wanted to be an artist at age 5. His neighbor, Peterson Field Guide illustrator Janet Wehr inspired and encouraged him.

De Long received a BS in Art Education from Kutztown University in 1972 after attending Pennsylvania’s York Academy of Art in 1967. His post-graduate studies have taken him to the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Gloucester Academy of Art in Massachusetts and University of Salzburg in Austria, as well as private instruction.

Beneficiaries of De Long’s support of the arts include The Baum School of Art and Penn State Lehigh Valley where he founded the Ronald K. De Long Gallery.

Proceeds from the sale of catalogs of De Long’s exhibition at Baum benefit the school. During the run of the exhibition, catalogs are free with a purchase of art.

Ronald K. De Long, “Wind-shifts, Mood-swings, & Other Anomalies,” through Aug. 18, David E. Rodale and Rodale Family Galleries, The Baum School of Art, 510 W. Linden St., Allentown. Gallery hours 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Monday and Friday, 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Tuesday - Thursday, Closed Saturday, Sunday. www.baumschool.org; 610-433-0032

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