“Eudaimonia: Sasha Meret and Michelle Neifert,” by two artists who deal creatively with their disabilities, continues through Dec. 2, Ronald K. De Long Gallery, Penn State Lehigh Valley, Upper Saucon Township.

In conjunction with “Eudaimonia,” two other artists impacted by medical conditions, Heidi Hooper and Marissa Grello, are spotlighted in the adjacent Community Gallery, through Nov. 4.

The exhibitions celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

The legislation, passed Sept. 26, 1973, prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs conducted by federal agencies, in programs receiving federal financial assistance, in federal employment and in the employment practices of federal contractors.

Lehigh Valley-based curator Deborah Rabinsky introduced Ronald K. De Long Gallery Director Ann Lalik to Meret and Neifert.

“I visited their studios and was immediately struck by the formal contrasts of color and media between their works,” says Lalik.

“Bipolar depression and Parkinson’s affect the brain and the artists talk about the positive effect their art practice has on them,” Lalik says.

Lalik defines “Eudaimonia,” a Greek language term that has no one-word translation in English, as a state of well-being that cultivates mindfulness, acceptance, purpose, skill mastery and positive relationships.

Meret, born in Romania in 1955, has lived and worked in New York City since 1987. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2003.

The award-winning multi-media artist has experimented with a wide range of materials and styles while alternating between representational and abstract imagery. Meret is well-read in history, mythology, philosophy, literature and physics, each of which subject is reflected in his art.

As with several assemblages in the exhibit, Meret’s “Tomorrow’s Cutting Edge” (2023; mixed media with disposable cutlery, 19 in. x 41 in. x 41 in.) bristles with skillfully-placed plastic knives, forks and spoons, all painted silver. While giving off the illusion of being constructed of metal, the assemblage appears to change shape when viewed from different angles.

“I go to a place and find objects and things which are discarded or have very interesting shapes,” says Meret, who then incorporates them into his works. “That’s my fun in discovering these places and my imagination goes haywire.”

Says Neifert of her works in the exhibit:

“The show in its entirety is based on a poem that I wrote. Each line of the poem is a title of one of the pieces of the work in the show.”

Neifert’s poem, “Long Way Home,” works through the artist’s struggle with bipolar depression.

“The titles themselves are kind of like the journey I went on when I was ill,” says Neifert.

“They all started off being small-scale sketches, which are also on display,” Neifert says of the large brightly-colored gallery-stretched canvas acrylics. The tiny sketches are pinned to gallery display cards.

“I Will Find You” (2023; acrylic on canvas, 24 in. x 27 in.) by Neifert is one of a trio of unstretched canvases splashed with color that illustrate each of three verses of “Long Way Home.”

“This is part of the painting process,” says the artist. “These are completed works in and of themselves, but they also are canvas that I use to move the paint around on the other paintings.”

While there is a planning process with her other paintings, Neifert enjoys the “happenstance” that resulted.

If not considered finished pieces by Neifert, they will be cut them down into the “small sketches” for her next paintings. Jewelry is created in a similar fashion.

A Lehigh Valley native, Neifert graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Printmaking from Kutztown University in 1993. She has studied at The Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and Baum School of Art. Neifert’s studio is in Allentown.

Meret received a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts while in Romania. He studied printmaking at Columbia University. Meret has a studio in Easton.

The works of Heidi Hooper and Marissa Grello are spotlighted in the adjacent Community Gallery.

Grello, who has fibromyalgia, is unable to paint with paintbrushes. Grello uses the technique of scrape art whereby paint is manipulated with scrapers.

Grello, a Northampton Area High School graduate, received a B.S. in psychology from The Pennsylvania State University in 2020.

Hooper, a former armourer at the New York Renaissance Faire, was stricken with cancer in her right arm at age 33.

Hooper of Hamilton Township, Monroe County, creates her works with lint sent to her by people from around the world.

She has a B.F.A. in sculpture from Virginia Commonwealth University and a Masters in metalsmithing from Massachusetts College of Art.

“Eudaimonia: Sasha Meret and Michelle Neifert,” through Dec. 2, Ronald K. De Long Gallery, Penn State Lehigh Valley, 2809 Saucon Valley Road, Center Valley. Gallery hours: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m. Monday - Thursday, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Saturday. Closed Sunday. 610-285-5078; www.lehighvalley.psu.edu/gallery

“Heidi Hooper and Marissa Grello,” through Nov. 4, Community Gallery, Penn State Lehigh Valley, 2809 Saucon Valley Road, Center Valley. Gallery hours: 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Monday - Thursday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Saturday. Closed Sunday. 610-285-5078; www.lehighvalley.psu.edu/gallery

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