Events

Solo Series Fall 2026

Nov. 06

I Was Somewhere Else the second is called Dream Home | Veronica Cianfrano | Mixed media 

On View November 6, 2026 – January 4, 2027

Opening Reception | Friday, November 6 | 6:00p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Artist Talk | Veronica Cianfrano (w/ Curator Jessie Clark) & Emily Ennulat-Lustine | Wednesday, November 18 | 6:00 p.m. – 8:00p.m.

Artist Talk | Joseph V. Labolito | Wednesday, December 9 | 6:00 p.m. – 8:00p.m.

ARTISTS

Veronica Cianfrano – You’ll Be Okay: A Bad Daughter’s Guide to Survival (Curated by Jessie Clark)

“I Was Somewhere Else the second is called Dream Home”, Veronica Cianfrano, Mixed media fiber art.

Condensed Curiatorial Statement from Curator Jessie Clark about Veronica Cianfrano’s solo exhibition:

You’ll Be Okay: A Bad Daughter’s Guide to Survival is an exhibition exploring concepts of trauma, breaking patterns, and the creation of new narratives through viewer participation. The show is composed entirely of artworks by Veronica Cianfrano from various stages of her artistic career, curated by Jessica Clark, a long-time friend and collaborator who has known her through many of those stages.
The totality of our experiences makes us who we are; the totality of an artist’s catalog has a similar role. Past and present hang together on these walls, just as thoughts of the past bubble up into our daily lives. Viewers are invited to actively create their own stories based on the artworks present in the show, deriving meaning from the imagery, materials, and formal choices made by the artist. Gallery attendees are able to move through the show unencumbered, empowered to inhabit roles of author and creator. The viewer achieves what the artist cannot by viewing the work from a different perspective; they offer up new meanings and steer the direction of future pieces.

From Veronica Cianfrano:

“I think the fear of forgetting and being forgotten is a quality all people share. I try to use this ‘universal truth’ as a way to get us to connect in more intimate ways. I am interested in how contemporary life has altered our memories, social interactions, and psychology in a way that pulls us away from each other. I use myself as a starting point, laying bare my memories and using my own vulnerability to initiate an intimate connection to the viewer. In my work, I reference what I think of as humanity’s connecting threads by incorporating objects and materials that are imbued with nostalgia or sentimentality. I am often pulled to work with used fabric in my studio practice because of its inherent intimate, personal quality (it’s constantly touching our skin). Aesthetic references to degradation, ephemera, and family photographs are common themes in my layered, multi-media works. Ultimately, it is my hope that interactions with my work help to reinforce a physical and emotional connection to each other and the space around us.”

Veronica Cianfrano is a curator, multimedia artist, teacher, the youngest of three daughters, and a first-generation American. In 2010, she received her MFA in Painting from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia (RIP), where she discovered the need for better access to the arts. There she started CHER, a collaborative pop-up gallery; the mission of which was to bring thematically relevant contemporary art exhibitions to communities that don’t normally experience them by organizing temporary events, happenings, and exhibitions in alternative spaces.

In 2011 she co-founded Manifesto-ish, an online artist in residence program that allows artists of merit from any background and in any location to realize a project with the help of a team, receive consistent critical feedback for their work, participate in panel discussions, and exhibit their work digitally.

She is an educator with over eight years of experience teaching studio art and art theory courses to pre-college, undergraduate, and graduate students nationally and internationally. Veronica has over ten years of experience curating exhibitions and managing galleries. Her professional practice is led by the governing principle that diverse perspectives and collaboration can lead to the best opportunities for public engagement and meaningful connections to the arts.

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Joseph V. Labolito – The City as I Saw It

Broad St and City Hall, 1999. These images are from a collection of work originally commissioned and in the collection of the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Print and Picture Collection. Claes Oldenburg’s Clothespin Statue near City Hall at 1500 Market St.

From Joseph V. Labolito:

“My photographic practice is an exploration of Philadelphia, a city that has been both my home and my muse. Over the decades, I have meticulously documented its neighborhoods, people, and evolving landscapes, creating a visual time capsule that encapsulates the spirit of Philadelphia from the 1980s to the 2000s. This collection reveals the life cycle of the city—from the birth and demolition of buildings to the bustling streets filled with iconic skylines, quaint row houses, and the indomitable spirit of local business owners and athletes. Each image was originally captured through the lens of a Large Format camera, utilizing black and white negatives and meticulously processed Selenium-toned silver prints, preserving the authenticity and emotional resonance of each moment. Philadelphia Collections is modern archival prints from High Resolution scans of the original negatives, my work is intended to be viewed contemplatively, inviting audiences to reflect on the intricate narratives woven into the fabric of our communities. These photographs celebrate the interplay between past and present, highlighting the resilience and rich history that define Philadelphia and its people. Ultimately, this portfolio is a testament to the enduring human spirit and the vibrant life that thrives in the heart of Philadelphia, a remarkable city.”

Joseph V. Labolito is a distinguished photographer based in Philadelphia, known for his extensive and evocative portrayal of the city’s rich tapestry. Born and raised in the Frankford-Oxford Circle area of Philadelphia, Joseph began his photographic journey in high school, working with photography studios. Over the past four decades, he has developed a multifaceted portfolio that encompasses still life, architecture, health care, athletics and documentary photography. Including a 30 year career as Temple University’s senior photographer. Joseph’s work serves as a visual narrative of Philadelphia’s neighborhoods, reflecting the city’s evolution and resilience. His collection is a deeply personal exploration, capturing not just the essence of the city but inviting viewers to engage with its history and transformation. Joseph’s photographs are housed in several prestigious public and private collections, including the Special Collections Research Center at Temple University and the Free Library of Philadelphia’s Print and Picture Collection, which features nearly 1,300 images.

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Emily Ennulat-Lustine – Grounding

“Grounding: Moss”, Emily Ennulat-Lustine, Hand-pulled collagraph in Encaustic Painting.

Emily Ennulat-Lustine is an award-winning artist, printmaker, and author/illustrator whose work explores our connection to nature, wonder, and the beauty found in paying attention. She has worked for over 30 years in hand-pulled collagraph printmaking, which she first learned here at Abington Art Center. She is now a member of the 705 West Printshop & Gallery Community in Jenkintown, PA. Ennulat-Lustine layers texture, botanical forms, landscape, and the human figure to create intimate works that invite a deeper sense of presence and connection to the natural world and to each other.

This series, GROUNDING, is inspired by the practice of walking barefoot upon the earth. It suggests that returning to ourselves can begin with something as simple as stepping outside. By bringing the body into direct relationship with the landscape, we can experience the physical and emotional connection to the natural world—the quiet, restorative act of slowing down and feeling our feet on the ground. These paintings incorporate her original collagraphs into encaustic paintings, a medium she began learning in 2018. The quiet, monochromatic figures stand in contrast to the abundance and intricate detail of their surroundings, becoming almost a meditation on our place within nature—not as separate observers, but as part of a larger, living whole.

Ennulat-Lustine’s three-time award-winning children’s book, Wander Out, Wonder In, grew from this same belief that nature is a place of discovery, imagination, and belonging. Her work encourages us to slow down, look closely, notice, and rediscover the wonder that surrounds us every day. She lives and works in the Philadelphia suburbs, where the natural world continues to be her greatest source of inspiration. More of her printmaking, encaustic painting, children’s book as well as her textile collections, is available at her shop, Ennulat Art & Design, in Chestnut Hill through the end of December 2026.

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For inquiries about work in our exhibitions, please contact our Gallery Manager at acook@abingtonartcenter.org. Works sold from our Fall Solo Series will remain up for the duration of the exhibition, and will be relinquished to purchaser at the exhibition’s close.

Our Fall Solo Series runs concurrently with the second installment of our Small Works To-Go exhibition, from November 6th-January 4th. Learn more here.