William Scharf: The Journey is the Destination

Gallery I: Sept 18 - Dec 11 (In the Studio)

Gallery II: Oct 9 - Dec 11 (Through the Decades)

Exhibition Celebration: October 9, 5pm - 6:30pm, with comments by the artist’s family

American painter and educator William Scharf (1927-2018) was compelled to create. His lifelong drive produced a remarkable body of work ranging from small figural and representational drawings to giant abstract canvases. Juniata College presents a first-ever career-spanning exhibition including archival materials that document and illustrate the artist’s vision, process, and philosophy over more than sixty years, offering a uniquely intimate view of Scharf’s art and life.

Scharf developed a visual language that incorporated layered organic forms, rhythmic movements, and suggestions of universal symbols and personal mythologies. The mysterious titles he gave to the works hint at a spectrum of meanings and draw viewers ever deeper into his world. His paintings are windows onto a higher reality in constant flux, capturing that eternal motion via a creative process that was as important as any final product.  

This exhibition is co-curated by Jennifer Streb, Professor of Art History at Juniata College, Kevin Moist, Associate Professor of Communications at Penn State Altoona, and Aaron and Anique Scharf, with research supported by The Juniata College Sowell Scholars Faculty Grant.