A local environmental group will host an exhibit showcasing the work of Philadelphia artist Meg Lemieur in Penn Township.

Protect PT’s Community Environment Education Center will host the exhibit with an opening reception from 6-10 p.m. on July 23.

Lemieur creates art using graphite and ink, and adding bursts of color using a combination of watercolor acrylics and digital composition.

Tickets for the reception are $5 for adults, and artwork will be on sale as well, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting Protect PT.

“We are thrilled to showcase beautiful artwork with environmental themes,” said Gillian Graber, executive director of Protect PT.

“We hope everyone will come out and bring their family and friends for our first gallery event in our new space.”

Artwork will remain on display at the education center for a few weeks after the event.

The display will be open to the public during Protect PT’s regular business hours, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The center is at 3344 Route 130 in Penn Township.

Lemieur spoke recently with the Tribune-Review about her work.

Q: How did you connect with Protect PT?

A: In 2020, they commissioned a few pieces of art from me and my then-creative-partner, Bri Barton. That is when we first met and we all got along so well during that project that we just became big fans of each other.

Q: You describe your art style as a combination of pen illustration and digital color — what is your favorite thing about blending analog and digital styles of art?

A: Holding a pen in my hand and pulling it across a piece of paper over and over to create a beautiful image puts me into a uniquely meditative mindset that awakens my creativity, problem-solving and intuition. There is nothing quite like it. Over the last decade, I have really loved utilizing pens and brushes to celebrate the line weight in my pieces. It is honestly my favorite part of creating any piece of art that I make. And I love color, too. I scan in my line work and paint the colors digitally, which gives me the rare freedom to explore numerous color possibilities in each piece. I really enjoy this illuminating process and finding those absolutely perfect color combinations.

Q: Is environmental advocacy something you’re passionate about and something you’ve incorporated into your personal artwork?

A: I have been involved with environmental advocacy since 2008 when some friends who lived in central Pennsylvania were having their water poisoned by a natural gas well that was on their neighbor’s property. It was heart-wrenching to watch, so I held fundraisers in Philly and created art for posters and campaigns to help support them through that time. Being an illustrator by trade, I realized the special position I was in to create visuals that helped tell their story to larger audiences. And then I realized that this issue was much larger than just my one friend’s story.

In 2017, I teamed up with artist Bri Barton to create a large, intricately drawn educational illustration that tells the story of many frontline communities in the mid-Atlantic region. The piece is called “Water Ways.” (thewaterways.org)

In this richly detailed, allegorical drawing, the numerous vignettes tell the political, social, economic and ecological stories of the impact of the natural gas industry on the land, water and everyone who lives here.

We use this mural-sized illustration as an educational tool for workshops and presentations at universities, libraries and other community hubs.

I am receiving an award this year from Penn Future for the work I have done with “Water Ways.”

I am very humbled by that acknowledgment.

Copyright ©2025— Trib Total Media, LLC (TribLIVE.com)