About the Artist:
David Sommers is a multidisciplinary fine artist based in the Lehigh Valley, PA. With 30 years of experience, he synthesizes past art traditions with a modern, multidimensional viewpoint. His work reflects a Cubist-Realist style of geometric shapes, organized on diagrammatic intersections that fracture color, space, and shape. His work is on display in private collections and at three Penn State Hospitals, including a large mural at Penn State Health Hampden Medical Center.
For 10 years Dave has been a resident artist at the Banana Factory Gallery in Bethlehem, PA, and is a high school teacher. Dave has also has presented at various churches locally and in Latin America on the role of visual art in theological education and preaching.
Press + Media
Works Exhibited
Awards & International Exchange Programs
Artist Spotlight: Dave Sommers, LV Discourse, NPR, 2015
New Perspectives on Teaching Religion in College and High School LV Discourse, NPR, 2016
Craft of Seeing and Showing at the Institute for Jewish-Christian Understanding Muhlenberg College, 2019.
Interview on the Moravian Church in Cuba, Moravian Historical Society, 2016.
Resident Artist Spotlight, The South Sider, 2017
ONE PERSON SHOWS:
Romano Gallery at Blair Academy, One person show titled “New Perspectives from Dave Sommers.” January 2023.
Gallery at the J (Allentown Jewish Community Center), one man painting show with ceramist, November--December, 2016
Simons Fine Art Gallery, Dublin, PA "New Perspectives" two-man show with Jeff Charlesworth, March, 2014
Eckhaus Gallery, Kutztown, PA, October 2015
Fox Optical Gallery, Bethlehem, PA “New Directions” one-man show, December 2012
Lachaise Gallery, Cedar Crest College, January 1983.
JURIED & GROUP SHOWS:
Antonio Salemne Foundation Group Show, Chen Arts, Allentown, PA Fall 2008
Bethlehem House Gallery, Bethlehem, PA, Fall Show featuring 6 artists, October, 2014--January, 2015
Lehigh Art Alliance "Color and Form" juried show at the Baum School, June, 2015.
Lehigh Art Alliance 75th Anniversary Juried Show at the Allentown Art Museum (October –November, 2010)
Annual Banana Factory Resident Artists’ Group Show, Crayola Gallery, Bethlehem, PA, September-- October, 2013—2022
The New Bridge Art Group Show at the Allentown Museum of Art (in the Community Gallery), May 2012
Presenter on Visual Arts and Theology at the International Moravian Resources Conference in Panama City, Panama, Sept. 2022. Followed up with 3 Zoom presentations on the use of visual art for Christian Education and Preaching.
Faculty adviser for Faces and Cultures Exchange Program with Guatemala: 2014--2017
Assistant leader of 2 youth delegations to the Campamento de Verano (Summer Cuban Moravian Youth Conference) in Matanzas, Cuba, 2014 & 2015
Awarded the National Board Certification for Teachers of World Languages, Nov. 2010.
National Endowment for the Humanities stipend position for Summer 2008 study in Madrid, Spain, in the seminar “Authors in the Prado” (a multi-disciplinary study program combing Spanish literature with visual art)
Premio Nordeste (North East Award) from the North East Conference on Foreign Language (NECTFL) for summer study at the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, 2008
Maron Grant Travel/Study Scholarship to Spain, 2000, Rome, Italy, 2006, and Peru, 2018
Zolton Fuisz Travel Scholarship to Hungary, 2005