North End Gallery in Leonardtown will open a new exhibition this fall pairing the work of three longtime cooperative artists, with “Reflections in Color” set to run Nov. 3 through Nov. 22 and an opening reception planned for Nov. 6 from 5 to 8 p.m.
The show brings together fused glass and mosaic sculptor Mary Ida Rolape, fine art photographer Bea Poulin and oil painter Jane Rowe, three members of the Fenwick Street gallery whose combined mediums are meant to explore color, light, texture and personal expression from three distinct artistic directions. Rolape’s sculptural glass and mosaic work emphasizes dimensionality and craftsmanship rooted in natural forms; Poulin’s photography focuses on abstract patterns she finds occurring naturally in architecture, marine settings and the landscape; and Rowe’s oil paintings round out the show with what gallery materials describe as warmth and painterly depth.
Rolape, who has been a full-time artist for more than two decades and a North End Gallery member since 2013, has described her work as rooted in the natural landscapes and cultural heritage of Southern Maryland, engaging with material, light and form to express a connection to place. She has taught mosaic workshops through the gallery’s Learn & Share series, a partnership with the Town of Leonardtown that offers free art instruction funded in part by the St. Mary’s County Arts Council. Poulin, whose photography has previously been displayed at venues including the Calvert Library and the U.S. District Courthouse in Greenbelt, has said her work searches out abstract designs that seem to mimic paintings, often found in overlooked or disappearing cultural settings.
North End Gallery, located just off Leonardtown Square at 41652 Fenwick Street, is the oldest artist cooperative in St. Mary’s County. It was founded in September 1986 by Sally Carter and Pat Lewis, who recruited 20 fellow artists to create a gallery run on a model of equal ownership and shared responsibility among its members. Nearly 40 years later, the cooperative includes more than 30 juried artists and artisans from across Southern Maryland working in mediums ranging from painting and photography to pottery, jewelry and sculpture. The gallery sits within Leonardtown’s Arts and Entertainment District, the only state-designated district of its kind in Southern Maryland, and regularly times its opening receptions to the town’s monthly First Friday events, when downtown shops and galleries stay open late alongside artist appearances and special programming.
“Reflections in Color” continues North End Gallery’s practice of rotating monthly and multi-week themed shows featuring its member artists, a model that has made the cooperative a consistent draw for regional art collectors and tourists visiting Leonardtown’s historic square. Past shows have included group exhibitions built around specific techniques or concepts, such as a “Geometry”-themed show last year, alongside the gallery’s long-running annual holiday exhibition each December, which has run for nearly four decades and typically features work from all of the cooperative’s member artists together.
As a member-owned cooperative, North End Gallery operates differently from a traditional commercial gallery: its artists take turns staffing the space themselves and share equally in decisions about programming and operations, a structure that has remained largely unchanged since the gallery’s founding. That hands-on model gives visitors regular opportunities to meet the artists behind the work on display, particularly during opening receptions like the one planned for “Reflections in Color,” when Rolape, Poulin and Rowe are expected to be on hand to discuss their pieces directly with attendees.
Gallery organizers say additional details about “Reflections in Color,” including specific pieces to be featured, will be announced as the November opening approaches. Those with questions or interested in pre-sale inquiries can contact Rolape directly at maryrolape@gmail.com.
The exhibition runs Nov. 3 through Nov. 22, 2026, at North End Gallery, 41652 Fenwick Street, Leonardtown, MD 20650, with the opening reception scheduled for Friday, Nov. 6, from 5 to 8 p.m.
