Join us Friday, September 12 for a special art exhibit honoring the late Mary Hoberg. Enjoy wine and cheese and view beautiful paintings by one of our talented students and a great community advocate.
Gallery exhibition is from 6-8pm, FREE! Learn more below…
###
DARLINGTON HOSTS ART EXHIBIT HONORING CONCORD ACTIVIST MARY HOBERG
(1921-2014)
The family of Mary Hoberg, a long-time Concord Township resident and community activist, has arranged for a public exhibition of her paintings and drawings to be shown at Darlington Arts Center. The exhibit opens with a reception on Friday, September 12th from 6 to 8pm. The event is free to attend with complimentary wine, cheese and light refreshments.
Mary Hoberg was a resident of Concord Township for over 50 years. In 1954, she moved to a pre-Civil War era house on Smithbridge Rd with her husband, WWII veteran and school-teacher Perry Hoberg, and her children. After raising her 8 children, she began expanding her activities into the community in the 1970’s. She served on the Concord Township Planning Commission, holding the office of Vice-Chairman, and was sworn in as Zoning Officer. For many years she volunteered with the local Democratic Party, worked on Election Day, served a term as a Democratic committee person and ran as a Democratic candidate for township supervisor. She volunteered at the Rachel Kohl Community Library and made it her mission to get a commitment for regular funding for the library from the township, and also worked part-time at the Brandywine Battlefield Park.
While remaining an active member of the community, she began her formal study of art during this time, studying fashion design and illustration at the University of Arts in Philadelphia. After retiring from public service in the late 1980’s, Mary studied at Darlington Arts Center with Karl Kuerner and Annette Alessi, where she continued to develop her skills in watercolor, charcoal, and pastel. Her favorite subjects to paint include landscapes and portraiture, although she was open to painting anything: “Karl Kuerner once told me that Mary would often say ‘If I don’t have anything to paint, I’ll paint anything!” says Annette Alessi.
The Darlington exhibit features drawings and paintings from Mary along with a special album put together by Annette Alessi highlighting Mary’s early work in fashion illustration, plus select watercolors that she created of skies, trees, water scenes, landscapes, and flowers. “Mary was one of my very respected students, and it was a pleasure to be able to teach her,” Annette said. “Sometimes I felt that she very well could have been my teacher.”
Stop by the gallery opening for free wine and cheese and appreciate the impressive pieces by Mary. The gallery will be open to the public through the 20th. Gallery hours are Mon-Fri 9am-4pm. For more information, visit www.darlingtonarts.org or call 610-358-3632.