Current Exhibits
The Doctor is in!
Comic Works: A Strange Exhibit
There is something “strange” coming to the Bottle Works Steve Ditko Innovators Studio.
The home of Ditko’s legendary ink pens will become a little more mystical when 31 issues of Marvel Comics – Strange Tales featuring Doctor Strange arrive on display from Ditko Ink!
These books aren’t just incredible pieces of comic history featuring the origins of Steve Ditko’s most magical of creations, they are the books from his personal collection!!! They will be joined by what is believed to be the first-ever sketch of Doctor Strange by Mr. Ditko. A piece he drew on an envelope that accompanied a letter to his younger brother Patrick way back in 1946!
You aren’t going to see these anywhere else but in Steve’s hometown of Johnstown, PA!
Visit the Steve Ditko Innovators Studio and see the most exclusive collection of Steve Ditko memorabilia and books anywhere!
Submission deadline is February 25, 2025
Sponsored by:
March 6 – April 19, 2025
Join us for the opening reception on March 20, 2025 from 6-8 PM.
We are excited to present the original paintings of Lydia Mack in conjunction with the start of spring and our annual Nature Works event!
Artist’s Statement
“My work is often inspired by the wildlife (especially butterflies), and scenery I encounter while walking on the rural back roads near my home in New Florence, PA. I endeavor to capture the fascination of nature in my artwork. This awe for nature leads me to foreign travels where new subjects motivate me to create art portraying nature’s beauty found in radically different subjects from my Pennsylvania walks. For example, I was inspired to paint “Kudu Blue” after encountering this beautiful antelope in the early morning light while on safari in Kruger National Park, South Africa.
Creating artwork is a bit of a compulsion; it is almost an obsession. I constantly observe animals, bugs, landscapes… thinking “how would I paint that?” How can I portray the glimmer of light reflected off that dragonfly’s wing, or what color is the tree’s shadow cast on the new snow? Often, I feel compelled to paint a subject multiple times, striving to do it justice. It is extremely gratifying when I feel I have successfully captured such natural beauty as I experienced it. Some moments are frustratingly difficult to portray even with multiple attempts, but those elusive elements are part of nature’s appeal. Such frustrations are usually short-lived, however, as there is so much beauty around us, my desire to represent it is always there.”
Please note that the Bottle Works engages in photography and recording of programs and events for its own print and online publication/promotional purposes. Staff and volunteers will make every effort to notify members of the public when filming and/or photography is taking place. Please notify a staff member/volunteer if you do not want to be photographed or filmed.