Beyond the Surface: Exhibition Preview

Exhibition Dates

OCTOBER 22–NOVEMBER 15, 2025

Meet the Artists + Opening Receptions

Enjoy bites and bubbly, and connect with the artists in person in Baltimore and Chevy Chase — or virtually in Haverford.

BALTIMORE

WEDNESDAY, OCT 22

4–7PM

RFA GALLERY Village of Cross Keys

88 Village Square Baltimore, MD

CHEVY CHASE

THURSDAY, OCT 23

4–7PM

MERRITT GALLERY

The Collection 5445 Wisconsin Ave Chevy Chase, MD

HAVERFORD

WEDNESDAY, OCT 22

4–7PM

MERRITT GALLERY Haverford Square

385 Lancaster Ave Haverford, PA

RSVP

In Haverford, guests are invited to connect with the artists virtually via FaceTime during the reception

Featuring the work of Joseph Adolphe, Carly Allen Martin, Paul Balmer, and Meredith Pardue, Beyond the Surface brings together four artists whose practices reveal the layers—literal and metaphorical—that shape perception.

From lyrical abstractions and organic forms to painterly narratives and etched cityscapes, the exhibition invites you to move past first impressions and uncover the subtle energies, textures, and emotional depth within each work.

Joseph Adolphe

Adolphe was born in Calgary, Canada, and received his MFA in New York City. His paintings, spanning landscapes, animals, origami figures, and still lifes, explore the physical essence of a subject while giving form to the unseen forces that shape it. Within his work, the world our senses perceive reflects deeper metaphysical connections, balancing universal themes with intimate autobiographical context. Adolphe has exhibited widely in the U.S. and abroad and teaches drawing and painting at St. John’s University in New York City.

Adolphe

A Beginning No. 20

Oil on canvas

60 x 50 in.

58 x 62 in.

A Guide

Oil on canvas 48 x 46 in.

A Beginning No. 12

Oil on canvas

55 x 60 in.

Adolphe Anniversary No. 42

Carly Allen Martin

Carly Allen Martin is known for her use of color and layered textures, creating vibrant, expressive paintings that open up a world of connection and hope. Working on paper, panel, and linen, she builds one-of-a-kind compositions through gestural sketches, washes of color, and intuitive mark-making with charcoal, graphite, pastel, and oil. Her work explores human connection, resilience, and optimism, and is collected publicly and privately in the U.S. and internationally. She studied art in Florence, Trier, and Tokyo, and earned her BFA from Texas Christian University.

All of It's True

Mixed media on paper 52 x 42 in.

Carly Allen Martin Glimmers

Mixed media on panel 60 x 48 in.

OPPOSITE: Carly Allen Martin Poets & Painters

Mixed media on panel 48 x 60 in.

Carly Allen Martin

Blue Hour II

Mixed media on linen

48 x 36 in.

OPPOSITE: Carly Allen Martin

Arboretum Garden Study II & IV

Mixed media on linen

20 x 16 in. each

Carly Allen Martin

Iris V

Encaustic on paper

44 x 32 in.

OPPOSITE:

Carly Allen Martin

All the Light We Carry

Mixed media on canvas

54 x 80 in.

OPPOSITE:

Paul Balmer

Born and raised in South Africa, Paul Balmer moved to Sydney, Australia at seventeen to study Fine Art and Graphic Design. After working in illustration and advertising, he traveled through Europe, exploring Neoclassical architecture and sculpture, which informed his first gallery shows in London and Boston. Moving to New York in 1999, Balmer’s work shifted from traditional academic painting to imaginative, naïve, and abstracted compositions. His work—cityscapes, still lifes, and abstractions—reflect color, form, and the influence of his South African and Australian roots. His paintings are collected worldwide.

Paul Balmer

French Table

Oil on panel 48 x 48 in.

Paul Balmer Blue Sky Oil on canvas 30 x 60 in.

48 x 48 in.

OPPOSITE:

Mixed media on panel

37.5 x 72.5 in.

Paul Balmer

Setting Sun Oil on canvas

64 x 64 in.

OPPOSITE: Paul Balmer

Table in the Shade Oil on canvas 30 x 60 in.

Meredith Pardue

Born in Monroe, Louisiana, Meredith Pardue earned her BFA from Savannah College of Art and Design and her MFA from Parsons School of Design in New York City. Her abstract paintings evoke botanical and geological forms through sinuous, layered compositions. Drawing inspiration from extensive travel across the United States, France, and the Caribbean, she balances texture, color, and movement to create dynamic, intuitive works. Pardue has exhibited internationally and is collected in notable private and corporate collections worldwide. She lives and works in Austin, Texas.

VIEW MORE WORK BY PARDUE

Before the Precious Stones XVIII

Mixed media on canvas 60 x 45 in.

Notes From Savage Spaces VI

Oil on canvas

60 x 48 in.

Meredith Pardue

This Cloud I

Mixed media on canvas 72 x 48 in.

OPPOSITE:

Meredith Pardue

Mexican Midnight IV

Mixed media on canvas 48 x 72 in.

Meredith Pardue

Celestial Arabesque XV

Mixed media on canvas

84 x 60 in.

OPPOSITE:

Meredith Pardue

Procession

Mixed media on canvas

72 x 88 in.