OCEAN CITY, MD — Sept. 26, 2025 — The Art League of Ocean City announces a new art show at the Ocean City Center for the Arts with the theme “Visionary Voyage.” Curated by Deborah Rolig of Berlin, Md., the exhibit is also the artist’s first solo show of her own work.
The public is invited to attend this free event on First Friday, Oct. 3, 5-7 p.m. at 502 94th St. bayside with refreshments sponsored by PKS Investments and complimentary hors d’oeuvres.
Rolig’s show in the Thaler Gallery is a solo retrospective of art, soul, and evolution, spanning decades of creative exploration. Her work defies categorization, moving fluidly from painting to assemblage to illustration, while revealing the inner pulse of a life devoted to art. Each piece in the exhibit is both a milestone and a mirror: evidence of technical discipline, emotional insight, and unflinching authenticity.
A focus of the show is a wall of small portraits Rolig created of 36 personas where she painted stylized faces of imagined people and gave them names and backstories. Rolig is asking guests to “Adopt a Friend” for $150. The artist is donating a portion of the sale towards funding the monthly “heART & Soul” classes at the Arts Center, geared towards those dealing with stress, trauma, or grief using projects designed to focus on centering and healing.
In tandem with this retrospective, the Art League’s Sisson Galleria upstairs will host a companion exhibit featuring member artists responding to the theme of “Visionary Voyage.” These works in all media explore personal or creative departures, moments when artists stretched beyond expectation, comfort, or technique to reach something more instinctual. Rolig will judge the show, and the Art League will award cash prizes to the winners.
Rolig continues her presence in the Artisan Showcase for the month, teaming with her sister, Dee Grey, in a show and sale of their hand-crafted jewelry, inspired by vintage colors and themes.
In Studio E, Debbi Dean’s show is entitled “Nature’s Organic Palette: Interplay of Land, Sea & Sky,” and invites viewers to explore the intricate relationships among terrestrial, marine, and atmospheric elements through the lens of organic materials. Dean’s artwork is crafted from wood, beachcombing finds, metal, and other found objects. “Through the thoughtful use of these materials, the exhibit emphasizes sustainability and the beauty found in nature’s remnants,” she said.
The Schwab Spotlight Gallery will host artwork by pastel painter Donna Finley. “The immediacy, vibrancy, and luminosity of soft pastels fulfill my instinctive need to permanently capture moments in time to emphasize their beauty,” she said. Finley creates representational still life and landscape paintings with the recurring themes of water and sunsets.
Aria Islam continues her exhibit in the Burbage Staircase Galley. Art League class instructors will be on hand with demonstrations and previews of upcoming learning events.
In the satellite galleries, Anabela Ferguson presents her artwork at the Princess Royale, 9110 Coastal Hwy. Born and raised in Santiago, Chile, where her grandfather and grandmother were nationally-renowned artists, Ferguson is a third-generation impressionist artist. In 1979, she immigrated to the United States to Northern Virginia, where her creativity gave rise to acrylic and oil painting.
Gail Stern exhibits her artwork at the Coffee Beanery on 94th St. Stern began painting in retirement and loves the color and tactile use of pastels. “I work in a spontaneous and expressive way to show the beauty and color of a scene,” she said. “I am a lifelong birder and naturalist and hope to support our environment through my art.”
Exhibits at the Arts Center run through Nov. 1; satellite galleries through Dec. 27. More information is available at OCart.org or by calling 410-524-9433.
The Art League of Ocean City is a non-profit organization dedicated to artistic expression and appreciation for the creative arts in our community through education, exhibits, scholarship, programs, and community art projects. Funding is provided in part by the Worcester County Arts Council, Maryland State Arts Council, and the National Endowment of the Arts, organizations dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive.
