This dynamic exhibition brings together the work of three distinguished artists—Wenda Habenicht, Paul Mauren, and Laura Cannamela—last year’s “Best in Show” recipients from The Laffer Gallery’s 13th Annual Upstate Artists Juried Group Show, juried by Rob O’Neil.

Wenda Habenicht presents her ongoing series of photographic diptychs, in which she seamlessly merges two images into a single composition. By eliminating the traditional dividing line, Habenicht creates unexpected juxtapositions that transform ordinary subjects into new contexts, where the relationship between paired images becomes greater than the sum of its parts.

Paul Mauren’s improvisational sculptures emerge from a fusion of conceptual strategies, traditional fabrication methods, and structural experimentation. His work thrives on moments of tension and discovery, where opposing and compatible imagery collide, producing animated forms that reflect the unpredictable intersections of the organic and constructed worlds.

Drawing inspiration from the landscapes surrounding her studio, Laura Cannamela creates layered collages that mirror the geological and glacial forces shaping the environment. Through intricate layering of paper and clay, her works convey the interconnectedness of landforms, erosion, and transformation over time. Cannamela’s practice not only references the distant past but also reminds us of the fragile, enduring relationship between natural resources and human life.

Together, these artists invite viewers into a dialogue of transformation—whether through the merging of images, the collision of sculptural forms, or the layered record of landscapes carved by time.