Member’s Spotlight Exhibitions

The Member’s Spotlight Exhibitions at The Contemporary Dayton celebrate the vibrant creativity of our local and regional artist community. Open to all current artist members, this ongoing series offers participants the unique opportunity to present a focused body of work in a solo exhibition curated by Heather Jones, Curator and Director of Programs and Engagement.

Each exhibition is installed in The T. Chase Hale & Jonathan A. Hale Gallery and remains on view for one month, opening with a public reception on the first Wednesday and continuing through the last Saturday of the month. These exhibitions not only highlight the diverse practices and perspectives of our members but also provide a professional platform for artists to gain visibility and engage directly with audiences.

Most artworks are available for purchase, with proceeds supporting both the artist and The Contemporary Dayton’s mission to advance equity, diversity, and access through contemporary art. Participation in the Member’s Spotlight series is one of the many valuable benefits of being an artist member of The Contemporary Dayton.

Currently on View

Lori Daugherty, Bold Whispers, 2025, encaustic and alcohol ink on wood panel, series of 18, 12 x 6 x 1 ½ inches. $220 each.

Lori Daugherty: Bold Whispers

December 3 – 27, 2025

Opening Reception: December 3, 6 – 8 pm

Closing Reception: December 27, 2025, 4 – 6 pm

Lori Daugherty: Bold Whispers brings together a series of intimate encaustic works in which color, wax, and heat converge to form small but potent moments of energy. In each piece, Dayton-based artist Lori Daugherty coaxes organic bursts of form and pigment into being—gestures that feel alive, expanding, and quietly insistent. These works reward slow looking: what first appears delicate reveals surprising force, and what seems restrained carries a pulse of movement just beneath the surface.

Working with encaustic wax and inks, Daugherty builds her compositions through layered translucency, texture, and the dynamic unpredictability of a torch and flame. The resulting surfaces hover between control and spontaneity, abstraction and suggestion. Together, the paintings in Bold Whispers invite viewers to linger in the space where subtlety becomes powerful and small moments open into larger stories.

All artworks in this exhibition are available for purchase. Please visit the reception desk or speak to a staff member to purchase. Proceeds support both the artist and The Contemporary Dayton’s mission to connect artists and audiences through accessible, engaging contemporary art experiences.

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Abstract artist Lori Daugherty creates expressive encaustic paintings that explore texture, color, and movement. Using a torch, she layers encaustic wax and inks to build depth and vibrancy, creating intricate surfaces that invite close inspection. Her work embraces abstraction while evoking emotion and curiosity, encouraging viewers to engage with the interplay of line, shape, and energetic color. Daugherty’s work often reflects the tension between control and spontaneity, capturing moments of transformation in each layered composition. She lives in Dayton, Ohio.