LANCASTER, Pa. — From now until the end of February, Lancaster Art Vault will host two exhibitions in honor of Black History Month.

“Expressions of Strength” and “Grandma’s Walls” will feature visual art, poetry, performances and works from black artists from around Pennsylvania.

“We actually have nine visual artists who are going to be showcasing with us this month along with 12 poets so those are local and regional poets and artists both from Lancaster area Harrisburg, York and we have a few out of Philadelphia as well. Their art is in every different medium everything from traditional oils and watercolor to we have some mixed media and of course, some sculptural metal works as well,” described Victoria Abadir with the Art Vault.

One artist featured is Michael A. James, who uses old technology to create caricatures of African Americans and showcases hairstyles found within the black community.

His art is a part of the Expressions of Strength exhibition.

“Expressions of Strength is a celebration of black art and identity and the powerful stories behind that so I think as guests walk around and they see not only the artwork and the stories that are coming out of that but you’re also reading the words of these poets, and just showcasing a little bit about their cultural background, their ancestry, and really, what brings their incredible talent and what they pulled from their families from their past from their histories to our walls,” Abadir said.

Grandma’s Walls is described as “an intimate exhibition on loan from the private collection of Beverly Smith, and curated by the late Lenwood Sloan, a respected historian and cultural steward in the African American community. Featuring works by artists including Charles Bibbs, Ernie Barnes, and others, the exhibition reflects Smith’s legacy as a pioneering broadcaster and her lifelong commitment to cultural literacy whose home became a gathering place where art, history and storytelling were shared across generations.”

The exhibitions will be officially unveiled during a reception on Friday, Jan. 30.

“Doors open at 6 p.m. and the performances will begin at 6:25. We will be calling everyone together with an African drumming and then we will be moving onto performances. We’ll also have some music, and we will be ending the evening with a fire painting,” Abadir said.

The reception is free and open to the public. Some art pieces featured are available for purchase.

Questions about purchasing an art piece can be directed to Art Vault staff.