ClearWater Conservancy’s 2025 Art and Chocolate Fundraiser Exhibit on Display Now

This story originally appeared in The Centre County Gazette.

STATE COLLEGE — A gallery exhibit featuring local artists is on display at State College’s 3 Dots Downtown to benefit ClearWater Conservancy’s Art and Chocolate fundraiser. The exhibit will be available for guests to view until Friday, Feb. 7, with bidding for the online auction beginning on Friday, Jan. 17.

From roaring waterfalls to fields of flowers, the pieces on display for ClearWater’s Art and Chocolate 2025 fundraiser represent the ecosystems and seasons of Centre County. The art for the gallery was donated by local artists in the community to support ClearWater Conservancy’s mission of connecting, protecting, restoring and stewarding the surrounding natural landscapes.

The annual fundraising event brings together local artists and local restaurants to support conservation within the community.

The artists featured in the Art and Chocolate fundraiser gallery were also able to enter a featured art contest. The winning piece selected by judges represents the 2025 Art and Chocolate event, the 27th annual since its inception.

The judges for this year’s fundraiser included Lori Fisher of the Bellefonte Art Museum for Centre County, Melanie Rosenberger of the Art Alliance and Erica Quinn of 3 Dots Downtown. After reviewing submissions, the three judges selected Melissa Kreye’s piece “Fish Crow in a Marsh.”

“As a scientist, I am trained to focus on the key elements of nature, isolating them for analysis,” Kreye shared. “As an artist, however, I strive to reveal how seemingly unrelated parts come together to form a unified whole. It’s fascinating how shifting perspectives on nature can offer new ways of seeing the same image.”

Despite not being new to the world of art or conservation, “Fish Crow in a Marsh” was Kreye’s first-ever donation to the Art and Chocolate fundraiser. Kreye is a professor of forest management at Penn State and has been a painter for many years. She expresses her interest and connection to the natural world through creativity.

Similarly, each piece of art on display in the gallery and auction shares a connection to nature whether that be landscapes, ecosystems or other scenes.

“This event is such a celebration of our community,” Elizabeth Crisfield, the executive director at ClearWater Conservancy said. “Seeing all the donated pieces together in one gallery really showcases our region’s breadth and depth of talent. Plus, in February, we see even more local artistry in the sweet donations from our area’s bakeries and restaurants.”

The Art and Chocolate Celebration event will take place with a cocktail social and silent auction from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 7, at 3 Dots Downtown. The celebration is free and open to the public, but guests can purchase a “Super Sweet” ticket to get a box of goodies prepared by local chefs.

All proceeds from the online auction and ticket sales, as well as support from sponsors, will benefit ClearWater Conservancy’s conservation efforts.

More information about ClearWater’s Art and Chocolate event can be found online at clearwaterconservancy.org/artandchocolate.