The Stopwatch Gallery & Studio in Greensburg has a unique installation on display through early March — an art exhibit that is constantly in progress.
“My wife Marti Haykin and I have our studio in the back of the gallery,” said Stopwatch co-owner Marc Snyder. “Typically we show other artists in our main gallery space, but we have this collaborative show we’ve exhibited elsewhere over the past couple years.”
“The Haves and Have-Nots: A Work in Progress” will be on display through March 7 at Stopwatch’s gallery at 323 S. Main St.
“We’re adding and taking away from the exhibit as time goes along,” Snyder said. “It combines our work — I make woodcuts and Marti makes concrete sculpture — into figurative pieces. Typically when you’re preparing for an exhibition, the work happens six months in advance. But with this, we thought there’d be a good chance to take a look at what’s happening in the world and respond with art in real time.”
In addition to the main exhibit, local artist and Greensburg Salem art teacher Darryl Audia’s work will be featured in the gallery’s storefront window.
“Darryl’s only the second artist we’ve invited to design something for our storefront,” Snyder said. “It’s kind of a unique space. In a small town, a lot of storefronts have a history to them, and for us it was a neglected space, so we’ve been asking artists to take a look and design something specifically suited to it.”
Audia’s installation is titled “Shared Silence.” It will be on display starting Saturday along with a meet the artist reception from 2-4 p.m.
He spoke with TribLive recently about his installation, and about the reemergence of the human figure in his artwork.
This interview has been edited for length.
Q: You mentioned that human figures do not often appear in your work. What got you interested in making them a more prominent feature in this installation, and what role do they play in the overall theme?
A: Human figures have not typically been central in my work, but for this installation they felt necessary. I was not interested in literal narrative or portraiture, but in presence and in how proximity, posture, and orientation can suggest connection or distance. The figures function more as anchors than characters, introducing tension and stillness without prescribing meaning.
Q: What is the deeper meaning behind the title, “Shared Silence,” and how is that represented in the work?
A: The title describes a condition rather than a message. Silence can feel intimate, uneasy, reflective or unresolved. What interests me is silence as something shared rather than solitary. That idea appears through restraint, spacing and moments where little seems to happen, yet something is clearly present. The title offers an entry point while leaving room for interpretation.
Q: Viewing art is always a deeply personal experience, but what do you hope people will come away with after viewing “Shared Silence?”
A: Rather than a specific takeaway, I hope viewers experience a moment of recognition. The work is not meant to resolve anything. If people sense relational tension or are reminded of relationships they have had or observed, that feels meaningful. Ideally, the work encourages viewers to slow down and sit with uncertainty.
Q: Does the way it is being presented offer any unique opportunities?
A: The window installation format matters. The work exists in a public-facing space where it is first encountered in passing. I like the idea that someone might catch a glimpse of it and feel compelled to move closer. That context mirrors the themes of proximity and quiet exchange.
A closing reception for both exhibits will be held from 7-9 p.m. March 8 at the gallery.