Precious Protection
A Group EXHIBITION Curated by Lisa hendrickson and lia huntington
Exhibition Runs July 28th - August 23rd
Opening Reception Saturday, August 1st from 5 - 7 PM
Closing Reception & Artist Talk Sunday, August 23rd from 12 - 2 PM
About the exhibition:
For thousands of years, artists and craftspeople have created objects that invoke protection—especially in times of uncertainty. For the upcoming exhibition “Precious Protection,” proudly presented by Da Vinci Art Alliance, Lisa Hendrickson and Lia Huntington have invited artists to imbue objects with this reverential protective quality through both their appearance and the act of crafting them—and in so doing, offer material comfort.
Amulets, ex-votos, icons, armor, chainmail, masks—all of these objects are precious in some way. Some are precious for their rarity, or for cultural significance; some for inherent qualities like shininess, strength, or medicinal effect. Featuring a thoughtfully curated group of juried artworks, the exhibition is an immersive, poetic mixture of textures, themes, words, and sounds to inspire protective and collective protections.
Lisa Hendrickson said of the exhibition: “Current political and societal issues were a catalyst for envisioning this exhibition. Recent events are challenging all of us to re-evaluate how we protect ourselves and those we hold dear from physical, emotional, financial, and cultural harm. We hope that the exhibition’s artworks celebrate and illustrate the many ways we build our safety net of precious protections.”
“I hope this project will be an invitation or seed for contemplating how we gather our strength. The themes explore how art and craft have longstanding roles in fortifying people to face the varied dangers and threats in life. It reminds us that life is inherently full of many risks. It explores how people call in protection, call up their strength, and connect with their power to face challenges,” said Lia Huntington.
Precious Protection will be on view in Gallery 1 at Da Vinci Art Alliance from July 28th to August 23rd. To pair with the group show, there will be two workshops: Bead Weaving: Create Protective Charms with Başak Kılıçbeyli on August 6th at 6:30 pm and a Mask Making Workshop on August 16th at 12 pm.
Featured Artists:
Karyn Healey, Kara Hetz, Catia Colagioia, George Lorio, Isaiah Schwartz, Seher Erdogan, Konstantin Maloy, Miden Wood, Bernadette Calnun-Buote, Terence Thompson, Abbey Lakey, Race Kuhn, Eleanor Levie, Colleen Hammond, Veronica Cianfranco, and Lisa Hendrickson
ABOUT THE Curators:
Lisa Hendrickson is a figurative artist based in the Philadelphia area. She combines traditional oil painting techniques with textural mixed media materials to tell her subjects’ stories. Her works frequently incorporate unconventional materials, revealing the beauty in ordinary, often discarded objects. Hendrickson’s community volunteer work informs her artwork, resulting in pieces that raise awareness about the societal issues of homelessness, gun violence, and gender equality. Hendrickson was the 2025 Kathryn Pannepacker fellow at Da Vinci Art Alliance.
Lia Huntington is an interdisciplinary artist and occupational therapist, amphibiously moving between these roles to support healing and inspiration through observing and finding connections. She is interested in the dynamics of interconnectedness, reexaminations of value, the accumulation of traces, and the power of attention. Her work is grounded in metalsmithing and documentation processes; it includes photography, jewelry, papermaking, video, and installation. She is a member of Da Vinci Art Alliance and the Philadelphia makerspace NextFab, where she also teaches enameling. Exhibition spaces have included Da Vinci Art Alliance, the Baltimore Jewelry Center, Peters Valley School of Craft, and Schuylkill Nature Center.