“Whimsical Fantasies” is the theme of Kunkletown artist Lois Schlachter’s one-woman show at the Bethlehem Fine Arts Commission.

Schlachter began painting as a child, explaining, “I liked to outline in coloring books in black crayons.”

She never stopped painting, as she realized she was good at it.

Schlachter spent 32 years as recreation director at Fairmount Park in Philadelphia. She then devoted herself entirely to painting.

She earned a certificate in painting from Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and a Bachelor of Art from the former Philadelphia College of Art.

Schlachter noted, “In college, we were pointed in the direction of finding our own voice.”

That led to her painting abstract “hard edge” (abrupt transitions are found between color and area).

As a self described “abstract geometric expressionist” Schlachter gets ideas, “From completely within myself. I try not to be influenced by anyone. My painting approach is from a point of innocence, like a four- or five-year-old with no inhibitions.” Naming her works comes from a “good imagination.”

Lately she’s been working on a 3-foot-by-4-foot canvas that may take months until the work is complete and she is satisfied with it. Her medium is acrylic paint, as she likes the “brilliance of color, it dries fast and I’m able to layer 20 to 25 layers until I get a brilliance from the buildup.”

Schlachter has had art shows in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties. Upon moving to the Poconos in 2020, she joined the Pocono Mountain Art Group and is currently involved with an exhibit at Kettle Creek. This is a rare representational series of local lakes and homes.

The Bethlehem show runs through Sept. 23.

Bethlehem Fine Arts Commission Town Hall Rotunda Gallery is located at 10 E. Church St., Bethlehem. More information can be found at www.fineartsbylois.com.