Beth Guipe Hall's exhibition Listen has found its home in the Sky Gallery at the Harrison Center, and the pairing couldn't be more apt. A show inspired by bird songs in a gallery named for the very realm where these feathered musicians make their music? It's hard to imagine a better match. The Indianapolis artist has filled this intimate space with encaustic works that translate the calls of cardinals, woodpeckers, and morning songbirds into something you can see and feel; layers of luminous wax and collage that capture not just sound, but the essence of listening itself.

Hall, who works from her studio at the Harrison Center, has spent years perfecting what she calls encaustic collage, a technique that feels both ancient and utterly contemporary. She begins by listening, really listening, to bird songs, recording them and creating visual charts of their soundwaves. These charts become part of the artwork itself, layered into her compositions with molten beeswax, pigments, vintage papers, and photographs. Sometimes the soundwaves are tucked deep within the wax, barely visible. Other times, they're right there on the surface. Each piece is built layer by layer, with flame fusing everything together.

The magic of Hall's work, Listen, lies in how she captures not just the sound, but the feeling of hearing these birds. As you move through the exhibition, you might find yourself drawn to look closer, searching for those hidden soundwave charts, or simply letting the colors and textures wash over you. Either way, you’ll likely find yourself hearing your own backyard birds differently afterward, noticing the complexity and beauty that Hall has made visible. In a world that often feels too loud and too fast, her work reminds us of the simple pleasure of truly listening.