Shari Mendelson and Deborah Kahn may work with entirely different mediums, but the two artists have much in common when it comes to their creative approaches. Although Mendelson prefers to fashion sculptures out of repurposed materials and Kahn chooses to work exclusively with oil paints, they share a deep love of art history that serves as a starting point for their pieces. Mendelson's and Kahn's work is currently being featured in "Formation," an exhibition at Eckert Art Gallery, 60 W. Cottage Ave., Millersville.

"Deborah and I both work from history. We find a piece of art that intrigues us and riff on that piece until our work takes us in a unique direction," said Mendelson. In addition to sharing a historical foundation, Kahn's paintings and Mendelson's sculptures use a similar muted color palette. Both artists frequently incorporate the same subject matter in their pieces, often drawing inspiration from the figures of humans and horses.

"Formation" showcases sculptures that Mendelson created over the course of eight years as she studied Mesopotamian figures, objects found in ancient Chinese tombs and glass artwork made by the Romans. Mendelson translated these historical influences into sculptures that employ modern materials such as plastic, which she uses to emulate glass. By only using plastic that would otherwise end up in a landfill, Mendelson was able to satisfy her creative needs and environmental worries simultaneously. Instead of melting or reforming the repurposed plastic, Mendelson used its existing convex and concave shapes to create her sculptures.

Kahn's work displayed in "Formation" comprises a series of oil paintings that incorporate numerous layers and elaborate compositions. The figures in each painting are abstracted; one of Kahn's primary goals is to obscure the border between color and drawing to create a vivid and continuous space. Although one can point out distinct human and animal forms in the paintings, Kahn places her subjects in environments with an equal amount of character, and she blends figures into their spaces via purposeful color choices and layering. "The surface is part of the image, just like color, space and movement," Kahn said. "Everything in the painting has to create a fiction that is believable."

"Formation" was curated by Eckert Art Gallery director Heidi Lietzke. After following Mendelson's and Kahn's individual careers for several years, Lietzke noticed aesthetic similarities in their pieces that she believed would pair well in a collaborative display. "I have a lot of respect and appreciation for both of these artists. They both explore invented spaces to create artwork that's reminiscent of another time," Lietzke said. "I felt there was a kind of synergy that would make these pieces pair well together."

The exhibition may be viewed during Eckert Art Gallery's regular hours until the closing reception on Thursday, Feb. 22, from 5:30 to 7 p.m., which will include a talk from Mendelson. For more information, visit http://www.millersville.edu/eckertartgallery.