“Chester County Fox” is one of the paintings by Sandra Severson that will be displayed at the Chester County Art Association.

The Chester County Art Association will celebrate the opening of two new exhibits with a public reception on Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m.

A juried show, “Poetic Landscapes,” and a solo show of paintings by Sandra Severson, “Living Among Us: Glimpses from the Animal Realm,” will be on display starting Friday and running through April 19, the association said in a news release.

The juror for  ”Poetic Landscapes” was Yvonne Love, senior lecturer in art at Penn State Abington.   Thematically, the show seeks to engage the viewer with works in a range of media that create evocative, atmospheric landscapes, the release said.

Sandra Severson’s exhibit, which contains 40 recent oil paintings, attempts to show that the animals are “sharing something of themselves and their world” with her, she said, adding that she finds a closeness to these foxes, donkeys, cats, dogs and frogs, which creates  “a very fun painting life,” according to the release.

At 7 p.m. during the opening reception, guests can enjoy a poetry reading by award-winning poet Kate Light, who will also be signing her books as part of a Poetry Salon hosted by West Chester University’s Poetry Center.

The Chester County Art Association (CCAA) is located at 100 N. Bradford Ave., West Chester, PA 19382. CCAA is  a nonprofit, cultural organization that promotes participation in the arts through quality instruction, exhibitions and community outreach.