By Anna Maria Matuszewska

Meadow Brook Art Gallery is presenting "A Moment of Grace: A Retrospective of Ed Fraga Paintings 1981-2001" beginning Friday, Oct. 12. The opening reception is from 5-9 p.m. The exhibition runs through Sunday, Nov. 11.

Fraga is a contemporary painter who explores higher consciousness and spirituality. His paternal lineage is Mexican and much of his oeuvre can be traced to his Hispanic roots both in subject matter and mood.

Fraga is a Michigan artist with work in the collection of the Detroit Institute of Arts and Cranbrook Museum. The paintings in this exhibition are drawn from 42 private collections and museums in New York, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Ohio and Michigan.

The exhibition is accompanied by a series of lectures held in the gallery:

Tuesday, Oct. 16

• Patronage and Culture: The Importance of Art Patronage - a lecture by Hope Palmer at 5 p.m.

• Paintings 1981-2001 - a gallery talk by Ed Fraga at 2 p.m.

• Remembrance: The Tradition of Mexican Retablos - a lecture by Nancy Jones, director of Education at the Detroit Institute of Arts, at 5 p.m.

All Meadow Brook Art Gallery events are free and open to the public.

The gallery, located at 208 Wilson Hall, is open Tuesday through Friday from noon-5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 1-5.30 p.m.; and evenings during Meadow Brook Theatre performances.

For more information, contact the gallery at (248) 370-3005 or visit The Meadow Brook Art Gallery Web site.