Bold patterns, bright colors and engaging texture — the makings of any rich and interesting cultural art. The current exhibition at the Ann Loeb Bronfman Gallery at the Washington, D.C. Jewish Community Center explodes with the vivacity of Jewish culture while simultaneously acting as a focal point for other efforts of the organization.

Although originally founded in 1925, the center closed during the late 1960s, when racial riots through the D.C. area caused much of the Jewish community to move elsewhere. When the Washington, D.C. Jewish Community Center reopened in 1997, the leaders of the organization returned the original goals and services of the center from when it was first established decades before. With the help and generosity of Ann Loeb Bronfman, an art gallery was founded in her name in order to act as the main cultural outlet of the JCC. “We offer exhibitions and art programming which enhance Jewish identity,” Gallery Director Wendy Fergusson said. “We deviate from that in some exhibitions. Our 10th anniversary exhibition, which was held in 2007, really focused on the community. So although we tend to host and curate exhibitions that enhance Jewish identity, we also really bolster the community that we live in.”

The main gallery is now 850 square feet, but other spaces in the building are also utilized as gallery space. “We also have more community-focused exhibitions by local artists ... So we have a couple different exhibitions going on in any given time,” Fergusson said. The formal gallery hosts three exhibitions throughout the year, with “Hebraica Mirrors” as this summer’s feature. “I always like to do something in the summer that is more accessible to the community,” Fergusson said. “Sometimes people get bogged down with contemporary art that’s a little too hard to understand.”

The current exhibition, “Hebraica Mirrors,” perfectly suits the role of the gallery and acts as a lighter show that is more appropriate to Fergusson’s summer goals. The colorful, vivacious motif of Hebrew calligraphy and lettering in French Jewish artist Matatiaou’s prints are at the same time serenely inspiring, as they recognize the rhythms and repetition of faith, reminiscent of the style and purpose of artists such as Jean Arp, Robert Delaunay and Victor Vasarely.

“What is on display right now really focusing on the colors and the interpretations of the Hebrew letter,” Fergusson said. “So, looking at the Hebrew letter and getting symbolism and spirituality out of just a font.” The artwork is an interpretation of the Hebraic letter, using mirror effects to develop the numbers, shapes and colors of the prints. “Hebraica Mirrors” includes over 60 fine prints on Arches Velum and leather parchment, a medium that truly represents the crossroads of contemporary design and traditional calligraphy.

“It really resonates with a lot of different departments here at the Jewish Community Center, which is really the thrill and the point of the gallery — to enhance and brighten the rest of the departments and pull us all together,” Fergusson said. For example, because the Hebrew calligraphy featured in “Hebraica Mirrors” is inspired by the origin of Kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism, the presence of the exhibit enhanced a program on Kabbalah that was sponsored by the Jewish Living and Learning Program. “They have one of their classes in the gallery, so they were able to study their texts for the day and really gain inspiration from the artwork,” Fergusson said.

Furthermore, the gallery organized a children’s program in which they were able to imitate Mataiaou’s prints with rubber stamps, as well as planned a workshop on Hebrew calligraphy for adults.

The upcoming fall exhibit, which tends to be larger scale than what is on display in the summer, will continue to uphold this idea of bolstering the programs of the JCC as a whole. “I threw out 65 blank disc ceramic plates to local artists, ranging in any style from graphic artist to architectural drawing to sculpture to painting to everything you can imagine, and they’re all using the blank plate as their canvas,” said Fergusson. “So we’re getting all the plates back, and they’re just completely different — all sorts of different colors and styles. It’s really a lot of fun.” The plates will be sold in an auction event this winter in order to raise funds for the improvement of the gallery. “We want to upscale the gallery and make us look more urban, like exposing the ceiling and making us look like a loft gallery,” Fergusson said.

But even without the imminent renovations, the Ann Loeb Bronfman Gallery serves as a rich and unique cultural center in the JCC, as well as in the greater community, with their laudable efforts to share Jewish history and values through artwork and subsequent related programming. “I would say that most college-aged students are interested in finding themselves and also discovering more about other religions,” Fergusson said. “This exhibition really offers a college student — or anyone of that age, as a matter of fact — other ways of interpreting a religion.” It is this distinctive inspiration found in “Hebraica Mirrors” that truly demonstrates the value of the gallery.

“Hebraica Mirrors” runs through Sept. 30. The Ann Loeb Bronfman Gallery is located at 1529 16th St., NW and is open from10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday. For more information, call 202-518-9400.