It’s no secret.

Anthony Smith Jr.’s exhibit, “Secret Worlds,” will be on display at the Romano Gallery at Blair Academy through Saturday, Feb. 5.

He will give an artist’s talk on Thursday, Jan. 20, at 7 p.m.

Smith’s art uses layers of paint, collage, text and found objects to create vibrant narrative works filled with whimsy, morality and a tinge of foreboding. In this exhibit, viewers are invited into worlds of play and discovery, where they might form their own connections from familiar images woven into each piece.

“I tell stories,” Smith says about his art. “I always leave a morsel that viewers can grab hold of, be it a friendly gesture, appealing color, or familiar image that, like breadcrumbs, I hope leads the viewer on a journey of discovery.”

Describing his artistic process, Smith says he often starts with simple sketches and stylizes them over time with mixed media until they transform into an intense and layered final composition. “I make overwhelming work,” he explains, “because the world for me is overwhelming.”

A graduate of Amherst College (BFA) and the University of Michigan (MFA), Smith has displayed his work at more than 60 exhibitions in museums, galleries and universities across nine states. His art has been reviewed in prominent publications including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Boston Globe.

When he is not painting, Smith is often in the classroom challenging students; he has taught at Lehigh University, the Parsons School of Design and Princeton University among other schools. He currently resides in Allentown, Pa., and maintains a studio at the Banana Factory Art Center in Bethlehem, Pa.