In the Lancaster art scene, Ann DeLaurentis and Fred Rodger could be considered rock stars.

That is to say, they have fans — and lots of them. In fact, their work is so in demand, that before their joint exhibit at the Red Raven Art Company had a chance to kick off with today's First Friday Reception, many of their paintings already had been sold.

"But no worries," gallery manager Lee Lovett said. "There's plenty more."

Which is good, because their latest batch of work, titled "Urban Icons and Famous Dairy Herds of Lancaster County," is fun, terribly pretty and deserves to be looked at.

For the uninitiated, Rodger's style is lighthearted, sharp-witted and thematically obsessive (in a good way), while DeLaurentis' perfectly rendered watercolor scenes blaze with color, giving off a spirit that's slightly impressionistic.

This time around, as his main subject, Rodger chose cows, nestled in scenes that can best be described as impossible.

The titles of his acrylic paintings are a good tipoff that the artist likes to have fun.

A scene of perfectly shaped bovines stuffed into a house is titled "Aaron Buckwalter's Home With Cows (Aaron sold his farm to a real estate developer but couldn't deal with the thought of selling his herd so he moved them into his house)."

"I used Lancaster names in my titles," Rodger said, smiling.

DeLaurentis characterized her friend's work as "whimsical," but Rodger said a better word might be "nuts."

"I typically choose a theme, then beat it to death," Rodger said Thursday. "I'm a very restless artist. After a couple of months or so, I'm ready to move on. So, I'm kind of detached when the work is finished, and I can go on to the next idea."

DeLaurentis said her scenes are "iconic Lancaster," including rural locations and urban spots.

"Some of the urban scenes will soon be no more, like Armstrong Industries, but I'm not mourning their passing — just documenting them," she said.

Otherwise, many of DeLaurentis' paintings are of sprawling country scenery, some captured in perfect, geometric shapes brought together like a supersleek patchwork (such as "Wheat and Sky" and "Cornfield Bell's Run").

Others tout billowy, soft skies that contrast with the sharper land shapes.

Instead of the two artists being grouped apart, they decided to mix up their work — noting the roundabout similarities in both.

"The forms we work with are very similar," Rodger said. "We like hard-edged shapes."

Indeed, DeLaurentis prefers hard over soft in her landscape scenes, while Rodger's cows are meticulously square-shaped.

"Maple Ridge Farm of Landisville," features a congregation of these lovable bovines, complete with straight-lipped expressions, with emphasis on the lips.

In "Maple Ridge Farm of Landisville," the softest shape happens to be the pink udder of a preacher-type cow.

"Look at this," Rodger said, pointing to his painting "Wenger's Soggy Bottom Dairy," then to DeLaurentis' "Gold Fields Rapho."

"See the roads going back towards a farm in both paintings," Rodger said. "Being shown together, makes sense."

DeLaurentis said she's been wanting to do a show with Rodger for a long time.

"We admire each other's work," she said.

Rodger smiled, never missing an opportunity to joke around.

"Oh, I'm sure it's more exciting for me to be shown with Ann than the other way around," he said, making his friend laugh. "Right?"

Opening Reception for "Urban Icons and Famous Dairy Herds of Lancaster County," is today, between 5-8 p.m. Featured emerging artist is Aarin Baksa. The print room will feature the work of Art Harrington.

"Urban Icons and Famous Dairy Herds of Lancaster County," paintings by Fred Rodger and Ann DeLaurentis, reception today, 5-8 p.m., Red Raven Art Company, 138 N. Prince St., free, 299-4400.

E-mail: cdifonzo@lnpnews.com