Endless Possibilities

By Brianne Harrison

One of the wonderful things about the arts is that they frequently provide a means of expression for those who struggle or are unable to express themselves in other ways. Those with severe physical disabilities may fall into this group, but a New Jersey nonprofit called A.R.T. (Artistic Realization Technologies) helps them realize their full (and impressive) creative potential by providing them with the tools and technology they need to paint, take photographs, and sculpt. A.R.T has helped many artists create beautiful works that have been shown in galleries in New Jersey and Manhattan.

From February 25-28, A.R.T. will come to the Princeton University Art Museum with a new show entitled “A New Way of Seeing.” Stop by for the opening reception, from 6-8 p.m. on February 25, or check the show out over the weekend—admission to the museum is free, and the works will astonish you.

If you’re feeling more active this weekend, you might want to take part in the Enable Possibility Pursuit on Sunday. Possibility Pursuit includes a 5K run, indoor and outdoor fitness walks, and a dog walk. The event is geared towards persons with disabilities, their families, and friends. Pledges and funds raised will go towards supporting the services Enable provides to the disabled and their families. For more information, visit enablenj.org.

No Gloom in the Gallery

del la Serna, Open Bowl, 2009
courtesy of groundsforsculpture.org

By Brianne Harrison

There’s no denying, it’s cold outside. And not terribly colorful, unless you’re a fan of slush grey. So, why not thaw out and brighten up the weekend by ducking into an art exhibit (or two?)

Saturday and Sunday are the annual Artists’ Days at Sickles Market in Little Silver. Local artists will be on hand to show their work and give demonstrations from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. And while you’re there, you can grab a few gourmet goodies to enjoy later!

Also displaying the work of New Jersey artists is the Noyes Museum of Art in Oceanville. The current exhibition features handcrafted pieces in metal, wood, textiles, ceramics, and other, more unusual materials. The show only runs through February 28, so head over soon if you want to see it!

Over at the Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, visitors can enjoy free admission for the rest of February. Current exhibitions include Albert Paley: Dialogue with Steel—elaborate, impressive sculptural works by a former jeweler—and Jacobo del la Serna’s Reflections on Tradition, which highlights the artist’s beautiful, delicate pottery. You can also see the unusual, whimsical hand-blown glasswork of Flo Perkins.

In New Brunswick, the Zimmerli Museum is showing an exhibition of children’s book illustrations from 1960 through today, focusing on how they highlight social themes and subjects of contemporary culture. Artists’ whose work is on display include Catherine Stock, Roger Duvoisin, and E.B. Lewis.

Dollars and Sense

By Lauren Johnson

This past weekend I had the pleasure of spending a lovely evening at The Arts Council of Princeton to see the opening of Consumed: An Exhibition about Art, Money and Consumption, which consisted of a variety of works that showcased the diverse perspectives and relationships artists have with money.

I found this theme intriguing in regards to the contemporary art world, since a shaken economy makes it impossible for any creative person to not face economic reality. While some artists may repurpose the marketability of their work, others may use it as a springboard for new ideas. This show was a refreshing showcase of both.

Plus, they had cookies. Shaped like dollar signs.

Upon entering the Arts Council building, my friends and I were immediately whisked into the mass of a buzzing crowd of people still wearing hats and jackets, thawing out from the frigid outdoors. After a few minutes of letting our toes regain feeling, we hung our jackets and proceeded into the exhibition.

The first piece I unintentionally noticed (though it was on the other side of the room, a crowd had gathered around), were two very bright, crisp, (and stylistically obvious) dollar signs by none other than Andy Warhol. The inclusion of these two pieces was entirely appropriate seeing how influential he was in the translation of consumerism to pop art (and later, vice versa). Nearby was a series of line drawings by Rachel Perry Welty, which turned out to not be line drawings at all, but rather razor-thin cut fruit stickers and barcodes arranged in round, organic shapes on paper. On the opposite wall hung Andrew Wilkinson’s piece, ‘MY GOD IT’S GOOD,’ a wry parody of Leonardo Da Vinci’s The Last Supper that consisted of Pillsbury Doughboys feasting on fast food and Coca Cola.

Consumed is a refreshing look at art, money, and the modern day interpretation of both. The show is currently on view and will run until February 27th.

For more information, please visit artscouncilofprinceton.org


**Images courtesy of Arts Council of Princeton**

There’s no I in Team

By Lauren Johnson

What do you get when you combine art and altruism? Something truly great.

On November 21st, I had the pleasure of experiencing said greatness at an art show in Trenton sponsored the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen (TASK). The group of artists are part of a cooperative called the A-TEAM Artists of Trenton, which is comprised of individuals that use the services of the soup kitchen, and is run by volunteers that focus on helping them develop entrepreneurial skills while encouraging camaraderie and support.

The show was hosted at Artworks, and consisted of about 20 different artists’ work ranging from drawings and paintings to handicrafts and sculptures. All of the pieces were extremely unique, and each style told a distinct story about the person behind the work. To set the mood, music by The FunkTASKtiks (comprised of TASK patrons and volunteers) played a vast selection of pop, funk, and soul that had everyone swaying to the beat. The band was formed through TASK’s Performing Arts Program, called The SHARE project, which offers musicians of any skill level the opportunity to participate in organized band practices and take music lessons.

One group of work that I really enjoyed seeing was a series of carefully handmade dolls (pictured) by an artist named Brook Beatty. Each of her dolls had a unique persona — while some were beautifully simple, others were fantastically dressed in brightly colored beads, accessories, bits of fabric, and costume. Each doll came with a little paper nametag carefully tied to their feet, and were inspired by either celebrities or people she knows.

The show is located at Artworks, 19 Everett Alley in Trenton and can be viewed through January 2nd. All proceeds go directly to the artists.

For more information on upcoming A-Team shows, visit trentonsoupkitchen.org/ateam.php

Image photo credit: wilkinsonmedia.net

Gifts from the Ancestors Offers a Rare Glimpse of Ancient Arctic Life

By Brianne Harrison

Princeton University has, among other things, an excellent art museum that is (rightly) celebrated for its extensive collection and illuminating exhibitions. With their most current exhibition, Gifts from the Ancestors: Ancient Ivories of Bering Strait, they may have outdone themselves. The massive collection of hundreds of ancient ivories carved from walrus tusks—mostly dating from 100 AD to about 1200 AD, are not only exquisite works of art; like most anthropological finds, they provide information about how ancient people of the Bering Strait region lived, hunted, amused themselves, and died, and what was important to them. In addition to showing the beautiful pieces, the exhibition examines their uses and the information they provide to give a more complete picture of life in an ancient subsistence society in the frozen north.

One might think that people who had to struggle day to day just to bring home enough food to feed their families wouldn’t be too concerned with making their everyday objects beautiful. This exhibition definitely proves that assumption wrong. The most commonplace objects—handles, harpoon heads and shafts, needle cases, combs, spoons, and gut scrapers—are intricately carved in such a way that you see something different depending on what angle you view the object from. One harpoon counterweight had the face of a predator carved into it when viewed one way, but if you turned it upside down, you could see a tiny human face carved in as well. Viewing many of these objects is like pulling out an ancient Magic Eye book.

And why should these ancient hunters have taken such care with commonplace items? The exhibition posits that including images of the prey in their weaponry may have been the hunters’ way of bringing luck to the hunt and honoring the animal that would provide sustenance for themselves and their families. But other objects’ meanings are more opaque than that—there are wonderful tiny gaming pieces in the shape of birds, as well as human figures, and small carvings of various animals that have no obvious use. Were these toys? Objects of worship? It’s difficult to say, but they’re still enjoyable to look at.

Gifts from the Ancestors was a long time coming—many of the pieces were gifted to the museum many years ago by Lloyd E. Cotsen, a member of the class of 1950. It took nearly a decade to bring the exhibition to light, but I think most visitors will agree it was well worth the wait.

Bonus: The Arts Council of Princeton, which is a short, pleasant walk from the University Art Museum, is presenting Dry Ice: Alaska Native Artists and the Landscape as a companion exhibition/counterpoint to Gifts from the Ancestors. Dry Ice will be on view through November 21.
102 Witherspoon St., Princeton, artscouncilofprinceton.org

Gifts from the Ancestors runs through January 10, 2010. For more information, visit princetonartmuseum.org.

A Weekend’s Worth of Food, Music, Art, and Fun

By Pat Tanner

If you’ve been meaning to spend a day touring picturesque Princeton or roaming the lush, beautiful, sculpture-filled acres of Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, there is no more opportune time than this coming weekend, which features two of my favorite autumn events back to back.

JazzFeast

Princeton’s historic Palmer Square will be closed to traffic from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday, September 12, for the 18th annual open-air, rain-or-shine festival that features free performances by leading jazz groups. Food and drink is on offer by 17 Princeton eateries this year and among them are some of my local favorites. To whit: Scott Anderson’s new restaurant, elements, which is, in my opinion, currently the most exciting restaurant in the state; Mediterra, which last year brought on board the noted Spanish chef, Luis Bollo; and the very modest Tiger Noodles, which just happens to cook up the best home-style Chinese food for miles around. For more info visit palmersquare.com.

Epicurean Palette

Kevin Sbraga, the new executive chef at Rat’s Restaurant at Grounds for Sculpture in Hamilton, will be host chef on Sunday, September 13th for this year’s food and wine benefit for the 35-acre public sculpture park founded by Seward Johnson.

When the STARR Restaurants Catering Group took over management of the food facilities at Grounds for Sculpture earlier this year they recruited Sbraga, who has worked for some of Philadelphia’s leading chefs and restaurateurs, among them Georges Perrier, Stephen Starr, and, most recently, Jose Garces.

The sculpture park is closed to the public for the day, so only guests will meander the beautiful paths, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., as they sample fine wines and other beverages and fare from about 20 restaurants and food artisans, among them Rat’s, Bobolink Dairy, Brother’s Moon, Eli’s Bread, Miele, One53, Piccola Italia, Provence Catering, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Starr Restaurant Group, and The Yardley Inn.

Tickets must be purchased in advance, at $99 per person ($85 for Grounds for Sculpture Members). Visit epicureanpalette.org or phone 609.584.7760.

Celebrating and Elevating Urban Art

By Brianne Harrison

For the most part, we look at graffiti and see narcissistic defacement—someone so enamored of themselves they simply have to scrawl their name on a train car or a highway overpass or a wall. And typically, that’s exactly what graffiti is. But every now and then, an actual artist takes up this medium, and instead of a sloppy, drippy name, we see an astonishing mural, usually colorful and packed with meaning, that moves beyond vandalism and becomes art, in some cases, actually elevating its (oftentimes) rundown surroundings.

That type of “street art” is what’s being celebrated in Fresh from the Streets, an exhibit at the Mikhail Zakin Gallery at the Art School at Old Church, which will draw to a close on September 10. The exhibit brings a typically urban form of art to the suburbs and features an 8’ x 20’ collaborative mural created by street artists Leon Rainbow; Demer; Will Kasso, and Chris, Veng, and Kev/Psyn of Robots Will Kill. Other artists, such as Karlos Carcamo, Michael Ciccotello, Joe Egan, Dan Fenelon, Jerry Gant, Peter Krsko, and Sue Zwick are showing stickers, posters, stencils, paintings, and sculptures influenced by street art and urban culture.

If you’re interested in pursuing art yourself, you might want to take the opportunity to check out the courses offered at the Art School at Old Church. A $40 annual membership fee (for an adult, teens 15 and under are $20) allows you to participate in the school’s courses. Life drawing studio time (Saturday mornings) and workshops are separate. Regular courses include ceramics, drawing, fiber arts, glass, jewelry, painting, photography, sculpture, and watercolor. Workshops for fall 2009 include papermaking, sculpting with books, functional pottery, creative dollmaking, introduction to stained glass, and jewelry making.

The Art School at Old Church is located at 561 Piermont Rd. in Demarest. They can be reached at 201.767.7160 or info@tasoc.org. For more information, visit tasoc.org.

120 Years Old and Still Going Strong

image courtesy of noyesmuseum.org

By Brianne Harrison

In the late 19th century, when the art world was even more male dominated than it is now, five female artists--Grace Fitz-Randolph, Edith Mitchell Prellwitz, Adele Frances Bedell, Anita C. Ashley, and Elizabeth S. Cheever—formed the Women’s Art Club after they were shut out of the National Academy of Design and the Society of American Artists. The Women’s Art Club grew by leaps and bounds over the years, joined by such artistic luminaries as Mary Cassatt, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney, and Alice Neel. In 1941, the organization was renamed the National Association of Women Artists (NAWA), the moniker it retains to this day.

This year, NAWA is 120, and just as strong as ever as it continues to support women artists through exhibitions, merit prizes, lectures, scholarships, art demonstrations, and awards. To celebrate the organization’s and the artists’ accomplishments, the Noyes Museum of Art in Oceanville is staging an exhibition of works from 47 members of NAWA. Works run the gamut from painting to printmaking to sculpture by Alice Chan, Judith Cantor, Lolita Bronzini, Eleanor Golstein, Pam Cooperm and others. The show runs through the end of August.

If you can’t make it to the special exhibition, NAWA maintains a permanent collection at the Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University. The collection houses works that cover NAWA’s entire history, from its founding in 1889 through the present day. For more information, visit zamweb.rutgers.edu

The Noyes Museum of Art
733 Lily Lake Rd.
Oceanville
609.652.8848
noyesmuseum.org

Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum
71 Hamilton St.
New Brunswick
732.932.7237

Nawanet.org

"Medium Rare" Takes the Prize

By Millicent K. Brody

On Wednesday evening, June 10, I was the lucky recipient of First Place honors for my photo “Medium Rare,” which appeared on this blog May 22.

I remember taking that photo on Mother’s Day. There I was, standing over my own grill drooling over burgers that were going to be served with my very own potato salad, cole slaw, and baked beans. YUM!

The flames simply sang, “Take my picture!” and I listened.

The photo received its award at the 2009 Union County Senior Art exhibit held in the Atrium of Liberty Hall Center of the Elizabethtown Gas Co. in Union.

The Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs promotes and develops public interest and participation in the arts. The office ensures that all citizens have the opportunity to fully share and benefit from the rich multi-cultural arts, history, and historic resources of our state.

“Our annual senior citizens art exhibit has been in progress for more than ten years,” says Senior Arts Coordinator Teya David. “We continually encourage artists to strive for excellence. We ask that they not only participate in classes defined by their art, they should actively participate in art exhibits throughout the state, and even the country. We continually encourage artists to take personal pride in their presentations. When awarding prizes, we expect exhibited work to have a professional appearance. Each work of art is judged as a complete package. It’s not just about what’s behind the glass or painted across a canvas, we look at the back of the package as well. Whether you’re an artist working in paint, clay, stone, marble, chalk, plaster, or wood, or a photographer who sees the world through their camera, we encourage artists to continually strive for excellence.”

“When artists win first place at the county level, they represent the county at the state level. It is our hope that New Jersey residents will take time to seek out our professional artists,” says Alexander Mirabella Chairman of the U. C. Board of Chosen Freeholders.

The winning works will now be exhibited at the Union County Administration Building in Elizabeth. In October, they'll be judged at the state level at the Meadow Lakes Community Center in East Windsor. Three professional judges will peruse exhibited work and award prizes accordingly. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

Women’s Art, Women’s Vision

By Brianne Harrison

It’s Women’s History month, and what better way to celebrate than by taking in some spectacular exhibits that celebrate women’s art and craft as well as women’s empowerment?

First up is “Women’s Art, Women’s Vision,” an exhibition of rugs and needlework at the Burlington County Annex Art Gallery. The works run the gamut from traditional to experimental and celebrate techniques and works that struggle to be recognized as art. Traditional needlework associated with women, such as embroidery, rug hooking, and quilting, is often dismissed as merely “craft”, which unfairly denies the creators credit for their creativity and skill. Just because something is functional doesn’t mean it can’t be considered a work of art.

Appropriately for Women’s History Month, Gallery Twenty-One in Newark has chosen to showcase the work of Myra Alpizar, an artist who provocatively uses embroidery (usually thought of as delicate work) to create pieces that highlight and denounce the abuses and struggles women have had to face throughout history. The artist has endured her share of hardship: she was exiled from her native Cuba and now lives in Spain. She has channeled her painful history into works that are thought-provoking and, on occasion, disturbing, but certainly fodder for a good conversation and debate.

Finally, the Jersey City Museum is examining images of women in its exhibit “Paper Dolls,” which runs through mid-May. Figurative prints from artists that include Mac Adams, Isabel Bishop, William Gropper, James Rosenquist, and Kenneth Hayes Miller examine how artists depict women and girls.

Women’s Art, Women’s vision runs through March 28 at the Burlington County Annex Art Gallery (Smithville Rd. and Meade Ln, Eastampton, burlcoarts.com). Mayra Alpizar’s work can be seen at Gallery Twenty-One (611 McCarter Highway, Newark, gallerytwenty-one.com). Paper Dolls runs through May 16 at the Jersey City Museum (350 Montgomery St., Jersey City, jerseycitymuseum.org).

Feeling Crafty

By Brianne Harrison

I am a craft show junkie. I can’t resist the opportunity to marvel at other people’s creativity and skill and get a (very early) start on my Christmas shopping. So, when I heard that the Sugarloaf Crafts Festival was starting off its spring season in New Jersey this weekend, I started to get pretty excited.

Before we go any further, I should point out that these are not your typical neighborhood or church fundraiser craft shows. There are no piles of crocheted afghans or popsicle stick birdhouses. The people who show at these festivals are genuine artists who create everything from exquisite paintings to jewelry you won’t find anywhere else to handwoven baskets, spectacular pottery, and handmade furniture. They can do things with a tree trunk or a chunk of metal that you and I never dreamed of. And while the prices can run high, you definitely get what you pay for. Purchases easily become heirlooms, and you’ll never see that necklace on someone else at a party or that sculpture adorning someone else’s mantelpiece.

Sugarloaf maintains a certain quality and doesn’t allow just anyone to show—all the artisans are selected by a jury that judges them on quality of design, workmanship, and materials. The show has grown since its founding in 1975 and now travels to 17 locations throughout the country and attracts nearly 350,000 visitors. It serves as a marketplace every year for artisans who otherwise might find it difficult to show their wares, and who are suffering just like everyone else (if not more so) in these difficult economic times.

Sugarloaf Crafts Festival will be at the Garden State Exhibit Center in Somerset this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday March 13-15. Tickets are available online for $7 or are $8 at the door. For more information, visit sugarloafcrafts.com.