Matheny Arts Access Exhibit & Sale
Unexpected Art
WHEN: opening reception on Sunday, June 2, from 2 – 4 PM and gallery hours on Sunday, June 9, 16 and 23, from 1 – 4 PM
WHERE: Farmstead Arts, the nonprofit arts center located at the historic Kennedy Martin Stelle Farmstead, 450 King George Road, Basking Ridge
ADMISSION: Free
For a complete list of Farmstead Arts events and classes, visit www.farmsteadartscenter.org.
For more information, e-mail farmsteadartscenter@gmail.com, or call 1.347.9ARTS4U (1.347.927.8748).
The farmhouse is wheelchair accessible. Anyone anticipating the need for additional accessibility services is requested to make a request by sending an e-mail to the farmsteadartscenter@gmail.com at least three weeks in advance.
The exhibit will feature artists Cheryl Chapin, Ellen Kane, Faith Stoltz and Jenny Cox, all residents of Matheny’s Basking Ridge Community House. The reception will also include a live reading.
This year marks the milestone 20th anniversary of the Matheny Arts Access Program. The Mission of Art Access is to provide individuals with disabilities the freedom to create in the visual, literary and performing arts. The program allows artists with disabilities to create incredible pieces of art with the help of a facilitator. Each artist works one on one with a member of the Arts Access staff to create their masterpiece. The facilitator’s role with each client is unique depending on the needs of the individual, but the usual method is to streamline everything down to a series of yes or no questions, and the client’s vision is expressed through the answers to these questions with the facilitator acting as the paint brush, scribe, or actor.
Artist Cheryl Chapin (image left) has won a number of awards for her art. Recently, Gallery 24/7 selected one of her original digital paintings for its public art project, Art on Traffic Control Boxes. Her work has also been exhibited at the Wallace Art Gallery in Overlook Hospital, Summit, NJ; Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, NJ; and Johnson & Johnson in Raritan, NJ.
Ellen Kane (image right) has produced an impressive body of work, and was recently featured in a two person show at Zebu Forno in Morristown. One of her pieces has been purchased for permanent display at the Johnson & Johnson headquarters in New Brunswick, and her work was also recently displayed in the gallery exhibition at Mondo in Summit.
Faith Stolz (image left) applies her creative energy to painting, writing, digital art and dance. She has an affinity for fall colors and often utilizes them in her work. Faith’s interests include jewelry making, writing, entertainment, fashion and music.
Jenny Cox (image below, right) has participated in the Arts Access Program for more than a decade. Her participation in the fine arts has included digital art and painting. Some of her abstract paintings feature vibrant colors and geometric shapes, while others contain the intricate application of earth-toned colors. She also participates in the writing and dance disciplines.
The Matheny Medical and Educational Center, located in Peapack, NJ, is a specialized facility for individuals with medically complex developmental disabilities, providing exceptional care and an optimal quality of life the individuals that it serves. Please visit www.matheny.org and www.artsaccessprogram.org for more information.
Farmstead Duck Race fundraiser
WHEN: Saturday, June 8, noon to 4 PM
WHERE: Farmstead Arts, the nonprofit arts center located at the historic Kennedy Martin Stelle Farmstead, 450 King George Road, Basking Ridge
The Farmstead will be transformed into an art and duck-lover’s paradise, with hundreds of ducks ready to take their places at the starting line, a silent auction of fine art in the barn, and vendors with food, art and other goodies for sale. To purchase ducks online, or find a location to purchase ducks, visit www.farmsteadartscenter.org. All proceeds will benefit Farmstead Arts for programs and future renovations to the historic property.
Funds for these events have been made possible in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts, through the State/County Partnership Local Arts Program Grant administered by The Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission.
