Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom! 

JUNETEENTH IN RED BANK

WHEN: On Saturday June 19, 2021, beginning at 12 noon for the Community Solidarity March WHERE: Pilgrim Baptist Church, 172 Shrewsbury Ave, Red Bank

THE FABRIC OF OUR LIVES: A CULTURAL TEXTILE EXPERIENCE

WHEN: 1:30 PM June 19, then Saturdays and Sundays between 1-5 p.m. starting June 19th and will continue into the fall. WHERE: T. Thomas Cultural Center, 94 Drs James Parker Blvd, Red Bank

The community of Red Bank will celebrate Juneteenth, a celebration of freedom! Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved people in 1865, when federal troops arrived in Galveston, Texas, to take control of the state and ensure that those enslaved were freed. The troops arrived over two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by Abraham Lincoln, which only freed slaves in Confederate territories. Juneteenth is a day that honors the sacrifices and triumphs of African American people and the importance of preserving its history, which is an important facet of American culture that should not be overlooked.      

 

At 1:30 p.m. the T. Thomas Cultural Center will provide a presentation on cultural awareness, featuring the Cultural Center's newest exhibit, “The Fabric of Our Lives: A Textile Cultural Experience.” The day will conclude with a community celebration at the Johnny Jazz Park (Pocket Park) hosted by the Red Bank Recreation Department.

This Juneteenth celebration will educate attendees on important historical facts and events. It will also be a celebration of how far we have come, while acknowledging the ways we must still move forward.  

  

In keeping with the celebration for Juneteenth, Two River Theater's Costume Department is working with Gilda Rogers on the new exhibit, The Fabric of Our Lives: A Cultural Textile Experience. Visitors can expect to see a vintage 1916 hand cranked Singer sewing machine, like what Carrie Fortune, T. Thomas Fortune's wife, who was a seamstress, would have used. The exhibit will feature artistic quilts by Gloria Douglas and Michelle Lewis, who call themselves Storytellers in Cloth. They founded a quilting retreat in 1995 for women of color to express themselves artistically. The art of quilting is a black tradition dating back to slavery when quilts were used as a compasses to help those escaping to freedom. Today they can be found in museums all over the country.

The exhibit will take place at the T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center on It will be a culturally immersive experience you will not want to miss! The $10 suggested donation for viewing the exhibit helps the Cultural Center in its mission to engage the community with informative public programming.  

The exhibit will also include a kid's corner and a video presentation by the Smithsonian American Art Museum featuring artist Bisa Butler.

Follow us on Instagram @t.thomasfortune and Twitter @TThomasFortune9 and like us on Facebook @tthomasfortuneculturalcenter; please visit our website at https://www.tthomasfortuneculturalcenter.org to subscribe to our newsletter and to stay up-to-date on all things Fortune.  

NJ Art Exhibit Gives Teens a Voice During COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 Virtual WOHS Student Exhibit of West Orange High School Advanced Placement Studio Art Seniors

WHEN: March 2021
WHERE: Online at www.woarts.org 

Through an exciting partnership with the Visual and Performing Arts Program at West Orange High School (WOHS), the West Orange Arts Council’s (WOAC) latest show features rising stars of our community. 

The 2021 Virtual WOHS Student Exhibit showcases the work of seventeen Advanced Placement Studio Art seniors: Clark Bunao, Adriana Garcia, Miguel Intal (acrylic, below right), Chris King, Tracy Kwok (watercolor, above left), Finnley Lewis, Alina Oser, Cristal Perez, Olivia Pinto, Jordan Roberts, Kyle Selim, Ella Silivanch, Julia Spellman, Mikayla Tilton, Elian Torres, Ilayda Vuraland Dylan Wimberly (acrylic, bottom left).

The artists work in several techniques including traditional acrylic, graphite, and watercolor to Tombow markers and digital charcoal. 

"The students look forward to sharing the work they’ve created over the course of this unusual year of virtual learning,” says Heather Young, AP Studio art teacher. “As over 80% plan to or are in the process of applying to higher learning with an art focus, this group show is a great way to enhance their online portfolios." 

The WOHS Arts Program offers a variety of visual and aesthetic art courses. Students are required to complete a one-semester foundation course in studio art before proceeding to advanced studies like advanced drawing, design, painting, graphics and sculpture. After that, juniors and seniors may enroll in Advanced Placement Studio Art, producing portfolios for college admission and earning up to six advanced placement college credits. 

This student exhibit has significant meaning for both organizations as it marks the one-year anniversary of the pandemic lockdown. “Last March we no sooner installed the show at the WOAC gallery, when the governor placed New Jersey in lockdown,” Lisa Suss, WOAC board member and co-curator recounts. 

“While our doors were closed, we were working behind the scenes to stay connected and keep the arts alive,” states WOAC chair Patricia Mitrano. “The WOAC offered several virtual shows and two hybrid (virtual and in-person at the gallery) this past year with more in store for 2021.”

The virtual exhibit will be available on the West Orange Arts Council website at www.woarts.org. Additional events including a virtual reception are being planned at the time of this writing. Follow the West Orange Arts Council on social media and check the website regularly. 

For more information about the West Orange Arts Council and West Orange Arts Center, visit www.woarts.org or email info@woarts.org

This program is made possible in part by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner Agency of the National Endowment for the Arts and administered by the Essex County Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs.

Exciting News from Montclair Art Museum

Upcoming Exhibitions

Museum galleries are closed through February 5 for scheduled installation of new exhibitions.

Maggie Meiners (b. 1972) Freedom from Fear (Cock, Bang + Repeat), 2015 Archival pigment print Ed. 9 +2AP Courtesy of the artist

 

Fragile Freedoms: Maggie Meiners Revisits Rockwell February 6–June 13, 2021 As timely and thought provoking as it gets. This exhibition reimagines the iconic work of Norman Rockwell through the lens of modern America. With stunningly vivid detail, Maggie Meiners’s carefully constructed photographs turn nostalgia on its head and rework Rockwell’s familiar imagery to address contemporary issues including racism, sexuality, gender roles, and the impact of technology.  While the social climate in our country has changed dramatically in the 60 years between Meiners and Rockwell, comparisons of these two bodies of work illustrate that people’s desires and fears often stay the same. We realize that our freedoms are, indeed, fragile. Cara Romero (b. 1977) Southwest, Chemehuevi Water Memory, 2015 Archival Pigment Print on Canson Platine Fiber Rag Ed. 5/10 Museum purchase; Acquisition Fund 2019.11 New York to New Mexico: New Acquisitions February 6–June 13, 2021 MAM's collection is growing! Reflecting America's rich cultural diversity, works in a variety of mediums and acquired in the last few years will be featured in Lehman Court. These pieces, both beautiful and haunting, represent pioneering work from a variety of artists. Yard School of Art Winter Art Classes & Workshops Registration is now open for The Yard School of Art Winter Classes & Workshops and Private Instruction! Classes for kids, teens, and adults for all levels and abilities begin January 25. Classes online or in the Ceramics Studio are 8 weeks. Classes in MAM’s Leir Hall are 4 weeks. Sign up for one or both mini-sessions! Please attend an upcoming family program or Homeschool Day and receive $20 off classes or camp registration! Get Creative! Become a Member Fine Art Raffle featuring world renowned artist Virgil Ortiz Don't miss out on your chance to win Virgil Ortiz's new ceramic work, Tahu and the Revolt Runners, valued at $4,500. Raffle tickets are $100 each and only 400 tickets will be sold. Enter for a chance ot win by January 28! Purchase Raffle Tickets

This week at MAM

 

Federico Uribe: Animalia See it before it closes on January 3, 2021 Experience the breadth and depth of Uribe’s work before the exhibition closes on January 3, 2021. Immerse yourself in the Plastic Coral Reef, comprised of hundreds of pieces of plastic waste, carefully cut and arranged to raise awareness of the effects of pollution on marine ecosystems worldwide.

 

Reserve Tickets

Sunday Studio: Winter Birds December 20 at 1 p.m. Join us for a bird-watching expedition in MAM’s virtual galleries this Sunday and be inspired by artwork from John James Audubon, Morris Graves and other paintings of feathered friends in the exhibition Uncaged: Animals in the Collection.  Learn watercolor techniques and have fun creating your own winter bird painting. Make a perfect gift for the bird-lovers in your life! Connect with friends and family near and far in our virtual studio space and enjoy learning about art and being creative together!   Register Now

 

Fine Art Raffle featuring world-renowned artist Virgil Ortiz Don't miss out on your chance to win Virgil Ortiz's new ceramic work, Tahu and the Revolt Runners, valued at $4,500. Raffle tickets are $100 each and only 400 tickets will be sold! Take a chance on the luck of the new year (here's hoping 2021 brings us all good things) and enter today!    Purchase Raffle Tickets    Yard School of Art Winter Art Classes & Workshops Priority member registration for winter classes and workshops for kids, teens, and adults will open on December 28, 2020! Plus, members receive 20% off all Yard School classes and workshops.  Open Registration will begin on January 4, 2021. Classes for all ages will be offered at MAM with safety precautions and we will continue online offerings as well. Explore the winter schedule below and start planning for more art this winter!   Winter Classes & Workshops   Become a Member

The 10th Annual Collaborative ARTS Exhibit at Rutgers NJMS is virtual this year and is now LIVE!

10th Annual Collaborative ARTS Exhibit at Rutgers NJMS

WHEN: August 31
VIEW THE EXHIBIT

Invite a friend, view some art…and let the inspiration wash over you.

A summer standard for ten years when Rutgers provides the venue, vision and support for JSDD’s WAE Center and Matheny Arts Access to fill a large space with the work of our amazing artists. The Covid-19 crisis forced the exhibit doors closed and opened us to the possibilities of a virtual exhibit. At the core of our work is the discovery of possibility which exists in unexpected places—and so we have found a way to open a window…on this exhibit. " It makes me feel blessed when my artwork is shown for others to enjoy. "—Kevin M., WAE Artist                 Jersey Arts feature                      New Jersey Stage feature

D&R Greenway Land Trust and Garden State Watercolor Society Announce Virtual Art Exhibit and Scavenger Hunt

Garden State Watercolor Society (GSWS) partners with D&R Greenway Land Trust to mount a wildlife-focused 50th Anniversary Juried Exhibition online 

OUT OF THE WILD

WHEN: August 4 through September 30, 2020. 

A virtual Awards Ceremony will include a special new award on occasion of GSWS’ 50^th Anniversary, the D&R Greenway James Fiorentino Nature Art Award. Opportunities to experience the exhibit include a virtual gallery, a virtual talk with featured artists, and a fun family-friendly scavenger hunt. (Left: It Takes Two by Cynthia Smith)

Art has depicted our place in the world since prehistoric man imprinted hand-prints and animals on cave walls. Now, as then, art is an important tool for sharing our observations and feelings. Current virus restrictions add to our collective cabin-fever and need for connection. This exhibit celebrates the natural world with a sense of urgency to save it from loosened regulations and increasing environmental concerns. It recognizes the value found in the lands of D&R Greenway that have become a critical connection for people, for inspiration and restorative meditation.

Garden State Watercolor’s exhibit Out of the Wild portrays human relationships with the wild landscape, flora and fauna with creative imagination. Artists illustrate natural beauty, as well as the disconnect felt when civilization and nature are out of balance. Whether the trauma of suburban or industrial encroachment or the restorative bliss of land reclaimed to wildflower meadows, this deeply contemplative exhibit will showcase what Out of the Wild signifies to each of us. This exhibit was juried by Steve Zazenski, AWS, who is known for his colorful landscapes depicting coastal New England, Europe and the Caribbean. Art is available for sale online, with part of each purchase a donation to support D&R Greenway’s charitable mission of preserving and caring for land, and inspiring a conservation ethic.

“It has been difficult not to come together in person for this important 50^th Anniversary milestone exhibit,” shares Tess Fields, GSWS’s President. “But we have risen to the challenge and are proud to present our Juried Exhibit virtually for the first time. We are very excited to put out, quite literally, the 

‘Beautiful Creatures’ Scavenger Hunt later in August. These little creatures are sure to engage and delight.”  Speaking of the partnership with D&R Greenway that began at its Johnson Education Center art gallery, she continues, “I want to thank Linda Mead and her wonderful staff for working with us on these projects. I think we make a great team!" (Above: Batsto Lake by Richard Hoffman)

“Every day, D&R Greenway receives notes from people who tell us how much our preserved lands mean to them during this challenging time,” says Linda Mead, D&R Greenway President and CEO. 

“Getting outdoors and looking at art are both activities that calm our mind and provide respite in an uncertain world. Combining those with the unique opportunity to discover art in our community with a scavenger hunt is my favorite aspect of this exhibit.”

Featured in the outdoor scavenger hunt is the second annual mini-art exhibit “Beautiful Creatures” that includes ninety 5”x7” images of earth’s creatures created by 47 artists. Artists were challenged to paint using only secondary colors of orange, green and purple. This special exhibit follows the popular 2019 challenge that focused on primary colors of red, yellow and blue. The community is invited to wear a mask to seek and find this year’s “Beautiful Creatures” as laminated art placed throughout the town of Princeton and at D&R Greenway’s Johnson Education Center campus that includes Greenway Meadows on Rosedale Road. This unique and fun way to learn fascinating facts and enjoy depictions of wild creatures provides an educational activity for school-age children and a socially-distanced outdoor excursion for art and wildlife lovers of all ages.  (Right: Still Waiting by John Wolff)

Start and end dates for the scavenger hunt, along with special instructions and clues, can be found on the organizations’ websites at www.gswcs.com and www.drgreenway.org.

Visual Arts Center of New Jersey Opens Virtual Exhibition: “Focus Forward”

Focus Forward

WHEN: Friday, July 10, through August 30, 2020
WHERE: Focus Forward, along with a digital exhibition catalogue, can be viewed by visiting artcenternj.org. Visit njphotoforum.com for more information on the NJPF.

The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey (VACNJ) will present  a virtual exhibition of work by members of the New Jersey Photography Forum (NJPF). Co-founded by Nancy Ori and the late Michael Creem, 25 years ago, the NJPF is dedicated to furthering the interests of fine art photographers in New Jersey. NJPF holds their regular meetings at the VACNJ. Working as a team, Mary Birmingham (Curator), Kimberly Fisher (Exhibitions Manager), and Sarah Walko (Director of Programs and Community Engagement), invited NJPF members to submit recent work that would illustrate where they hoped to take their photographic practices in the future. This exhibition was originally planned as an in-person show in the VACNJ’s Main Gallery but was converted into a virtual exhibition as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak.

The work presented highlights the photography of 26 NJPF members, including Ron Brown, Ruth Brown, Sarah Canfield, Jamin Chen, Glenn Clark, Ken Curtis, Paul Donohoe, Ralph Greene, Theresa Hood, Marv Kaminsky, Kathleen Kirchner, Dorothy Kuehn, Parvathi Kumar, John Markanich, Paul Marvuglio, Leonard McDonald, Charlann Meluso, Charles Miller, Kathleen Nademus, Nancy Ori, Phyllis Raffelson, Mitchell Speert, Tom Stillman, Heidi Sussman, Christine Truhe, and Russ Wills.

“As a local museum, the VACNJ is committed to supporting, nurturing, and advancing the careers of NJ artists,” said Birmingham. “While our galleries remain closed for the summer, we decided it was even more important to continue with this show—especially with its reference to our shared history and its embrace of the future. Though there is no substitute for seeing artworks in person, we quickly became excited about the possibility of a virtual exhibition.”

About the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey
For over 85 years, the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey has been exclusively dedicated to viewing, making, and learning about contemporary art. Recognized as a leading non-profit arts organization, the Art Center’s renowned Studio School, acclaimed exhibitions, and educational outreach initiatives serve thousands of youth, families, seniors, and people with special needs every year.

The Visual Arts Center of New Jersey is located at 68 Elm Street in Summit, NJ. The building is currently closed to the public due to the global pandemic but will reopen on July 6 for summer camp and art classes. All gallery spaces will be closed for the summer. Visit artcenternj.org or call 908.273.9121 for more information.

Support

Major support for the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey is provided in part by the Peter R. & Cynthia K. Kellogg Foundation; the Wilf Family Foundations; and Art Center members and donors.

STUDIO MONTCLAIR PRESENTS INAUGURAL VIRTUAL EXHIBIT: “STATE OF THE ART 2020”

STATE OF THE ART 2020

WHEN: July 1 and beyond, 24/7
WHERE: www.studiomontclair.online
smi@studiomontclair.org
862-500-1447

Studio Montclair (SMI) presents “State of the Art 2020”—our first virtual exhibit. This online exhibit represents SMI’s efforts to continue promoting opportunities for viewing and/or purchasing the outstanding and diverse artwork of SMI members. A percentage of the sales of nearly 200 works will be donated to Toni’s Kitchen or a local charity of the artist’s choice.

While the exhibit can be viewed permanently at www.studiomontclair.online, works will only be available for purchase through August 31, 2020. 

The “State of the Art 2020” collection demonstrates a diverse range of artistry from SMI members. The works span the traditional to contemporary and include painting, sculpture, printmaking, collage, assemblage, drawing, photography, ceramics, and more. In addition to displaying the art itself, SMI strives to give viewers insight into the artist’s conceptual thinking and methodology with accompanying artist statements. Artwork can also be filtered by up to 30 tags.

“State of the Art 2020” also encompasses works by SMI’s nonprofit organizational partners, GlassRoots, Arts Access at Matheny, and JSDD’s WAE Center.

In addition to “State of the Art 2020” SMI is also providing a platform for any artist who wishes to display work that has been created during the pandemic.

The Pandemic Gallery can be viewed by following the Instagram hashtag #smipandemic gallery or go to www.pandemic.gallery.

About Studio Montclair: Studio Montclair is an inclusive, nationwide non-profit organization of exhibiting, professional and emerging artists and others interested in the visual arts. The mission of the organization is to promote culture, education, equality, and tolerance through art. Studio Montclair is committed to diversity at every level. Founded in 1997, the organization includes over 500 members. For more information, contact smi@studiomontclair.org, or call 862-500-1447. www.studiomontclair.org

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TOP IMAGE: Chad Mooney: Garibaldi Lake Photograph
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MIDDLE IMAGE: Ruth Frazier: New Mexican yarn, Collage
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BOTTOM RIGHT IMAGE: Nette Forné Thomas: Sisterhood Shield, Watercolor inks on clayboard
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New on Culture Vultures – Rutgers NJMS Collaborative ARTS Exhibitio

COVID Can’t Stop the

10th Annual Rutgers NJMS Collaborative ARTS Exhibition by Christopher Benincasa

Like most COVID-era arts events, the Rutgers New Jersey Medical School Collaborative ARTS exhibit is going virtual.

This special show won’t happen in its usual space, but, for two organizations devoted to transcending limitations, re-creating the exhibition online was a welcome challenge.

Read feature on Culture Vultures

WATCH THE VIDEO: "Seeing Auschwitz"

2020 marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the end of the Second World War, and the establishment of the United Nations. 2020 also illustrates with painful and searing clarity, why the fight to build a just world in which everyone can live with dignity and in peace, remains critical.

We invited Chief Curator Paul Salmons to walk us through the exhibition "Seeing Auschwitz," which was on view at the United Nations Headquarters in NY earlier this year. Paul asks us to look beyond what the Nazis placed in the lens of their cameras and see instead what each photograph reveals about the humanity of the victims the Nazis tried to destroy. The exhibition was created and curated by Musealia, Spain, in collaboration with the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, Poland.

The exhibition "Seeing Auschwitz" challenges the viewer’s understanding of the largest killing centre in human history. How Auschwitz is ‘seen’ is informed by a relatively small number of photographs taken from an even smaller number of sources. Together, the pictures are vital evidence of the Nazis’ crimes. Through a display of photographs taken by perpetrators and in one instance, by the victims themselves, the exhibition encourages the viewer to explore more fully what the photographs reveal about the photographers, and their intentions, and how this informs the viewers’ understanding of the meaning of “Auschwitz.” Watch the video

Inspiring Minds Displays Work of Educators in a Virtual Gallery

The Herb + Milly Iris Gallery at the South Orange Performing Arts Center has added a new show, along with a new way to view it.

INSPIRING MINDS: Art Educators Exhibition

WHEN: beginning April 27
WHERE: https://www.sopacnow.org/gallery-virtual-exhibition/ (artpal.com/irisgallery).

Works in a variety of mediums, including oils, acrylic, watercolor, ceramic, fibers and mixed media will be featured.

For the past several years the Iris Gallery has hosted INSPIRED MINDS: Young Artist Exhibition, a juried show presenting the work of talented Essex County high school students. Gallery Curator Jeremy Moss and Director of Community Engagement Linda Beard wanted to extend the gallery experience to the talented teachers who engage and inspire their young artists to reach further and attain more than they ever thought possible. (Above: Hope by Avril Bogle )

INSPIRING MINDS, presented in tandem with the student exhibition that will be viewed later in the Spring, is an opportunity for art educators to share their individual talents beyond the classroom. Every teacher spends hours demonstrating art techniques, cultivating and displaying the artwork of budding student artists, but this show focuses on the other side of art education: the educator as an artist. This exhibition celebrates current art educators who continue to display their own inspirational journey and creative development. These unique and talented artists understand the significance of not only teaching art but creating it as well.

“I hope that viewers take away an appreciation of the artistic talent that abounds in our teachers and community. It’s important to recognize that these amazing people are not only teachers. They are practicing artists who share their love of art and their own creative journey with their students every day,” says Jeremy Moss, curator of the Herb + Milly Iris Gallery.

Artwork in the gallery is available for sale. A portion of the fee is given to SOPAC, a 501(c) 3 charitable organization.

Participating Artist Teachers

Kirsten	Angel-Lambert
Josephine	Barreiro
Kristian	Battell
Christine	Benson-Vos
Avril	Bogle
Elaine	Brodie
Nate	Brown
Carol	Cassel-Baker
Maya	Cozmos
SK	Duff
Shana	Falda
Curtis	Grayson
Adam	Gustavson
April	Hart
Kathleen	Harte-Gilsenan
Jennifer	Johnson-Tiongson
Lauren	Kaiser
Bridget	Lamperti
Angela	Melchionne
Sharon	Paster
Doris	Peterson
Erin	Pickering
Lisa	Rosen
Jennie Traill	Schaeffer
Lindsey	Shevkun
Julia	Thomson
Janet	Tsakis
Miriam	Untoria
Lorena	Vera
Ann	Vollum
James	Worrell

About SOPAC: 

Since 2006, SOPAC has been serving as a premier performing arts center in the region. SOPAC offers innovative artistic and cultural experiences for diverse audiences in an intimate, inviting environment. The arts center hosts a variety of live performances, community events and education programs for all ages. SOPAC is home for Seton Hall University Arts Council’s performances, including Classical Concert Series, Jazz ‘N the Hall performances and Seton Hall University Theatre productions. SOPAC programs are made possible in part by the National Endowment for the Arts and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. The South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. For more information, visit SOPACnow.org.