By Sally Deering

 Over the years, Hobokenâ€s become a pricey place to hang your hat, but on the bright side. Hobokenâ€s artist population has not withered due to the cityâ€s high cost of living. Through good and bad economic times, Hobokenâ€s artist community continues to thrive, entertain and nourish the cityâ€s need for culture, ideas and visions expressed outside the box.

To celebrate the cityâ€s wealth of artists and their contributions to Hobokenâ€s cultural landscape, Mayor Dawn Zimmer and Director of Cultural Affairs Geri Fallo will host the 37^th annual Hoboken Artists Studio Tour on Sun, Nov. 6, from noon-to-6 pm. This free, citywide walking tour features more than 100 artists who will show their work in studios, art galleries & group exhibitions in 25 Hoboken locations worth exploring. (Download the Hoboken Artist Studio Tour Map & Artists†Directory at www.hobokennj.gov/artists-studio-tour/; available as of Fri, Nov. 4.)

Artist Eugene Gleason has lived 33 years in Hoboken and will be showing about 30 paintings at his studio at 2 Constitution Way on 14^th Street. Many of Gleasonâ€s paintings are local Hoboken scenes like the old Hess gas station that was on 14^th and Willow Ave; and a snowy Bloomfield Street. A self-taught artist, Gleason describes himself as a “recovering” architect.

“Hoboken Winter Gas” by Eugene Gleason

“Iâ€ve never done any kind of real show in a gallery,” Gleason says, but I went to the (Hoboken) Studio Tour last year, and I saw some really great works especially in the studio lofts in the south end of town. I said whoa, maybe I should give it a whirl.”

“Bloomfield Snow” by Eugene Gleason  

Alex Sobolta grew up in Allendale and lives in Hoboken. A self-taught artist, Sobolta has been painting for seven years. He describes himself as a Jack-of-All-Trades who paints, writes and does video production. Sobolta will be exhibiting 12 pieces at Cork, a wine store on 15^th and Washington Streets on the day of the Studio Tour.

“Iâ€m hoping to bring some life to 15^th Street,” Sobolta says. “This is my first studio tour. I sold some pieces at the Hoboken Art & Music Festival and I hope to increase my exposure at the Hoboken Studio Tour. Itâ€ll be great meeting people who come in. I hope they take a card, and keep me in mind. As long as people dig it, thatâ€s cool. I do it for myself and if other people are into it, thatâ€s awesome. I hope somebody sees it, likes it, and tells their friends.”

“Harshmellow” by Alex Sobolta

The Hoboken Artists Studio Tour Map and Artist Directory will be available the day of the tour at Hoboken City Hall on Washington Street. According to the Office of Cultural Affairs, “the tour is designed so that visitors can easily walk from studio-to-studio, and gallery-to-gallery. Since Hoboken is only a mile square, every site is convenient to the next. As diverse as the art itself, the tourâ€s popularity draws artists far beyond the banks of Hoboken. You will see art in many forms, representing an exciting variety of mediums. Meet the artists and witness the creative process at work.”

Originally from Harrington Park, Kate Faust, a New York City resident, exhibited and sold several pieces at last yearâ€s Hoboken Artists Studio Tour. She will be exhibiting her oil paintings again this year at the Monroe Art Center.

“Iâ€ll be showing some ballet shoe paintings, still-lifes, and landscapes,” Faust says. “At last yearâ€s Studio Tour, we had a good turn-out. I sold a couple of paintings.”

 “Dance Break” by Kate Faust

 It was a year ago, right around the time of last yearâ€s Studio Tour that Faust was moving into her art studio at Monroe Art Center.

“I met a lot of people from Hoboken during the Studio Tour,” Faust says. “It was nice. I had my cards all printed. Thereâ€s a nice camaraderie among the artists in the building.”

Wildlife photographer Annalee Van Kleeck of Hoboken will be exhibiting her photographs of birds, the group Skanatra, the Erie Lackawanna Terminal and the city of Hoboken.

“Iâ€ve been photographing a lot of birds this year,” Van Kleeck says. “I started looking around for subjects and realized there are birds everywhere. So, I started shooting birds in Hoboken. I started looking at marshlands and meadowlands, the Mill Creek Marsh Trail. Geri Fallo thinks I should do a Hoboken birds show at the Hoboken Museum.”

“The Crow” by Annalee Van Kleeck

Van Kleeck worked most of her career in the non-profit sector and now spends much of her time photographing. She photographs birds these days because she enjoys the challenge.

“Eastern Starlings” by Annalee Van Kleeck

“I used to go out fishing at 5 in the morning and spend all day out there,” Van Kleeck says. “Photographing birds is a lot like fishing. You got out and spend five hours waiting for the scene to come to you. You have to learn how to be invisible so they donâ€t run away from you.”

  If you go

Sun, Nov. 6, 12 noon-6 pm

Hoboken Artists Studio Tour

For Studio Tour

Starting Fri, Nov. 4, you can download the

Art Tour Map & Artists†Directory

at www.hobokennj.gov/artists-studio-tour/.

On the day of the tour, you can pick up the map at

Hoboken City Hall

94 Washington St, HOB

For further information, contact Geri Fallo at (201) 420-2207

or email gfallo@hobokennj.org.

 

The post HOB ART 37-37th Hoboken Artists Studio Tour first appeared on River View Observer.