Appearance scheduled for Thursday evening, November 10^th will be the artistâ€s only speaking engagement in the New York-New Jersey area this fall

                                                                                  

October 14, 2011, Jersey City, NJ – The Hudson County Community College Foundation will host another segment in its Artist Talk Series on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. That evening, portrait and classical figurative artist Judy Taylor will talk about the 36-foot murals she painted portraying the labor history of Maine. The event will be held in the Collegeâ€s Culinary Arts Institute/Conference Center, 161 Newkirk Street in Jersey City, just two blocks from the Journal Square PATH Station.

 Born in Nebraska and raised in the Midwest, Ms. Taylor moved to New York City in 1985 and studied at the New York Academy of Figurative Art, where she earned a Masterâ€s Certificate in Advanced Studies. She further pursued these studies in New York under masters such as Harvey Dinnerstein at the National Academy of Design, and then went on to study in Europe. In 1995 Ms. Taylor moved to Mount Desert Island in Maine and established the studio and gallery in Seal Cove that she still operates.

 Ms. Taylorâ€s work may be found in several public and private collections, and thanks to the generosity of the Estate of Dr. Arnold Rose, M.D., one of her works is included in the Hudson County Community College Foundation Art Collection.

 In 2008, Ms. Taylor was awarded a commission to paint murals depicting the history of Maine labor for that stateâ€s Department of Labor. Controversy about the work arose last spring when Maine Gov. Paul LePage had the murals removed on the grounds that the work was too one-sided. This was after the Governor reportedly received an anonymous letter saying the work was reminiscent of communist North Korea where “they use these murals to brainwash the masses.” The eleven-panel work depicts historical scenes such as shoe-making apprentices in Colonial times, Maine lumberjacks, a “Rosie the Riveter” figure at the Bath Iron Works in World War II, and a 1986 paper mill strike. Ms. Taylor has said, “It [the mural] belongs to the people of Maine and needs to be accessible to them.”

 Further information on Judy Taylorâ€s appearance and tickets may be obtained by contacting Andrea Siegel at (201) 360-4007 or by emailing asiegel@hccc.edu.

 

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Howard Pyle, the “Father of American Illustration,” was also famous for painting historic murals like “The Landing at Carteret” which hangs in the Essex County Court House in Newark and other works collected by the Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco, the Delaware Art Museum and the Brandywine River Museum. But you don’t have to hop a plane to Frisco or a train to Delaware to see Pyle’s paintings up close. Four murals depicting the history of Hudson County hang in the beautifully restored, Beaux Arts landmark Justice William J. Brennan Court House in Jersey City, where people from all walks of life can view Pyle’s majestic and historic paintings.  

Adorning public buildings with historic art by contemporary artists was a popular concept at the Turn-of-the 20^th century and Pyle’s murals were hung at the Brennan (then called the Hudson County Court House,) soon after it opened on September 10, 1910 (this is the building’s centennial year.) Pyle’s murals are cherished commodities and respectfully maintained by the Hudson County Cultural & Heritage Affairs Tourism Development office housed on the first floor of the building where the department’s administrator Bill LaRosa and his talented staff – some of whom are artists, performers and writers themselves – carry on Pyle’s legacy:

Every month, the staff transforms the first floor’s Theodore Conrad Rotunda into the Brennan Gallery, a public art space that gives local artists a venue to show their work and the local community a chance to experience art up close and personal.  To LaRosa, his staff and the man in charge, Hudson County Executive Thomas DeGise, art is for the people and by the people.

 “The arts community is an important and growing part of our population,” DeGise says from his wood-paneled office on the first floor of the court house. “Ten percent of our capital projects go to public art. The Brennan was built 100 years ago and it’s still very beautiful and useful. There’s a lesson there. Do it right and with an eye toward the future.” 

And while Pyle, a master artist and illustrator of his time chose to look back in Hudson County’s history as the inspiration for the murals he created, LaRosa and the Cultural Affairs crew concentrate their efforts on artists who create contemporary works in all genres of the visual and performing arts.

 “We have some of the greatest murals of the 20^th century on our walls,” LaRosa says from his first floor office steps away from the marble-floored rotunda. “Why shouldn’t contemporary artists have the privilege of being seen here? The court house is an ideal location to showcase art work.”

To respect the dignity of the Brennan which is on the National Register of Historic Places, LaRosa and his crew stage the Brennan Gallery with the clever use of portable walls and strategic lighting.

 “I remember seeing the gallery when it was completed, it was just beautiful,” LaRosa says. “The paintings were up, the lights were on – the rotunda was made for it.”

Because the court house is a government building, the work is seen by a wide-range of people, from the high-ranking government official to the local citizen on their way to jury duty. Seeing everyday people appreciate the art gives LaRosa great pleasure, he says.

  “I’ll see jurors, sheriff’s officers and county employees looking at the art work and that makes me feel good because that’s what it’s designed to do,” LaRosa says. “Art is for everyone.  A public building shouldn’t be cut and dry. If it can serve a higher purpose, then why not?”

Looking back to the 1960s, 70s and 80s, Hudson County was home to many art galleries exhibiting local artists’ work, but times changed when storefront galleries became real estate gold. These days, local art galleries are practically nonexistent and many artists look for alternative venues to show their work like restaurants, office buildings, even city halls.

“There are very few galleries in Hudson County because of property values and lack of accessible public spaces,” LaRosa says. “The Brennan Gallery is one of the few.”

This week, the Cultural Affairs team is preparing for a special exhibit for Women’s History Month called “Herstory” curated by Assistant Administrator Eileen Gaughan and Program Development Specialist Meredith Lippman. The show opens March 2^nd and runs through March 26^th and features black-and-white photographs taken by local women photographers who were asked to go out into the community and photograph other women at work.  

“We thought what better way to celebrate Women’s History Month than with an exhibit of women photographing women working in unconventional roles in fields like architecture and mathematics,” Gaughan says. “Who knows a woman better than another woman and who can celebrate women better than her peers?”

 For the past two years, the Women’s History Month exhibition has given women artists like So Yoon Lym, a photographer and painter, the opportunity to have their work shown. Prior to having her work chosen for the 2009 show, Lym’s work was picked for the February “African Americana” exhibit.

  “For the African-Americana show, the artists had to be of African-American ancestry,” Lym says. “What a revolutionary and contemporary concept – that all Americans are in some way connected to this month and could be through their art work. I have always looked to New York City as the center of the art world and though this is true, it’s great to know that there are venues in Jersey City that showcase and promote contemporary artists.” 

Along with professional artists and photographers who exhibit at the Brennan, LaRosa and his staff present shows by senior citizens, teenagers, even patients from a local hospital. Lippman recalls a group show by students at St. Dominic’s Academy, a Catholic High School in Jersey City, who expressed their artistry in a series of painted wooden chairs.

“It was a knockout of an exhibit,” Lippman says.

As Program Development Specialist, Lippman also runs a workshop series to help artists manage their careers. An artist herself, she understands the problems they face trying to handle their careers while creating their art. So, she assembles panels of professionals who discuss important issues like writing artist statements, knowing what museum curators look for when producing shows, copyrights and other matters.

 “I email the artist community and ask them, ‘What do you need?  Give me an idea of what we can do to help you,'” Lippman says.

Along with the Brennan Gallery, LaRosa and his staff host the Brennan Coffee House, a once-a-month, Friday night hootenanny where the rotunda gets transformed again, this time as an intimate bistro with café tables and chairs. Local folksingers and musicians – some with a national following – perform on a portable stage and the acoustics are just right for folk music.  A pet project of County Executive DeGise who’s a real fan of folk legends like Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan, the coffee house has become a popular night of entertainment for local music lovers and within the historic setting of the court house, songs of protest and peace seem to resound with a deeper meaning.

In September, DeGise will host a special celebration honoring the Brennan’s centennial year. It’s been a hundred years since Pyle’s murals were hung in the court house, but the concept of giving art justice still holds true today through the work of DeGise, LaRosa and the Cultural Affairs staff.  Providing a public forum for art exhibitions not only nurtures an ever-growing artist population, it nourishes a community’s quality-of-life.

As County Executive DeGise says, “There’s a lesson there.”

 Sally Deering is a freelance writer on art and culture.

For more information, email SallyDeer@gmail.com

 

 

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 Saturday, December 12, 2009 -12:00pm – 6:00pm

Paul Vincent Gallery, an emerging gallery for local artists, is hosting a one day art and craft sale. On display jewelry, clothing, scarves, paintings, photography, baked goods, and much much more…

Music will be performed by:

Double Breasted  from 12pm-4pm

Paul Vincent Gallery
49 Harrison Street/Observer Highway
Hoboken, NJ

Source: Thanks to  Sharon Harvey 

Will you be there? 

The post Paul Vincent Art Gallery presents ITSY- first appeared on River View Observer.

The traditional Champagne Gala will officially open the visual art gallery on Saturday, November 14th and will remain open throughout the fall holiday season. The vibrant and stunning visual art gallery, housed in the sanctuary of Jersey City’s beloved and historic Grace Church Van Vorst, remains the heart and soul of this great cultural celebration.

For the 20th Anniversary of the Cathedral Arts Festival, artwork in all media and encompassing all subject matter was considered, including painting, drawing, textiles, sculpture and photography – all to help showcase two decades of creative excellence. “Over 327 artwork submissions from over 69 artists arrived after the call to art was sent out”, according to Mark Guerette who leads the artwork submission and selection process.

“Gifts of the spirit have long been celebrated at Grace Church Van Vorst, and creativity has always been a hallmark of our faith community. Many professional artists call our church their spiritual home. Our jury each year is uniquely and intentionally collaborative. We draw upon the expertise of the creative talent within our walls, and we seek out professionals of note from the art world outside our doors, in an effort to bring together a team that is both qualified and committed to assembling an inspiring and salable exhibition of great quality” says Guerette.

All artwork is for sale with a percentage of each sale going to Grace Church Van Vorst. Proceeds from the sale support the operational and outreach activities of Grace Church Van Vorst. These activities include, but are not limited to, religious services and adult education, Grace Van Vorst Community Services (our non-profit, 501c3) and the Grace Senior Center for Healthy Living, which provides various services to the elderly. And, Grace’s Breakfast Plus Program provides hot meals on Saturday and Sunday for the hungry and homeless of Jersey City.

According to Grace parishioner Bayla Kallstrom, one of the founders of the Cathedral Arts Festival, “Twenty years ago, Grace Church had just completed a renovation which opened up the sanctuary so that it could be used for–among other things–performance, banqueting, dancing, and gallering art. As soon as we recognized the possibilities, we soon discovered that Jersey City was a cornucopia of talent.”

“Originally, the Festival was called the Cathedral Arts Market. It was based on the concept that once upon a time, cathedral spaces belonged to the entire community and served it in many ways–places of worship, socializing, commerce, etc. We wanted to create something that reflected our congregation’s theme of “Community, Diversity and Creativity.”

“All was capped by an elegant black tie gala in our new sanctuary–quite an accomplishment in pre-gentrification J.C.– which had great food, champagne, music, and a list of attendees that truly reflected the eclectic, exuberant and varied nature of our community. (One wag referred to our festival as the “jewel in the middle of the swamp”.)”

As per The Reverend Nick Lannon, Curate of Grace Church Van Vorst, “The Cathedral Arts Festival is one of the best ways that we, as a church, can give back to the community. We open our glorious sanctuary to the talent of Jersey City and beyond. Come, appreciate the wonderful art, and help us, as we raise funds, give back to the community in other ways: helping those less fortunate than ourselves, both spiritually and materially.”

Mr. Chi Modu, professional photographer and one of the Wardens of Grace Van Vorst says, “It’s not often that a church, which is primarily known as a place of spiritual guidance and worship in the community is also looked to as a place of artistic expression and creativity. This is only possible due to the uniqueness of the Jersey City community. We are honored to be able to be a source of creative inspiration to the local community and a legitimate venue for both new and established artists to show their work. We look forward to another twenty years of art at Grace Van Vorst in Jersey City.”

Not only does the Cathedral Arts Festival receive participation from local artists, just about everybody from the congregation volunteers in some capacity or another, so it’s truly a great community building event where lifelong friendships are made. Also, local Jersey City businesses have been very supportive of the Cathedral Arts Festival. Major sponsors in the recent past have included Panepinto Properties, Pershing, The LeFrak Organization, Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker, and The Provident Bank Foundation among others. Also, a beautiful program guide is put together allowing smaller businesses in the community to advertise in support of the festival as well. Support from the city of Jersey City and Hudson County has been received in the past as well as from local politicians.

The community at Grace Church Van Vorst mirrors the great diversity of Jersey City; performing and visual artists; professionals and trades people; straight and gay; Asian, Black, Latino, Indian, Filipino, and white all worship together in a progressive, inclusive, urban congregation. Creativity permeates all aspects of church life-from innovative multi-media worship to the use of our landmark building as a center for education and performance. Community, Diversity and Creativity are the hallmarks of parish life at Grace Church Van Vorst. Regular services with Holy Communion are held every Sunday at 9:15 and 11:00 AM. All are welcome to attend. The festival will end with the closing of the gallery on Friday, December 4th. It will be a fall extravaganza this year not to be missed.

This Cathedral Arts Festival Champagne Gala Opening takes place on Saturday, November 14th at 7:30 pm at Grace Church Van Vorst – located at 39 Erie Street and 2nd Street in downtown Jersey City, NJ. Admission to the Gala Champagne event on Saturday November 14 is $40 in advance via www.gracevanvorst.org. Tickets at the door the night of the event will be $50.

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