Heaven Hell and whatever's In Between

Visitors to the fantastic American Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore, MD are well aware of the orgy of creativity that can be sparked by the death of someone close to even the most non-artistic person. [Oh, okay...you caught me. You might know this even if you haven’t made the pilgrimage to the AVAM yet. But you’ve got to get down there...promise me!] That same pulsing energy in the hands of a lifelong artist can sometimes generate work that pushes out beyond the norm. It sounds as if Highwire Gallery has some of this work on display in their upcoming exhibition: Heaven, Hell and Original Sin.

Fiber artists may find the work of Philly-based fiber artist Melissa Maddonni Haims (creator of the Heaven and Hell portions of the show) especially interesting. She’s been working feverishly with yarn (knitting, crocheting, stitching) since her mother died 2 years ago, creating a personal version of heaven and hell. Much of her “Heaven” is specific – organic, unconventional sculptures memorializing people who have died. Her backroom Hell apparently evokes Dante-esque imagery including damned inhabitants and towering terrains. The middle gallery (Original Sin?) represents a visual dialogue between The Grimm Sisters, aka artists Rochelle Marcus Dinkin and Rachel Isaac, are on display.

The Opening Reception takes place during Philadelphia’s next First Friday event: November 6, from 5 – 9 pm and runs through November 29. Highwire Gallery is located at 2040 Frankford Avenue in Philadelphia.

Movement Studies

center panel, Deconstructing Jane Avril triptych, F. Moonan
Movement Study #8, F. Moonan

If you haven’t seen Florence Moonan and Carol Sanzalone’s show, Innovations, up at Artists Gallery in Lambertville, you’ve still got time to catch it this weekend. Florence has been studying with Pat Martin, and that fertile combination has generated some striking drawings and paintings, well worth visiting. The will be Florence’s last show at Artists Gallery, so if you’ve been planning on stopping by to say “Hello,” you can catch her there this Friday (October 30) between 11 am – 6 pm; or you can stop by the “cider and donut closing event” this Sunday, November 1 between 2 & 5 pm.

Doors Are Open!

On Thursday evening, November 12 (4:30 to 7 p.m.), you're invited to the Conference Center on the Mercer County Community College's West Windsor Campus for its annual Open House and Report to the Community. At this FREE event, you can find out, firsthand, about the many opportunities and activities this College offers, while enjoying live music by the MCCC Jazz Band, delicacies prepared by student chefs, videos and robotics created by Mercer students, and even relaxing chair massages offered by physical therapy students.

Potential students of all ages, as well as parents, alumni, community partners, teachers, guidance counselors, business people and governmental representatives are welcome.Check out the many study choices offered at Mercer, including 68 associate degree programs (including new degrees in Digital Film, Game Design, Solar Energy/Technology, Culinary Arts and Physics) and year-round noncredit programs for career advancement and personal interest.

I often tell people that Mercer has one of THE best fine arts departments in the entire region. You don't need to be matriculated to take credit classes, and the instruction available to artists in a wide range of media is spectacular. I've personally taken courses in painting, art history, printmaking, ceramics, sculpture, creative writing and television production so far, and can enthusiastically recommend them all.

There's an odd perception in some quarters about Community Colleges. Trust me, Mercer is a treasure trove for the lifelong learner; so don't be one of "those people." Stop by and get a taste of what all there is to offer at Mercer. To sign up, click here.

Going out on a Limb

Have you been pondering your family tree lately? Unsure of how to get started? The Historical Society of Pennsylvania is offering a series of helpful and very affordable genealogy workshops this fall. A beginner workshop, only $15 for non-members of the Society, will provide novice genealogists with the tools you’ll need to begin your own family research. It will cover everything from how family interviews should be conducted, to what resources are available (including public records, federal and local repositories, historical societies, ancestral DNA testing, and genealogical databases) and how best to use them.

The workshop will be offered on two separate dates: Wednesday, October 28 at 6 pm and Friday, October 30, at noon at the HSP: 1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA.

Instructor: Lee Arnold, family historian and director of the library and collections at HSP (who has been researching his own family since 1980). He received his masters in library and information science from the University of Wisconsin and his masters of liberal arts with a concentration in archives management from Temple University.

Upcoming workshops include information on tracing your Civil War ancestors. Cost includes a one-day admission to HSP's research library. To register online click here. Or call 215-732-6200 ext. 214 for more information.

Ma, ma, ma, my Matryoshka

Artist Meri Adelman will be among the featured artists & crafters at the upcoming Germantown Jewish Centre Women’s Club Craft Show taking place Sunday, November 15, 2009, from 10 AM to 4:00 PM. Meri will be showing paintings on wooden Fertility Dolls (Matryoshka), ceramic tiles (with Rebecca Tobias), and paper. The Centre is located at Lincoln Drive & W. Ellet Street [400 W. Ellet Street] in Mt. Airy, PA (215-844-1507). Admission is free.

Patterned Response!

Midori Yoshimoto, Gallery Director at the NJ City University, will be curating a show for the Arts Council of the Morris Area’s Gallery (14 Maple (Morristown, NJ; on the 3rd floor of the new "green" Dodge Foundation building). The exhibit, “Emerging Patterns” has a 6 month run (February 15, 2010 – August 11, 2010), so be sure that the work you enter can be available for that full time period.

This show is open to all artists working in any medium who live or work in New Jersey. There is a limit of 5 submissions per artist. All accepted work must be professionally presented and ready for installation or hanging (by wire or D-rings). Artists may be required to supply pedestals for 3D work. Midori Is especially looking for works that include any kind of patterns recognized and manifested by artists. She will, however, be working with a committee who will have some input into the final selection.

REQUIRED MATERIALS: Images (see below for presentation requirements), artist’s statement about the works submitted, up-to-date one page resume or c.v., and attached Submission Form with the Object List section fully completed including for each image submitted, the title, year of work, medium, size (H x W x D), weight, value for insurance purposes, and whether the work is for sale.

DEADLINE for SUBMISSIONS: Artwork shall be submitted by e-mail to kbecker@morrisarts.org in the form of jPEG images (resolution of 300 dpi). JPEGS must be named as follows: artistsname_titleofwork.jpg. Deadline is Tuesday, November 24, 2009 at 5 p.m.; no exceptions.

For additional information, email Karin Becker at kbecker@morrisarts.org

Time to Focus

Veil of Mist by Robert Sheuerman - Best in Show winner, 2008

Although entries for the 2010 Voices of the Marsh photography exhibition are not due until April 2 of next year, photographers should keep in mind that all photographs submitted need to be taken within the borders of the Hamilton-Trenton-Bordentown Marsh. This regional treasure-trove of botanical, geographic, ornithological, and environmental diversity is one of the vast unsung jewels of the County, and is celebrated every other year in the Voices... exhibition, held by the Friends of the Marsh. Click on their name to visit the website and download a copy of the prospectus for this show. Better still, participate in one of the organized canoe or field trips organized by the Friends (info under the Events link on their website), or bring a friend and a camera and enjoy the beauty of this wonderful place on your own.

Truly "Off the Block"!

There's still time to make your reservation for the Arts Council of Princeton's gala "Dining by Design" fundraiser taking place October 24th -- or, if you prefer, to bid on one of the spectacular, mouth-watering dinners offered on-line in their silent auction. Here's a chance to dine at some of the more astonishing private homes in the area, on meals cooked by some of the region's top chefs, while supporting Arts Council programming for children. For more information, visit their website. To preview the "Off the Block" dream dinners being offered in the silent auction, click here.

MONSTERS' ALERT!!!

Monsters Ball

Artworks' Halloween Party Fundraiser

Friday, October 30

...8 pm til the wolves howl!!!!!!!!!!

Terrified by the idea of a capital city without any art? Join fellow art lovers and for a monster-ously great time on Friday, October 30 and exorcise those demons together. The same people and creative energy that's brought you "Art All Night" are promising an equally spectacular Halloween event. And, with three really affordable ticket levels, not even the recession should stop you from showing this organization 'a little love.'

Here's what's on tap for the night: “Artworks' unique, soaring space will be decked out in its scariest finery, courtesy of Fannelli Design Group, the lighting designers who did the magical lighting of the Museum of Contemporary Science for Art All Night.

“A delicious spread of food, as well as beer, wine (ID required at the door) and other non-alcoholic beverages will be available. Outside, creatures of all sorts can gather around the fires lit in giant steel tikis and steel wire firebowls created by artists Glenn Moore and Peter Abrams.”

Outside in the ARTWORKS’ parking lot, Trenton’s own “Thriller Dancers” help set the tone as they join groups worldwide in reenacting the entire 14 minute dance from Michael Jackson's 1983 Thriller music video. (If you know the routine, and are in ghoulish costume, join in!) Throughout the night you will also be dancing to the evil sounds of DJ Maddtronix; making-your-own scary art project; thrilling to professionally told ghost stories; watching classic scary movies playing all night long, including Nosferatu and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre; and entering costume contest (the winner gets six free art classes at Artworks or two months use of its shared studio space.)

Michael Gumpert's so committed to making this event special, he's having plastic surgery to complete his costume. You'll get to witness the grand unveiling at the party. Tickets are $10 (costume required! and buy your own drinks after the first), $45, and $75. For full information, and to buy tickets now, visit the ARTWORKS website or call them at 609-394-9436.

Burooo-ha-ha-ha-ha!!!!!! And for those of you itching to "to get your ghoul on" a little early, ARTWORKS has several events leading up to their spectacular MONSTERS' BALL coming up on Friday, October 30. Those of you who feel that one day of costumes just isn't enough are invited to join fellow ghouls, ghosts, gypsies and beasties for a “guerilla marketing” blitz of Joe’s Mill Hill Saloon on Friday, October 23. Folks will be meeting, in costume, at ARTWORKS at 9 pm and will walk over to the Mill Hill together.

If you prefer to exorcise your inner demons from the comfort of your own home, consider creating an entry for ARTWORKS’ Monsters’ Ball Poster Contest. ARTWORKS’ executive director, Michael Gumpert, invites artists of all ages to try to “Terrorize the competition with your talent” in designing the poster for ARTWORKS' 2010 Monsters’ Ball Halloween Party Fundraiser! The winning poster will be selected by guests at this year's party. (NOTE: Participants are encouraged but not required to attend the party.) For rules and information on the contest, click here.

Making the Right Connect-ions!

Enkindle by Caroline Lathan-Steifel

THAT! by Berendina Buist

The MOVIS collective invites you to

CONNECT

with contemporary art at

The Gallery, Mercer County Community College

Opening Reception: Saturday, October 17

2 - 4 pm

Gallery hours: Tuesdays 9 am - 4 pm and 6 - 8 pm

Wednesdays 9 am - 3 pm and 6 - 8 pm

Thursdays 11 am - 3 pm

Gallery Talk: Monday, October 26, 7 pm

Special concert featuring Stop Correcting Me (Wilbo Wright & Eric Haltmeier):

Thursday, November 5, 7:30 pm

all events are free and open to the public

Exhibiting artists include: Peter Arakawa, Rita Asch, Berendina Buist, Mark Cooley, Anne Dixon, Yevgeniy Fiks, LaToya Ruby Frazier, Brian Goings, John Goodyear, Susan Hockaday, Lucy Hodgson, Eve Ingalls, Margaret Kennard Johnson, Caroline Lathan-Steifel, Marsha Levin-Rojer, Frank Magalhaes

Meet the Author, Meet Our History

pencil sketch of Mikvah Israel Synagoge design by Louis I. Kahn (MoMA collection)

On Tuesday, October 27th, at 5:30 pm author Susan Solomon will be at Labyrinth Books (122 Nassau Street, Princeton) to talk about her new book, “Louis Kahn's Jewish Architecture: Mikveh Israel and the Midcentury American Synagogue.”

Solomon’s earlier book, “Louis Kahn's Trenton Jewish Community Center,” and her ardent advocacy helped to preserve the Trenton Bath House, arguably one of Louis I. Kahn’s most seminal buildings. The Bath House, now on the National and NJ Registers of Historic Places, is located right here in Ewing, NJ. The County of Mercer’s Culture & Heritage Commission and Department of Planning recently launched an informational website on the Trenton Bath House that includes archival photographs, restoration plans, and information on Louis I. Kahn.

Solomon will talk about Kahn’s 1961 plans for the never-built Mikveh Israel synagogue, exploring the transformation of the American synagogue between 1955 and 1970, and looking at how Kahn struggled to “…reconcile his own profoundly spiritual aims for …modern architecture…"(Joseph Siry, Wesleyan University) with his distant relationship to Judaism as a non-practicing man of Estonian Jewish heritage.

All Kinds of Jazz-zy

Wing Dam with Wilbo Wright, John Sheridan and featuring Tom Cottone

Nationally known post-modern jazz trio, the Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey plays at at Joe's Mill Hill Saloon this Tuesday, October 13th. Among the opening acts is the well-known regional go-go boot jazz trio, Wing Dam. This all-ages show starts at 7:30 pm

Joe's Mill Hill Saloon is at 300 S. Broad St, Trenton, NJ 08608. 609-394-7222. Tickets are $8 (in advance) are available online http://www.millhillsaloon.com/ $10 at the door!

D'Eco, D'Echo...

"Corner Tree" by NYC-based Japanese eco-artist Yuken Teryua

Gallery 125 issues a Call for Artists for:

Art D'Eco
JURIED THEMED SHOW
Juror: Michelle Barfoot -- www.michellebarfoot.com

Associate Professor, Digital Media Arts/Modeling & Animation/Game Design /Digital Art at Mercer County Community College

Inviting artists in all mediums (except video) who utilize found objects or recycled materials or non-traditional materials in all, or part of the artwork; or whose work raises awareness about the impact of environmental issues affecting us; or whose subject is concerned with the preservation of our ecological resources to submit work for consideration...

FEBRUARY 12 through APRIL 3, 2010
Deadline - December 17, 2009

CD images must be .jpg files preferably 4" x 6" at 300 DPI, and must include on paper:

1. Artist's name, home address, phone number and email address

2. Brief bio/resume

3. Submit up to five JPEG images on one CD. JPEGs should

be 300 dpi 4" x 6".

4. Title (**title of piece on paper must have the SAME title as the file on CD), medium, year created AND framed dimensions for each entry.

5. All submissions must include a $20 check payable to: TDA/Gallery 125.

Send CDs and entry packet to Gallery 125, 125 S. Warren St., Trenton, NJ 08608.

Please include a stamped, self-addressed envelope if you wish to have the visuals returned.

Please call the gallery at 609-989-9119 or email gallery125@trenton-downtown.com with any questions.

La Belle Époque, NJ Style!

The Coach House on Lovers Lane - one of the "outbuildings" on the tour!

The Historical Society of Princeton holds its 8th annual Historical House Tour on Saturday, November 7, from 10am -4pm. This year features a terrific line-up of homes, including five that were originally outbuildings for Drumthwacket (the beautiful NJ Governor’s mansion!) at the turn of the 20th century.

Financier and Princeton University alum Moses Taylor Pyne had purchased Drumthwacket from Charles Smith Olden’s estate in 1893 and expanded the estate to more than 300 acres (including the entire area between Stockton St., Princeton Pike, Lover’s Lane and Quaker Road in Princeton). He created “…park-like landscaping, greenhouses, bridle paths, a dairy farm, and formal Italian gardens…” and commissioned the construction of fabulous buildings, including the Dairy, the Superintendent's House, the Greenhouse, the Coach House, the Garden House – all now privately owned homes which are included in this year’s House Tour. Tickets for the House Tour, a fundraiser for the Historical Society, are $35 per person. For tickets, Click Here .

The Historical Society also invites you to become a Docent for House Tour 2009! Click Here

House tour participants can also choose to lunch at Drumthwacket, the beautiful mansion that is the official residence of NJ's Governor. The boxed lunches, priced at $20.00, will be provided by Griggstown Quail Farm. Visitors that day can also opt to visit the building and gardens of Drumthwacket without the lunch (a rare Saturday opportununity!) for a $5.00 donation. Advanced registration is required for either the lunch or the visit. [Purchase of the Historical Society's house tour tickets are required in order to visit Drumthwacket on this day.] Click Here for information and the reservation form for the Drumthwacket lunch and open house or make reservations by phone at 609-683-0057.

Preserving the History Around Us

Do you live in a historic house, work in a historic property, own land near some of the County's many historic areas? On Wednesday, October 28, the D&R Greenway and the NJ Historic Trust
are offering a workshop “Easements, an Under-Utilized Tool for Protecting New Jersey’s Historic Resources” to share private-land protection options and strategies.

A 5-person panel of experts will discuss currently available tax and land-saving opportunities, particularly for historic properties. This event is open to all, with an emphasis on historic homeowners, municipalities, architects, attorneys, realtors, historic preservation specialists and historians. The keynote speaker is Paul Edmondson, Esq., Vice-President, Law and General Counsel, National Trust for Historic Preservation, who will discuss legal issues in the easement process, including IRS regulations. Other panelists are Susanne M. Curran, Curran Realty Advisors, John D. Snook, Senior Advisor, Brandywine Conservancy, Kate Marcopul, from the NJDEP Historic Preservation Office and Kevin Tremble, private homeowner who is donating a preservation easement.

The workshop is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at D&R Greenway’s Johnson Education Center. Registration starts at 9:30 am. You must register in advance (by October 23) by contacting Mary Penney at the D&R Greenway: 609-924-4646, x. 127 / mpenney@drgreenway.org. The $25 fee is payable by credit card or a check made out to D&R Greenway. Lunch and registration refreshments are included. D&R Greenway is located at One Preservation Place, Princeton, just off of Rosedale Road. For directions go to www.drgreenway.org

Small World Gets Bigger for Artists!

Jacqui Alexander

Suzanne Ives Cunningham

Suzanne Ives Cunningham writes to say that she and Jacqui Alexander are now co-curating exhibits for Princeton's Small World Cafe, and they're looking for regional artists to display. You can read more about their upcoming projects and download prospectus for theme shows by clicking here.

Suzanne adds that she's gotten into a couple of juried shows that were posted on this blog, including the Metropolitan Memories exhibit that just opened up in Hudson County. Congratulations! And while I'm at it, I did want to mention that Jacqui was a recipient of TAWA's Stockton Scholarship years ago, as a high school senior. She makes us proud.

In Depth: opportunity for printmakers and photographers

untitled by Sharon Doerner

From the Main Line Art Center in Haverford, PA (it's close...really!) an exhibition opportunity for printmakers and photographers that looks like a terrific opportunity. In their own words:

In Depth: Printmaking and Photography
Dates: Feb 5, 2010 - Mar 2, 2010
First Friday Opening Reception: Feb. 5, 6-9 pm

As part of Philagraphika 2010, an international festival to be held in the region, this exhibition presents thought-provoking and excellent examples of contemporary hand-pulled prints, photography and digital images by professional artists.

Three notable jurors, Cindi Ettinger, Master Printmaker, Toni Rosati, artist and teacher and Peter Barberie, Curator of Photographs, Alfred Stieglitz Center, Philadelphia Museum of Art, will select artists from the region who are pushing the boundaries of printmaking and photography.

Note: they're looking for artists with a comprehensive series of works. Artists must submit 6 images. Download the prospectus for comprehensive information.