Wearing Your Heart on Their Plate

STARS (the South Trenton Area Residents' Society), is seeking Artists of all ages to decorate wooden hearts for their 1st Annual “Hearts and Stars” Silent Auction taking place at ARTWORKS on Saturday February 27 from 6:00 - 9:00pm. There are no rules about how these hearts can be decorated – they just ask that artists be creative! Plain hearts can be picked up at several Trenton business locations listed on the STARS website. (NOTE: Hearts are free and should be returned to any of these same locations before Saturday, February 20th. Hearts can be picked up starting Wednesday January 20th.)

STARS is also inviting artists working in all mediums (paintings, photographs, sculpture, poetry, found objects, etc.) to enter work in the one-day exhibition, "Depictions of Trenton," also taking place at ARTWORKS February 27. Artwork for this exhibit must include Trenton as the subject matter or theme of the piece. The “Depictions of Trenton” work must be for sale, with 75% going to the artist and a 25% commission going to support STARS.

This is a little complicated; so if you’re interested, check out the FAQ section of the STARS website for more information about this event.

All proceeds from the Hearts and from commission on sale of works in the Depictions of Trenton display will go to support STARS new community garden effort in South Trenton.

Spreading the "Love" in Princeton

Credit: Ahmed Rabea/flickr

Small World Coffee’s two cafes features its first annual juried LOVE SHOW in February with works by 36 artists represented. “In an effort to spread the love...” Small World Coffee will be hosting an opening night party for the show, with all proceeds from the evening going to support the Arts Council of Princeton.

Opening party: Friday, February 5th, 8:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m; suggested donation $20. The event features tasty snacks; a SILENT AUCTION with donated art works by featured artists including Ellie Wyeth, Paul Muldoon, Ifat Schatsky, Robin Resch, Pamela Kogen, and Jannick Wildberg: live performances by local musicians Chris Harford, Dinner, and Sarah Donner and additional music provided by DJ Nim. “Love Show 2010” t-shirts will be for sale, with all proceeds going to the Arts Council.

Opening Party: “LOVE” Friday February 5th from 8:00 to 11:00 pm at Small World’s original location at 14 Witherspoon Street. The Art Show is on display February 3 to March 3 2010 at both Small World Coffee sites: 14 Witherspoon Street and 254 Nassau Street, both in Princeton, NJ.

Heading South

The Riverfront Renaissance Center for the Arts has also recently announced their 2010 exhibition schedule which will include several themed or media-specific open juried shows (including a photography exhibit.) You can access the list and specific eligibility requirements by clicking on the “Artist Opportunity” link on the home page of their website. Amy Sullivan, director of the Center, has also developed a general guide which includes specific requirements for artists entering any of the shows at the Center. If you’re interested, you can request one from her by emailing amy.sullivan@rrcarts.com

Springtime's Around the Corner and Down the Coast

Have you got the summertime blues? Find yourself longing for a whiff of salt air? or just looking for an excuse to make an early run to the Jersey shore? The Ocean City Fine Arts League offers a series of themed Visual Arts exhibitions that are open to area artists. They have issued a Call for Artists for an upcoming exhibit, Springtime. Artists working in the following media are invited to submit up to two pieces: oils, acrylics, watercolor, pastel, mixed media, 3 D, textiles and photography. Works must be for sale (the OCFAL receives a 33% commission), and must be delivered to OCFAL on Saturday, February 27 (10 am – 4 pm) or Sunday, February 28 (10 am – 1 pm). (Work not selected must be picked up on Thursday, March 4 between 10 am and 4:30 pm). One cash prize ($100) for Best in Show and six ribbon awards. The reception will be on Friday, March 12, 7 – 9 pm.

Work must be delivered to:
Ocean City Fine Arts League
608 Asbury Ave.
Ocean City, NJ 08226

For a full prospectus, click here. Browse the League’s site for additional opportunities.

Art DEco Opens

Art D'Eco Opening Reception
6-9 PM Friday, Feb. 12
Gallery 125, 125 S. Warren St., Trenton

Free Weekend Parking beginning at 5 PM Friday at the Liberty Commons Parking Garage, Front Street between Warren and Broad.

Gi-tar Man or Woman Needed

internet image from Great Britain

Hey, musicians:

The Trenton Community Music School is seeking GUITAR TEACHER/S for two different time slots at two different locations:

Tuesdays 3:30 – 8:30 pm at the 716 Bellevue Avenue, Trenton location

and

Saturdays 9 am – 12 at the 520 Chestnut Avenue, Trenton location

To apply for one or both time slots, email your resume to: tcms.nj@verizon.net (the Director of the school is Marcia Wood). Questions can also be sent to that email.

Mercer County Artists!!!

The Gallery, MCCC

The Prospectus for this year’s Mercer County Artists exhibition has been mailed out, so artists on the mailing list should be looking for their copy in the mail this week. The prospectus is also available for download as a pdf on The Gallery page of Mercer County Community College’s website.

Jurying will take place this year at The Gallery on MCCC’s West Windsor campus (directions) on Saturday, February 13. Drop off your work (1 or 2 pieces) between 9:30 am and noon. Pick up works not selected for this year’s exhibit between 3:45 pm and 5 pm. Show dates for the exhibit will be February 22 – April 1, 2010.

Juror:
This year’s juror is C.J. Mugavero, who is currently celebrating her 24th year as a gallery owner and art dealer. Her current Artful Deposit Gallery is located on Farnsworth Avenue in historic Bordentown City, NJ. (The original Artful Deposit gallery was in Monmouth County.) C.J. is also the on-air host and producer of "Artful Living with C.J.", available for view on Comcast and on the web at Youtube.com.

This exhibit is sponsored by the Mercer County Cultural & Heritage Commission. Each year works on display are selected for Mercer County Purchase Awards. These works are purchased and become part of the County’s permanent art collection.

Art D'Eco (...d'eco...d'eco...d'eco...)

Zen, paper collage by Kat Block

Art D’Eco, an exhibition featuring thirty-four works of art with a “green” theme will be on display at Gallery 125 from February 12 through April 3, 2010, with an opening reception Friday, February 12, from 6 to 9 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

“...Art D’Eco showcases art that utilizes found objects, recycled materials, non-traditional materials and raises awareness about the impact of environmental issues affecting us. Included in the exhibit are an assortment of works that span the utilitarian, fantastical and whimsical...”

The juror for this exhibit was Michelle Barfoot, Associate Professor of Digital Media Arts at Mercer MCCC. In addition to her work as an educator, Michelle (BFA, Studio Art and Masters, Industrial Design) is an artist who uses her work to explore human experience and meaning in a digital ecosphere.

The gallery is located at 125 S. Warren St. at the corner of W. Lafayette St., across from the Trenton Marriott. The reception is part of downtown’s monthly Trenton2Nite festivitiesGallery hours are Tuesday through Friday noon to 6 p.m. and Saturday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information contact the gallery at 609- 989-9119.

WWAC Seeks Talent for Inaugural Season

Hassidic Rabbi Bottle Dancers (NYC)

From the West Windsor Arts Council:

The new West Windsor Arts Center will open in the historic Alexander Road firehouse in September 2010 with its premiere season of performing and visual arts. The West Windsor Arts Council is seeking proposals for its Grand Opening Celebration Season, September through December 2010. Our initial season will showcase a diverse range of styles and genres, reflecting the diversity of the West Windsor community and the types of arts programs that will be a part of future offerings. Materials submitted will be reviewed and performers will be selected by the WWAC Programming Committee. If you have any questions, please email: info@westwindsorarts.org.

Submission materials

For performances including theatre, dance, instrumental and/or vocal music, performance art, puppetry, poetry, spoken word, stand-up, improv comedy, staged readings, multimedia works, or any combination of or yet to be named genres include:

1. Marketing/Supporting Materials
A listing of upcoming and recent performances
DVD or CD of the proposed work
References & reviews

2. Performing Artist Information
Name, current address, phone number, email address, and website (if applicable)
Resumé of the individual submitting the proposal and bios of all collaborators
How would you classify your work? (see list under “Submission materials” header, above.)
A short (one-page maximum) written narrative describing the work you wish to present

3. Performance Information
Age of intended audience
Space requirements
Technical requirements: what you will provide and what you will need from us
Load-in and set-up
Minimum fee requirement if applicable
Approximate length of proposed performance
Number of performers and specific collaborators you intend to engage
Has the piece been presented previously? Where and when?

The West Windsor Arts Center performance space is 52’x 38’ with flexible staging and holds 120 seats. If you would like your submission materials returned, please include a self-addressed, stamped envelope. We will not return submission materials without an SASE.

SEND SUBMISSION MATERIAL TO:
West Windsor Arts CenterAttn: Programming Task Force, P.O. Box 952, West Windsor, NJ 08550

POSTMARK DEADLINE: MARCH 1, 2010

And yet more outdoors!

Atlantic City Press photo from last year's event

The Noyes Museum of Art: Hammonton and the Hammonton Arts Center seek plein air artists to participate in the 2nd Annual Hammonton Plein-Air Competition taking place on Saturday, April 10th, 2010 in downtown Hammonton, NJ. It’s an early start!!! To be eligible, you MUST register on-site between 7:30 am-9:00 am at The Noyes Museum of Art: Hammonton on South Second Street. Painting may begin as soon as you are registered & stamped.

It’s a daylong event: All works to be juried must be at Hammonton Art Center by 5pm (artists can enter up to 4 pieces completed that day to be juried. Jury selection begins at 5:30 and awards will be announced at 6:30pm (open to the public). There are cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place, and an “emerging artist.” These four award pieces and 12 additional pieces will be selected for an exhibition at the Noyes Museum:Hammonton site. Remaining pieces will exhibited at the Hammonton Art Center. Entry fee is $25. For full prospectus and more information, go to the Noyes Museum’s website.



Juror: Stan Sperlak


Artist, art instructor, Stan Sperlak's latest works focuses primarily on the landscape of the Mid Atlantic. His strongest influences are Robert Henri, George Inness, William Lathrop and NC Wyeth. He has taught and lectured for many years, and is the owner and instructor at Crow Creek Farm in Goshen, NJ. He is currently represented in numerous galleries, including SOMA Gallery in Cape May, NJ, William Ris Gallery in Stone Harbor, NJ, Main Line Art in Philadelphia PA, and Hardcastle Gallery in Wilmington, DE. He is a member of the Mid Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association and the Cape May County Art League, and a juried member of the Pastel Society of America, and the Maryland and Colorado Pastel societies.