X.it Spring 2016 by Monmouth Arts

ARTZINE

SPRING MONMOUTH ARTS QUARTERLY NEWS

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THE MEDDLER 04.21.16 - AND -

MAGGIE’S PLAN 05.19.16 BOWTIE CINEMAS | RED BANK MONMOUTHARTS.ORG/FILMSNEAKPEEK

in this issue

03 LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

04 GET OUT & GET ART SPRING 2016 HIGHLIGHTS OF EVENTS FROM OUR ONLINE EVENTS CALENDAR

105 MONMOUTH STREET RED BANK, NEW JERSEY 07701 P: 732.212.1890 F: 732.212.0530

05 PRINT THINK PROPERLY REPRODUCING YOUR ARTWORK

WWW.MONMOUTHARTS.ORG

OUR STAFF

PHOENIX PRODUCTIONS TAKING THEATRE TO THE NEXT LEVEL AND ENGAGING OUR YOUTH

X•it Artzine is made possible through funding from the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the County Historical Commission, and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State. X•it Artzine is a service mark of the Monmouth County Arts Council. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

09 ARTS + HEALTH COMPELLING STORIES OF THE HEALING POWER OF THE ARTS

12 WORKSHOPS FOR CREATIVES

13 THE CREATIVE ECONOMY

15 ARTS EDUCATION

19 MONMOUTH ARTS MEMBERS (ARTISTS, ARTS GROUPS AND CREATIVE BUSINESSES) ARE INVITED TO SUBMIT ARTICLES FOR X.IT ARTZINE TO ARTSMARKETING@MONMOUTHARTS. ORG ON THE COVER | DANCE PLUS DANCES FOR THE OPENING RECEPTION OF THE MONMOUTH TEENARTS FESTIVAL IN THE BROOKDALE CVA GALLERY PHOTO | SARAH GIBERSON

PUBLIC ART OPEN CALL

20 ARCADIAN CHORALE

21 LOST TRANSLATIONS MONMOUTH ARTS FIRST MIXED MEDIA EXHIBITION IN ARTSPACE105

monmouth arts | SPRING 2016 QUARTERLY UPDATE

letter from the publisher

children want to become a triple threat (dance, voice and acting) or just have fun, Phoenix has something for everyone.

I always take an art class during the winter (for the past several years at Colorest in Red Bank with the talented Ken Stetz). It’s something I look forward to and it makes the dark days of January and February go by so fast and then suddenly it’s spring! I hope the arts got you through the winter! Now that the nicer weather is here there will be more exciting art events inside and outside to take advantage of throughout the MoCo Arts Corridor. Sometimes we don’t appreciate what is in our own backyard, but this issue of X.it highlights some of the extraordinary talent we have right here. In this issue you’ll see that our local Arcadian Chorale and their talented founder and Musical Director Marina Alexander are in demand beyond New Jersey, all the way to Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Tom White, an award-winning designer and image-maker and the founder of Exhibit No.9, gallery + studio for contemporary art in Asbury Park is also the founder and director of 9 Surf Editions, printmakers of museum-quality archival pigment prints. He shares his expertise on how artists and photographers can make prints and editions of their work. In this edition of X.it, we also highlight arts & health. Two articles relate to the impact painting has for older adults, even those with dementia. Riccardo, an artist who teaches at The Atrium, a Springpoint

105 MONMOUTH STREET RED BANK, NEW JERSEY 07701 p: 732.212.1890 f: 732.212.0530 www.monmoutharts.org PUBLISHER MARY EILEEN FOURATT

Senior Living community in Red Bank, organized a one woman exhibition of one of his students whose expressive work astonished him. Karen Starrett an artist and Certified Dementia Practitioner, brings art workshops to senior centers, assisted living and long term care facilities through her business Creative Aging Arts LLC. At the other spectrum, Phoenix Productions, the Red Bank based community theater organization that produces large scale Broadway-quality musicals at Count Basie Theatre, offers year round musical theatre classes and summer camps for children. Whether

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER SARAH GIBERSON JOINED MONMOUTH ARTS IN JANUARY ‘16. SARAH HAS A BA IN DESIGN FROM LEHIGH UNIVERSITY AND IS IN THE PROCESS OF COMPLETING HER MASTER OF ARTS IN COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT AS WELL AS AN ADVANCED GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN ARTS MANAGEMENT + PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT. SARAH HAS ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN MERGING COMMUNICATION AND DESIGN TO CAPTIVATE AUDIENCES AND ENAGAGE THEM WITH THE ARTS.

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EDITORS DANIELLE ACERRA + SARAH GIBERSON DESIGN SARAH GIBERSON

RICHARD MURPHY VAUNE PECK HARRIET PRIMACK LYNN REICH DARELL WILLIS GAIL VAN WINKLE

monmouth arts | SPRING 2016 QUARTERLY UPDATE

SPECIAL EVENTS / CLASSES Visions of Yosemite National Park with Michael S. Miller Apr 24 - Apr 28, 2016 | Yosemite National Park - California More Info Creative Arts & Music Festival Apr 30 - May 1, 2016 | Creative Arts Center Thompson Park More Info

GET

Plein Air Painting Competition Apr 30, 2016 | Thompson Park More Info

VISUAL ARTS

OUT

ART NOW: Eric Barry Drasin and Phillip David Stearns Apr 6, 2016 | Monmouth University’s Wilson Hall More Info Henry Hudson Tri-District Art Show “Voices” Apr 10 - Apr 30, 2016 | Water Witch Coffee More Info Inyoung Seoung, Botanicals and Children’s Art May 7 - May 31, 2016 | The Art Alliance of Monmouth County More Info

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PERFORMING ARTS PERICLES Apr 16 - May 8, 2016 | Two River Theater More Info

ART

CROSSING DELANCEY Apr 29 - Jun 5, 2016 | Center Players More Info MONMOUTH CIVIC CHORUS HEAVENLY HARMONY May 13, 2016 | First Presbyterian Church at Red Bank More Info

SPRING HIGHLIGHTS

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monmouth arts | SPRING 2016 QUARTERLY UPDATE

print think: What does it mean for an artist or photographer to make prints and editions of their work? written by tom white photos provided by tom white

Todays most flexible and marketable art and photography print medium is an unstoppable force. It’s time to abandon the old ways of thinking. Up until recently, archival pigment prints (or Giclées) were considered inferior or cheap imitations. Now they are an integral part of the art world. Their use has opened up and invented new markets and avenues of expression for artists and photographers of all kinds. Museums and galleries have embraced these prints as a rapidly growing number of artists have chosen the medium to produce their final results. The use of the digital platform to create and produce art has opened up numerous possibilities in the making and marketing of art and is widely accepted by well-informed art buyers. Because of this, the lines have blurred even more between what is considered art and photography. Once digitized, what is the true difference between art and photography? This of course has made the heads spin of those who like easy definitions – and is a discussion for another time with the focus now on the production of these images. My favorite anecdote about the full acceptance of the digital print medium in the mindset of key players in the art world has to do with the AIPAD photography show in New York. The show has traditionally focused on vintage photography, with those doing more “artsy” contemporary work hiding in the corners being largely ignored. After all, that’s not photography right? In the 2014 New York Times review of the show, they highlighted the non-vintage participants. Wouldn’t you know the 2015 show was mostly contemporary, experimental and non-traditional with the vintage dealers as the minority. Yes, 70% of the show was produced on archival pigment prints. As a gallery owner, printmaker and artist/designer, I think of the process as the new true mixed media. Here artists of all kinds can bounce back and forth between the analog and digital world, expanding their creative possibilities and audiences. I embraced the digital medium 30 years ago because I saw it as the platform where I could combine all my interests in art and design and produce imagery that could not have been done before. My traditional pre-digital training in printmaking and design was an important informer to my use of the blank computer screen and taught me to keep an open mind to create new things. Here are some points to keep in mind: • Remember: quality in, quality out. Making the (perfect) digital master file is the most important first step. There could be a whole article or seminar on this topic alone. • Choose sizes carefully – it can differentiate you from the crowd. Make prints true to the size of your artistic intent. If you paint 48x48, don’t make 12x12 prints on your home printer to make a few bucks. This devalues both your original work and your prints. Likewise photographers and digital artists should not limit their creative process to how large a print their printers can make. Making the wrong size print is pointless.

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monmouth arts | SPRING 2016 QUARTERLY UPDATE

“A big part of the creative process is knowing how to present your work.” • Decide when to use limited or open editions. Buyers like knowing they have as much of an original as possible. But if you are a young pop or street artist, perhaps a bigger edition at lower prices is right for you since your audience is younger with less money to buy art. • Know your audiences, what they do, what they like, what they collect, and if possible - what their economics are. • Avoid platforms like Society 6, Etsy, and other platforms that churn out tons of prints at a gazillion sizes and print your artwork on cups, t-shirts and paperweights if you are serious about your work. Oddly, this is not true for everyone, either, but tread carefully. • Consider printing as part of the arts development and creative workflow. Prints can be original works or unique prints if you embellish or paint on them. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Finally, a big part of the creative process is knowing how to present your work. Making prints of any kind, especially giclées, is not a copy process but an art process. Presentation and perception are key. Do you treat both your artwork and prints with the same care and esteem? That last question is the key to how you will approach using this print medium.

550-102 COOKMAN AVE ASBURY PARK, NJ 07712 EXHIBITNUMBER9.C0M 9SURFEDITIONS.COM

TOM WHITE IS AN AWARD-WINNING DESIGNER AND IMAGE-MAKER AND THE FOUNDER OF EXHIBIT NO.9, GALLERY + STUDIO FOR CONTEMPORARY ART. HE IS ALSO THE FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF 9 SURF EDITIONS, PRINTMAKERS OF MUSEUM-QUALITY ARCHIVAL PIGMENT PRINTS. THE GALLERY AND STUDIO ARE LOCATED IN ASBURY PARK, NJ.

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TOP 5 REASONS to

JO I N

M O NM OUT H

ART S

networking

opportunities to connect you with the arts & creative community

2 workshops for creatives special rates for

to improve your skills and grow your business

social promotion

free resources share your events on monmoutharts.org apply for grant funding learn about job opportunities

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promotion on social media get featured in X.it digital magazine inclusion in targeted e-blasts

4 exhibit your art hold a meeting host a performance advertise your organization

MONMOUTHART S .O R G /JO IN -US

monmouth arts | SPRING 2016 QUARTERLY UPDATE

rising star

academy phoenix productions

written by jennifer townsend photos provided by phoenix productions

Phoenix Productions, the Red Bankbased community theatre organization, offers year round musical theatre classes taught by the talented artists who craft the musicals you see at Count Basie Theatre. With classes designed and run by a company whose sole purpose is the recreation of Broadway-quality musicals, there is sure to be something to excite all levels of musical theatre enthusiastsboth in front of, and behind the footlights.

The Phoenix Rising Star Academy also has 8-week sessions geared towards more mature Theatre aficionados who are looking to have fun, get fit, learn a new hobby, or feed their musical theatre passion. The program includes a schedule of diverse classes from the Art of the Costume to Musical Theatre Dance Fitness.

At the Rising Star Academy, students of all ages have the rare opportunity to work with instructors that are ‘on the other side of the table’ at the company’s main stage auditions. For example, 0ur For children, we have designed 8-week wildly popular Dance Training class for sessions with the aspiring performer in mind. kids is taught by Phoenix’s very own Classes in Musical Theatre Dance, Voice and Acting are designed to turn out “Triple Threats”, and offer a platform for the young performer (ages 7-17) to shine. The Rising Star Academy also offers Camp Phoenix, a musical theatre summer camp program for youth during the months of July and August. These classes are designed to aid in 59 CHESTNUT STREET RED BANK, NJ 07701 crafting and polishing their skills. The result PHOENIXREDBANK.COM of everyone’s hard work will be displayed 732-455-5462 in two performance pieces that will take place at the end of each three week session.

James Steele. James appeared in his first Phoenix show in 2001. In 2014, he took on his first Phoenix choreography role with Monty Python’s Spamalot. Last year, he returned as a member of the Mary Poppins cast, and as Choreographer for the November revival of Peter Pan. The Rising Star Academy will also be mounting productions for young performers in the very near future. These musicals are adapted from full length productions and made appropriate to be performed by children, but still full of Broadway flare. Be sure to check in on our website and Facebook page for the latest information.

PHOENIX PRODUCTIONS IS THE AWARD-WINNING COMMUNITY THEATRE ORGANIZATION THAT HAS BEEN PRODUCING LARGE SCALE BROADWAY MUSICAL REVIVALS AT THE COUNT BASIE THEATRE FOR OVER 25 YEARS. THEY ARE A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION BASED IN RED BANK.

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arts + health paintings by ruth de marche

Monmouth Arts takes an inside look at how

ART IMPROVES HEALTH + WELLNESS both express and manage emotions. One day a resident of the Atrium told me during a painting class: “These hands, written by riccardo berlingeri so wrinkled, so old ….and yet, I look at I started to teach a painting class at the them and then….things we have in our Atrium at Navesink Harbor, a Springpoint head are interpreted through our hands “. Community two years ago and, because of my interest in the multifaceted aspects of the creative process, I immediately considered my task as a great opportunity I was struck by the way Ruth De Marche to explore the impact that an Art uses her hands since the very first class would have on mature adults. time she attended my painting class I soon found out that the multisensory at the Atrium a couple of years ago. experience of art making unleashes a Before she starts to paint any subject, creative process that can energize and Ruth moves her hands over the blank stimulate memory, free emotions and canvas almost like she is modelling a increase activity levels even in students chunk of invisible clay. I found out soon with no painting skills. Through expressive that this is a way for Ruth to bring to painting my “students” dig into memories life hazy images and emotions stored sometime hidden away in secret recesses in her memory. I always thought how of theirs minds. The access to those full of attractive and significant images memories is unlocked through the key Ruth’s mind must be because of the of painting. The final product, a work richness of her life experiences, but I of visual art, is a result of the true Art, also understood from our first class which is that of living and remembering how difficult it must be for her to give a life lived. Telling their own stories shape and contours to those memories. through Art provides students with social Even when Ruth finally appears ready connections and the opportunities to to paint, her way to deal with the art

art at the Atrium

ruth’s hands

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supplies seems a frenetic investigation for the appropriate way to represent a subject difficult to contain in specific boundaries and whose physiognomy is constantly shifting. This sort of “research”, I believe, is clearly visible in Ruth’s entire work. The subjects of her paintings are not precisely defined, but instead they are the result of countless overlapping brush strokes that evoke the complexity of Ruth’s intense life as a wonderful woman, spouse, mother and, without a doubt, a great artist.

Pictured: Ruth De Marche + Riccardo Berlingeri

monmouth arts | SPRING 2016 QUARTERLY UPDATE

about ruth written by william w. roberts, D.M.D Ruth de Marsche was born in Stuttgart, Germany in 1923. Her father, a Swiss pastry chef, and her mother identified Ruth’s creative talents at an early age. They enrolled her in a recently opened experimental creative arts school named “Die Waldorfshule”, or The Waldorf School. Ruth received her entire education here during the school’s formative years. Immersed in a philosophy that celebrates the beauty of nature and the arts, Ruth flourished spiritually and creatively. After WWII, Ruth married Joseph de Marsche, an army officer. Since Joe was regularly transferred, Ruth and Joe, and their two children Iris and Tanja, lived all over the world. In Japan, Ruth found beauty in the arts of painting, design, gardening, flower arranging and cuisine. In Naples, there was painting, cuisine, creating mosaics, batiks, Italian gardening (pergolas included), and beautiful Positano, where the family often summered. In Mannheim and Heidelberg, Germany, Saint Thomas, USVI, and Tampa, Florida, they were again surrounded by beauty for years. In Ruth’s generation, it was important for

a wife to keep an attractive home and to be able to entertain. Ruth’s mother earlier taught Ruth how to sew, and Ruth continued to perfect those skills. She learned to make her family’s clothing, draperies, bedspreads, tablecloths and more. Her father taught her cooking, and Ruth similarly studied and perfected those skills. Over the years, it is an understatement to say that Ruth became good at home design and cuisine. With Ruth’s eye for beauty, her artistic talent and her drive to excel, she blasted off the charts. Ruth functioned at the level of a Martha Stewart or Julia Childs. Like Martha and Julia, Ruth also functioned at her best with classical music and a glass of Chardonnay.

accomplishments are dizzying. She feels that something always needs to be created, and usually for someone else. So often I have (and still hear) these words by Ruth: “But what can I do for you?” What she has done for others is enormous and it has always come from her heart. Here Ruth is, at 92, prolifically creating what is considered to be her finest art. I am thrilled for her, but not surprised. These expressions of beauty are the essence of Ruth.

Tanja and I wish to personally thank Ricardo Berlingeri for his encouragement and kindness towards Ruth and all of the artists in the “colony”. The jaunt in Ruth’s walk and the brightness in her eyes show her respect and affection for you. Thanks also to you and The Atrium for organizing the art show. It Through marriage to Ruth’s daughter was hugely successful! The residents really Tanja, I have been a privileged enjoyed the event and appeared proud that witness to this fine existence. Ruth’s “one of their own” was being recognized.

PICTURED: RUTH DE MARCHE’S ART SHOW - ORGANIZED BY RICCARDO

RICCARDO BERLINGERI WAS BORN IN ITALY AND HE COMPLETED HIS STUDIES AT THE ACCADEMIA DI BELLE ARTI IN ROME WHERE HE EARNED A MASTER DEGREE IN STAGE AND COSTUME DESIGN. AFTER MANY YEARS OF WORK IN COUNTLESS THEATER PRODUCTIONS, MOVIES, AND SPECIAL EVENTS LIKE THE OPENING CEREMONY OF THE 1990 WORLD CUP SOCCER TOURNAMENT, RICCARDO MOVED IN THE USA IN 1998. AFTER TEACHING ART STUDIO AND ART HISTORY FOR SEVERAL YEARS IN HIGH SCHOOLS IN NEW YORK, HE STARTED CREATING SCULPTURES MADE FROM DISCARDED MATERIALS IN RESPONSE TO HUMANDRIVEN DETERIORATION OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT. RICCARDO BERLINGERI WAS AWARDED A NEW JERSEY STATE COUNCIL ON THE ARTS INDIVIDUAL FELLOWSHIP IN 2012. X•IT ARTZINE 10

“I don’t know where I’m going,

but I’m on my way.” -carl sandberg

art heals written by karen starrett To artist and Certified Dementia Practitioner, Karen Starrett, this meant “keep moving,” her mantra after her 2003 ovarian cancer diagnosis. Karen had given up on creating art for quite some time--until incredible changes in her life made her realize that art could be a part of her journey back to health. Painting proved to be an integral part of her healing process. After a year of chemotherapy, Karen’s stamina returned and she decided she wanted to use art to help others. Karen applied and was accepted into a program where artists are trained to be HospitalArtists-in Residence. The following year, Karen was awarded a fellowship in “Creative Aging” where she trained with top professionals in the field of aging. Karen’s incredible artistic talents, along with her spirit to overcome obstacles, made her an ideal candidate for teaching art classes and creating a therapeutic environment for the elderly or ill.

Karen kept moving. Based on her sensibilities as a working

artist, she developed an arts curriculum specifically for older adults with varying cognitive and physical abilities. For the past four years, Karen’s organization, Creative Aging Arts, LLC, has been facilitating art workshops in senior centers, assisted living and long term care facilities. “Engaging older adults through art is a profound and rewarding experience for me. I know first hand the power of art to lift the spirit and as a place to take risks and be challenged. In addition, it’s fun to make things!” Karen’s artist credits include being inducted into the National Association of Women Artists, acceptance as a Noyes Museum Signature Artist and an Exhibiting Artist at the Guild for Creative Arts. She has had solo exhibits at the Johnson and Johnson Headquarters and additional regional galleries, and frequently exhibits in group shows. Karen’s work has been exhibited at The Belskie Museum and at the Monmouth Museum, where her painting and sculpture have received awards. KAREN STARRETT IS A CERTIFIED NJ ART TEACHER AND WILL BE COMPLETING HER ADVANCED CERTIFICATION IN GERONTOLOGY FROM RUTGERS UNIVERSITY BY SUMMER. KAREN FACILITATES ART WORKSHOPS FOR AGING ADULTS THROUGH HER COMPANY, CREATIVE AGING ARTISTS, LLC.

photos provided by karen starrett

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workshops for

c reative s Join Tom White, printmaker and director of 9 Surf Editions and founder of Exhibit No. 9 gallery and studio for contemporary art in Asbury Park, NJ for an in depth look at Giclée printing for artists & photographers! -what are Giclées (archival pigment prints) and how can you benefit by including them in your creative workflow and marketing of your artwork or photography -the process of making Giclées -the art of planning editions of your work - best practices Tom’s experience exhibiting and selling art and prints gives him a unique perspective on how artists can make best use of Giclées.

photo provided by tom white

Cost is $25 for members; $35 for non members. Hurry - space is limited!

Attention Monmouth County nonprofit arts organizations and community groups that do arts programming: It’s time for Monmouth Arts’ Fiscal Year 2017 ArtHelps Local Arts Grant Application Workshops! In partnership with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, we offer ArtHelps Local Arts Program Grants to provide access to quality arts experiences in Monmouth County communities. Each year, the program supports more than 2,500 high-quality, low-cost exhibitions, concerts, performances, workshops, and arts festivals that serve over 700,000 children and adults. Read more about the program on our website. Is your organization currently or have you been in the grant pool, and need a refresher on the Monmouth Arts grant application process? Or perhaps you’ve got a new staff member to help with the grant application, and they need to get up to speed? Monmouth Arts will hold two free workshops on the ArtHelps Grant Application process and ADA requirements on Monday, May 2, at 6:30 pm and Tuesday, May 3 at 10:00 am. Newcomers are welcome too! Need help with Strategic Planning? Don’t miss Pat Richter’s Strategic Planning workshop on Wednesday, May 11 at 6:30 pm. Free for Monmouth Arts members and only $20 for nonmembers! Not a member? Join us! All workshops are at Monmouth Arts. FY 2017 Applications will be available in April and are due on June 13, 2016.

RSVP for a workshop or direct questions to Danielle Acerra, Community Engagement Manager: arthelps@monmoutharts.org or 732-212-1890 x 3 X•IT ARTZINE 12

monmouth arts | SPRING 2016 QUARTERLY UPDATE

looking back: A review of Monmouth Arts’ creative economy initiative this past winter excerpts from “measuring monmouth county’s creative economy” by the monmouth county division of planning In following with the national trend, Monmouth County has conducted this study of its own creative economy. The study’s purpose is to evaluate and analyze the creative and cultural industries and employees within Monmouth County, and to determine the level of economic contributions that Monmouth County’s cultural and creative industries provide. from VALUE OF ARTS NONPROFITS (2016, 12-13)

Nonprofit art organizations, which receive the status from the federal government, are exempt from Federal, state, and local taxes. Despite this status, nonprofit arts organizations are far from a financial drain on municipal budgets and regional economies. Primarily, nonprofit organizations receive this status under the assumption that they will provide a social good to the community. Art organizations found in Monmouth County fulfill this requirement by providing unique entertainment, promoting social interaction and a sense of community, funding public art projects, fostering the understanding and appreciation of arts, and providing educational services to children and adults. 13 X•IT ARTZINE

The value of these services are not always quantifiable in monetary terms. Furthermore, many nonprofit arts organizations lack formal headquarters, meaning most do not avoid paying property tax. For example, 11 out of 18 nonprofit art organizations in Red Bank do not have an actual headquarters. Instead, they use fundraising and grant funding to rent out space in existing establishments such as churches, community centers, or schools. This has the ancillary benefits of helping to support such establishments. Other organizations that do have a headquarters pay rent to landowners. Nonprofit organizations whose main function is retail, such as a nonprofit art dealer, are still required to charge sales tax on sold items. In addition, there is evidence that nonprofit art organizations actually help to promote economic activity in the downtowns that they are located in. A study published by the National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies (NALAA) in 1994 studied arts activity in 33 towns and cities across America, tracking jobs, income, revenues, and expenditures over a threeyear period. The study found that

nonprofit arts promote economic wellbeing by generating income to individuals along with local, state, and Federal government revenue. There are two reasons for this: 1. Nonprofit art organizations bring in outside money in the form of grants and also generate revenue through fundraising and ticket sales. This money is then spent on local services, such as advertising, construction, painting, accounting, and other services. MoCo Arts Corridor’s nonprofit art organizations have an estimated $24,074,698 in expenses annually. Using the Americans for the Arts Economic Impact Calculator, those approximate $24 million in expenditures are estimated to support 801 full time jobs and generate $978,636 in local government revenue and $1,295,459 in state government revenue (Americans for the Arts, 2012). 2. Nonprofit art organizations act as anchor establishments, drawing in tourists from neighboring areas who then spend money at restaurants and shops. The Count Basie

monmouth arts | SPRING 2016 QUARTERLY UPDATE

The MoCo Arts Corridor is estimated to be responsible for

“801 full time jobs and generat[ing] $978,636 in local government revenue and $1,295,459 in state government revenue.”

photos provided by zeybrah

photos provided by monmouth civc chorus

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER AND ARTIST DANIELLE ACERRA HAS BEEN WITH MONMOUTH ARTS SINCE 2013. SHE WORKS WITH ARTISTS, ARTS GROUPS, CREATIVE BUSINESSES AND OTHERS TO CONNECT THE ARTS TO OTHER SECTORS AND THE PUBLIC. DANIELLE LIVES HER PASSION FOR COMMUNITY BUILDING AND EDUCATION THROUGH THE ARTS.

Theatre in Red Bank for example, attracts approximately 200,000 guests annually. Having these establishments provides a significant boost in revenue for nearby restaurants, hotels, retail, parking, and other stores and services. Americans for the Arts conducts periodic surveys on spending activity of audiences drawn by nonprofit art establishments. The most recent study, “Arts & Economic Prosperity IV” found that a typical attendee of the arts spends an average of $24.60 per person per event, beyond the cost of admission (Americans for the Arts 2012). Similar average spending amounts were found for the City of Princeton, City of Newark, and Bergen County, with average spending being $24.03, $25.59, and $22.48, respectively. For all locations, meals and refreshments made up the largest spending by attendees, followed by overnight lodging (Americans for the Arts 2010). Based on this, it is clear that nonprofit arts organizations provide more than just social good to communities, they are a revenue positive economic generator.

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monmouth arts | SPRING 2016 QUARTERLY UPDATE

arts education

a county full of creative beasts written by manda gorsegner

photo | sarah giberson

photo | elyse badal

Inspiration, ambition and energy filled the hallways, studios, theater and arena on the Brookdale Community College campus just a few short weeks ago. Teens from across Monmouth County gathered to showcase 617 pieces of artwork—including poetry and prose— and 119 performances they had been working on for months leading up to the festival. Over two jampacked days, exhibitions, performances, professional critiques, arts workshops, and student contests activated the arts facilities on campus—bringing life to the quiet space during Brookdale’s official spring break. This year’s Monmouth Teen Arts Festival theme? Creative Beasts. A play on the artist as a creative beast as well as the beast or animal served as inspiration for workshops, artwork and performances. Our opening reception kicked off the event with dancers performing, “Let Loose the Horses,” where sound and movement filled the space in the Center for Visual Arts Gallery—beautifully choreographed and performed by six dancers (cover photo). The following two days kicked into high gear with student critiques in their respective arts fields, along with beastly workshops and beast-inspired artwork and performances.

“It was really nice to see all the other schools and how talented they are. It’s nice seeing everyone else’s work.” photo | sarah giberson

Students explored their inner beast through mask-making, X•IT ARTZINE 16

photo | sarah giberson

created animal totems in an art therapy workshop, manipulated and assembled animals from recycled materials, and had their faces painted—transforming themselves into creative beasts. Liquitex sponsored the Beastly Collaborations workshop, exploring new mediums and paint concentrations, handing out samples to workshop participants. Alongside workshops, the visual art and photography students took the theme and ran with it in their own artwork! Many of the exhibited pieces portrayed literal and metaphorical representations of what “creative beast” meant to them. While every year’s theme is inspirational, students are in no way required to adhere to the theme in order to present work at the festival. Several arts educators contacted me in the fall of 2015, asking about the festival’s theme in advance. Many schools take the Monmouth Teen Arts Festival platform as a building block to develop a curriculum project. The festival has become an integrated and muchanticipated event for over 25 schools in Monmouth County! On Thursday, March 17, visual art, dance, choir, musical

“I like Teen Arts because after seeing the other peoples’ work, I get to go back to my school—Saint Rose High School—and produce more interesting pieces.” 17 X•IT ARTZINE

photo | elyse badal

theater, vocal solos & ensembles, and poetry & prose filled the professional critique schedule. On Friday, March 18, photography, video, drama, piano, jazz, instrumental solos & ensembles, and additional visual art rounded out the schedule. With 12 arts disciplines for students to engage in, it’s crucial for the success of this festival that we strategically spread out our arts categories. With 1,700 students buzzing around campus over two short days, the schedule of professional critiques, workshops, activities and contests becomes a complex, interconnected system of gears. Once things officially kick off on Wednesday

photo | elyse badal

evening, we let the gears start spinning and work tirelessly to keep them oiled until the last school departs on Friday afternoon. The Monmouth Teen Arts Festival not only provides professional critiques to students to improve their artwork— but it provides peer support and inspiration. One student commented, “I like Teen Arts because after seeing the other peoples’ work, I get to go back to my school— Saint Rose High School—and produce more interesting pieces.” Another commented on the supportive environment

the festival offers, “It was really nice to see all the other schools and how talented they are. It’s nice seeing everyone else’s work.” All of us at Monmouth Arts, along with the teaching artists and volunteers that help us make the festival run smoothly, have seen firsthand this level of peer support from the amazingly talented teens in our county. Students are cheering for each other after performances and giving heartfelt compliments to others they’ve never met before. This festival not only enriches and inspires the individual artists, it helps to build an arts community among our next generation of thinkers and doers. photo | sarah giberson

NOMINATIONS FOR ARTS EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR The NJ State Teen Arts Festival, an opportunity for nominated students from our county’s festival to go on to the state level, is accepting nominations for Arts Educator of the Year! One NJ Arts Educator will be awarded a stipend of $1,500 and will be recognized at the opening ceremony to the NJ State Teen Arts Festival. The award is for an arts educator who has transformed their school or district by their dedication to the teaching of an art form. Nominations may only come from school principals and arts supervisors. To nominate an individual, please fill out a nominating form and return to the Arts & Education Center by April 30, 2016.

MANDA GORSEGNER IS THE ARTS EDUCATION MANAGER AT MONMOUTH ARTS. SHE RECENTLY COMPLETED HER MASTERS PROGRAM, STUDYING ARTS ADMINISTRATION FOR NON-PROFIT VISUAL ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AT DREXEL UNIVERSITY. AS AN ARTIST AND RESEARCHER, MANDA IS INTERESTED IN THE INTERSECTION AND COLLABORATION OF ART AND THE SCIENCES. SHE VOLUNTEERS FOR COMMUNITY ART PROJECTS, GRANT WRITING, AND ART AND EVIRONMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS.

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PUBLIC ART OPEN CALL Artists from across New Jersey are invited to submit proposals for a temporary or permanent public art sculpture/installation/mural in Monmouth County. There are no thematic limits for proposals. Monmouth Arts welcomes diverse ideas from singular or collaborative artists to create public art for the benefit of the community. Please consider our broader goals when creating your proposals: GOALS: • The art should be inclusive and engage diverse audiences. • The art should capture the attention of passersby and draw new viewers in. • The art should allow for community interaction in its production or in its function. • The art should encourage viewers to think about a particular relevant issue in our region or encourage viewers to consider the role of art in the community. Interested artists need to consider content and community interaction components. Once submissions close on April 15, 2016, an unaffiliated panel of public art experts will make the final selection. All artists will receive notifications after the deadline. Monmouth Arts is asking artists to submit their qualifications and their concept for the project, which should meet the goals stated above. Once a selection has been made by the panel, Monmouth Arts will invite Monmouth County municipalities, community groups, individuals, and property owners to apply to be the public art site. Artists may, or may not, have a site already in mind for a public art installation and should indicate if the concept is site-specific or what type of location is being considering. A site proposal is not required for this application. Monmouth Arts will help to identify potential towns and spaces that would like public art. The chosen public art installation is expected to begin sometime in late 2016 or early 2017. Requirements for Proposal Submission: • CV (no longer than 2 pages) • Artist Statement (500 words) • Thoughtfully-written Concept Proposal for a community arts project that meets the above stated goals, while keeping the current budget in mind (2-3 pages) • 3-5 digital images of your previous public art project(s). Include an image list with: Title, Collaborators (if any, Date, Medium, Location • 2 References (include full name, affiliation to you, phone number and email address) Submit your completed application to: Danielle Acerra, Community Engagement Manager ArtHelps@MonmouthArts.org | (732) 212-1890 x3 19 X•IT ARTZINE

want to sing at carnegie hall? CONSIDER THE ARCADIAN CHORALE

photo from youtube.com/arcadianchorale

Twenty-three seasons—7 trips to Carnegie Hall—4 appearances at Lincoln Center—1 exceptional celebration at the NJPAC— and all by an ensemble based right here in Monmouth County! Riding on the wings of an outstanding musical reputation, the Arcadian Chorale has consistently been in demand for special projects throughout the NY-NJ metro area. The 70-voice chorus, led by its founder, Marina Alexander, has explored a wide range of repertory, singing everything from great masterworks to world premieres of new music. And it has done so with passion, dedication…and pure fun! The group’s first trip to Carnegie Hall took place in 2001, when it was invited to participate in a performance of Beethoven’s iconic Ninth Symphony. In the notoriously difficult fourth movement, the Chorale sang with confidence, with a full and commanding tone that transfixed the audience---and thus, the ensemble’s reputation for excellence was born. That seminal trip was soon followed by other concerts at Carnegie Hall, notably in 2002, when Ms. Alexander made her own debut there conducting Dvorak’s Te Deum, and the world premiere of her orchestration of Edgar Bainton’s profoundly beautiful anthem, And I Saw A New Heaven. The ensemble was also a key part in the NY premiere of Ermione, a lost opera by Rossini, and in performances

of works by Mozart and Poulenc. A true highpoint in the Chorale’s history was the invitation in 2008 from legendary conductor David Randolph to collaborate with his own St. Cecelia Chorus for a performance of the Verdi Requiem at Carnegie Hall. A musician of Mr. Randolph’s stature could have had his pick of the best ensembles in the tri-state area—and he chose Arcadian Chorale, stating that he could find only the highest praise for the group and Ms. Alexander. The performance was magical. At Alice Tully Hall in 2011, the Chorale had the pleasure of singing the world premiere of American composer Vijay Singh’s Mass with Orchestra. And just across the plaza, the ensemble sang in two special events at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall. In 2010, in honor of Martin Luther King Day, the

PO BOX 806 MATAWAN, NJ 07747 ARCADIANCHORALE.ORG 732-441-1061

group sang the Concert for Peace, featuring a multi-media presentation of Welsh composer Karl Jenkins’ Requiem. That was soon followed by a rousing performance of Handel’s Messiah at that same hall. So, how do you get to Carnegie Hall? For sure, practice, practice, practice! But equally important is a spirit of dedication, and an openness to new possibilities. The Chorale’s members have eagerly embraced the pleasures that collaboration with other choruses and orchestras can offer, and they have brought only their best efforts to each project. For their Music Director, Marina Alexander, it has been a fascinating and beautiful musical journey, one that she and Arcadian Chorale can be proud of as they continue to bring great music to life at major venues, and here in the community. They have a passion to sing!

THE ARCADIAN CHORALE IS A CHORAL & VOCAL MUSIC ENSEMBLE BASED IN MONMOUTH COUNTY, NJ. THE GROUP PERFORMS AT SITES THROUGHOUT METROPOLITAN NY-NJ, AND SERVES THE COMMUNITY BY PARTICIPATING IN MANY SPECIAL EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THE ENSEMBLE IS ONE OF THE MOST ACTIVE IN THE STATE, AND HAS PERFORMED MUSIC FROM THE RENAISSANCE THROUGH THE 21ST CENTURY.

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LOSTCONNECTIONS

LOST CONNECTIONS EXHIBITION FEATURES THE ART OF CHRISTY O’CONNOR, ANDREA B. D’ALESSANDRO AND KATE EGGLESTON written by danielle acerra Monmouth ArtSpace 105 (Red Bank, NJ, April - June 2016): Opening Reception Friday, April 15, 5:30-7:30pm

Monmouth Arts' member gallery, ArtSpace 105, presents its first mixed media exhibition, Lost Connections, featuring local artists Christy O'Connor, Andrea B. D'Alessandro and Kate Eggleston. Through sculpture and photography, Lost Connections investigates the disconnect that we experience by being connected to technology: "In our current age of constant connectivity through technology, we isolate ourselves from our own communities. As we reach out further, and continue to connect ourselves through various forms of communication, we continue to disconnect from our environments, both physically and psychologically. Lost Connections examines the notion of bringing distant communities together, while collapsing the closest communities of family and neighbor. As we build upon those distant communities, we allow our physical surroundings to crack and deteriorate." Lost Connections will be on display at Artspace 105 from April through June. Check out the artists' work online for more information and to get a sneak peek their work:

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Christy O'Connor works with various materials, including found and repurposed objects. She experiments with process and materials, creating mixed media works and sculpture. O'Connor's work has a dark underlying tone to it, which has a very organic feeling. Her work is meant to evoke feelings of discomfort and loss, through imagery that balances on a fine line of beauty and delicacy, and corrosive harshness.

Instagram: kate.eggleston Website: kateeggs.com Monmouth ArtSpace 105 is free and open to the public during our office hours Monday thru Friday 9:30 am4:30 pm and during Red Bank Visitor’s Center hours Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 am-4:00 pm. Opening Reception will be held on Friday, April 15 from 5:307:30 pm. The exhibition runs through June 30, 2016.

O'Connor received her BA in Visual Art from Ramapo College of NJ in 2006. After a seven year hiatus from art, she began creating works again and participating in various exhibitions. She lives in and works in central New Jersey. Instagram: christyoconnor1 Website: christyoconnor.deimosdesigns.com Andrea B. D'Alessandro pushes the boundaries in photography by playing with exposures and watercolors. Andrea's long and double exposure images conjure feelings of enchantment, while her splashes of paint turn her monochrome images into something quite out of the ordinary. Andrea B. D'Alessandro received her BFA in Photography from The University of The Arts Philadelphia in 2012. She has displayed her art in solo and group exhibitions in the New York metropolitan area and the Delaware Valley region. Andrea currently lives at the Jersey Shore where she works as a documentary and wedding photographer. Online Portfolio: ABD-Photography.com www.facebook.com/photographyabd Kate Eggleston employs found objects, textiles, and homespun techniques to create work about gender roles, motherhood, and sexuality with a mix of whimsy and aggression. Her latest work, Automaton, is a collaborative installation with long-time friend and artist Christy O'Connor (shown at Artworks Trenton 2016). At the intersection of technology and feminism, Automaton is a manifestation of identity and gender degradation. Eggleston received her BA in Visual Art from Ramapo College of NJ in 2005. She attended artist residencies at _gaia studio (Wonder Women 9: Superfood) in 2015 and the Tyler School of Art at Temple University (Summer Sculpture Intensive) in 2012. She lives and works in central New Jersey with her family.

ANDREA B. D’ALESSANDRO

Monmouth Arts, a 501(c)(3) organization founded in 1971, is the official Arts Agency of Monmouth County. The programs of Monmouth Arts are made possible in part through funding from the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Monmouth Arts’ mission is to enrich the community by inspiring and fostering the arts. Monmouth Arts strengthens small and emerging arts organizations with grants and workshops, engages over 2,000 teen artists, arts educators and professional artists at the annual Monmouth Teen Arts Festival and Arts Education Awards, connects businesses, government and arts groups through the MoCo Arts Corridor Partnership and advocates for the arts on a local, federal and state level. For more information about Monmouth Arts, visit www.monmoutharts.org. X•IT ARTZINE 22

photo | sarah giberson