45th Anniversary Edition | X it Winter 2016 by Monmouth Arts

SHOP LOCAL THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

45thanniversary | winter edition

letter from the publisher

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

pat hassenkamp At this time of year, I count my blessings and turn my thoughts to giving. I moved to Monmouth County 23 years ago from Brooklyn. It was the American dream—raising my children in the suburbs, buying a home with a huge yard, and joining a community with good schools. What I found here in Monmouth County turned out to be so much more. The friends and neighbors we’ve met, the sense of community and caring we’ve found, and the excellent schools my children have attended have enriched our lives. We have thrived here—and the arts thrive here as well! I started working for Monmouth Arts in 1998 (almost 19 years now!). As the official county arts agency, we partner with the New Jersey State Council on the Arts on our Local Arts Program, which awards almost $95,000 in grants each year to arts organizations in Monmouth County. I’ve attended many events produced by our grantees and the wealth of creative expression in our area always impresses me. This issue of X.it really highlights the local arts organizations that we support. Two of these groups were awarded mini grants: The Shine 100 project at the Long Branch Library, an exhibition of photos of 100 Long Branch Women, by photographer Andrea Phox and the Brookdale Visiting Artist Program. The Brookdale Visiting Artist Program brings established or emerging professional artists and designers from a broad spectrum of media to the Department of Art at Brookdale Community College, to conduct a Studio Workshop and a public lecture and to engage with students, faculty and the community at large. One of our stellar long time grant recipients, The Guild of Creative Art has embraced new

PUBLISHER PAT HASSENKAMP EDITORS DANIELLE ACERRA + MANDA GORSEGNER DESIGN SARAH GIBERSON © 2016 X•IT ARTZINE 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.

collaborations within the community. You can read about new and exciting partnerships and opportunities for learning in this edition. This is the first year of the Monmouth Film Festival and it’s very exciting to see a new organization succeed. Kick off the MFF on December 16th at their Filmmaker Networking Event. Mark your calendar on December 17th & 18th for film screenings at the Two River Theater. This issue also includes articles written by some of our individual artist members. Read about the personal experiences of Cheryl Auditor & Hal Kahn and the transformative power of the arts. Learn more about Oasis, whose mission is to promote inclusion and acceptance of autistic individuals into their local communities by establishing environmentally exemplary farm centers that provide meaningful work, peaceful and healthy

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER SARAH GIBERSON HAS A BA IN DESIGN FROM LEHIGH UNIVERSITY AND A MASTER OF ARTS IN COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT. SHE IS CURRENTLY WORKING TOWARDS AN ADVANCED GRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN ARTS DEVELOPMENT + PROGRAM MANAGEMENT. SARAH HAS ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN MERGING COMMUNICATION AND DESIGN TO CAPTIVATE AUDIENCES AND ENGAGE THEM WITH THE ARTS.

residences and community interaction. The artistic ability of their students is impressive. They are talented painters, sculptors, carpenters, weavers and bakers. Perhaps your gift list calls for a unique handmade item. So at this time of year, I’m thankful that I have a job I love and a wonderful family. I have an abundance of memories of concerts, art openings, plays, and other events that I’ve had the pleasure to attend. My holiday giving includes tickets to a performance and my annual appeal donation to Monmouth Arts! Be sure to Shop for the Arts on our website when doing your holiday shopping and please contribute to Monmouth Arts Annual Appeal – 45th Anniversary Fund for the Future, so we can continue to support the arts in our community for generations to come. We greatly appreciate your support and wish you a happy and healthy holiday season.

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

in this issue

01 LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

03 GET OUT & GET ART WINTER 2016 HIGHLIGHTS OF EVENTS FROM OUR ONLINE EVENTS CALENDAR

04 105 MONMOUTH STREET RED BANK, NEW JERSEY 07701 P: 732.212.1890 F: 732.212.0530

ARTSPACE105: WINGED THINGS

WWW.MONMOUTHARTS.ORG

SHINE 100 PUSHING PAST BOUNDARIES WITH FEMININE IMAGERY

OUR STAFF

ACTING EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | PAT HASSENKAMP

MONMOUTH FILM FESTIVAL

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT MANAGER | DANIELLE ACERRA MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER | SARAH GIBERSON

ARTS EDUCATION MANAGER | MANDA GORSEGNER

WHO IS THE SHREWSBURY CHORALE

COMMUNICATIONS INTERN | KRISTIN HUNGERFORD

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.

11 OASIS TLC: A PRODUCTIVE LIFE IS A HAPPY LIFE

12 THE ART OF HEALING

13 BCC’S VISITING ARTIST SERIES

15 ACTIVATING CREATIVITY

MONMOUTH ARTS MEMBERS (ARTISTS, ARTS GROUPS AND CREATIVE BUSINESSES) ARE INVITED TO SUBMIT ARTICLES FOR X.IT ARTZINE TO ARTSMARKETING@MONMOUTHARTS. ORG

17 THE GUILD OF CREATIVE ART: A MOCO RENAISSANCE

19 #ARTSEDNOW

SPECIAL EVENTS / CLASSES Weaving with Kate Wilt Jan 4, 11, 18, 25 | Chelsea Yarns More Info Beginning Photography: Using your Digital SLR with Michael S. Miller January 30 & February 4, 2017 | Belmar Arts Center More Info

GET

Art Now: Hasan Elahi - Tracking Transience - an Artist Talk February 21, 2017 | Monmouth University Wilson Hall More Info

VISUAL ARTS

OUT

Wooden Walls Public Art Exhibition & Holiday Show December 17 - February 5, 2017 | Parlor Gallery More Info All Members’ Edgy Show January 7 – February 1, 2017 | Guild of Creative Art More Info 38th Annual Juried Art Exhibition January 14 – March 13, 2017 | Monmouth Museum More Info

GET

PERFORMING ARTS A World Premiere: The Jag by Gino DiIoro January 12 – February 12, 2017 | New Jersey Repertory More Info

ART

Neil Simon’s Barefoot in the Park January 28 – February 4, 2017 | Algonquin Arts Theatre More Info Next Stop Harlem! With the Mimi Jones Sextet February 4, 2017 | Monmouth University Pollack Theater More Info

WINTER HIGHLIGHTS

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WINGED THINGS AT MONMOUTH ARTS’ MEMBER GALLERY, ARTSPACE105, THROUGH JANUARY 3

“…I want to think again of dangerous and noble things. I want to be light and frolicsome. I want to be improbable beautiful and afraid of nothing, as though I had wings.” – Mary Oliver “Winged Things” is a two-woman show featuring the work of exhibiting member artists Grace Modla (curator) and Lisa Marie O’Connell. Their work is a harmonious and color-rich feast of angels, crows -- even a flying piglet or two -- that inspire flights of imagination and wonder. Grace Modla: “I love to paint Angels – all hips and antlers and nurturing bosom – as expressions of strength, fearlessness, and the power of love. For me, they are the Divine piercing through our human fog and coming to meet us just where we are. Our best friends. With acrylics, inks, paper mache, and handmade papers, the work of my hands and heart became my prayer made manifest, an offering. Darkness into light…” See Grace’s work online: facebook.com/GraceModlaStudios Lisa Marie O’Connell: “Whenever I think about my art I am reminded of a quote by John Kochansky: ‘I create art, because I have to.’ I have been painting for over 40 years, graduating from the School of Visual Arts in 1986. I think art truly makes the world a better place. It enriches both our lives and our souls. I am incredibly proud to call myself an artist.” See Lisa Marie’s work online: facebook.com/NoteworthyByLisaMarie Visit Monmouth ArtSpace 105 to pick up a piece or two. These paintings are small and priced just right, perfect for giving the unique gift of art! Interested in exhibiting your work at Monmouth ArtSpace 105? Contact Danielle Acerra: arthelps@monmoutharts.org or 732-212-1890 x 3.

SHINE 100

PUSHING PAST BOUNDARIES WITH FEMININE IMAGERY by sandra benedict, #96

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Andrea Phox began her career as a union camera assistant in the film industry. After 25 years in New York City, she set her sights on a smaller metropolis and has spent the last 16 years photographing families, landscapes, businesses and commercial imagery in and around her hometown of Long Branch. Her experience and roots here have given her a unique perspective of the the rich mosaic that defines our small city on the beach. The idea for Shine began in June 2015 at the Long Branch Public Library. Ms. Phox, CPP, M Photog., and award winning photographer, was meeting to discuss hanging some of her photographs at the Long Branch Public Library. Lisa Kelly, the library’s Publicity and Outreach, Career

and

Technology

Center

Manager,

mentioned

the

library’s

upcoming

centennial

anniversary. The two long time Long Branch residents tossed around the idea of Phox’s show having a centennial theme. They agreed to give it some thought and said their goodbyes. Before Phox got to her car, the idea came to her. She spun round on one heel, walked right back

into

Kelly’s

office

and

said

“How

about

100

women?”

Kelly

responded, “Of Long Branch?” The idea was born. From that moment, Phox knew photographing 100 women of Long Branch would be about diversity. Having seen all walks of life in the city, she embraced the opportunity to find commonality through art. In spite of the extraordinarily unique day-to-day lifestyles of the women of Long Branch, Phox made it her goal to shed light on each world in an effort to increase our understanding of one another. “Art is the great equalizer” says Phox. “The photographs capture a moment in the lives of women from age 16-96, rich and poor, fancy and plain, from all over the world. Shine 100 is about

the

feminine

light

within

that

ultimately,

equally

unites

all.”

Surprisingly, during the 16 month project, Phox learned that her subjects had more in common than she anticipated. Most felt unattractive, disliked some aspect of their bodies and became self conscious at the prospect of being photographed. The consistent self effacement spoke volumes to her regarding the pressures women felt, across cultures, to stay young, beautiful, thin, sexy and just plain desireable. In reaction to that pervasive negativity, Phox set out to photograph each woman in a manner that would allow them to see their unique beauty, while simultaneously linking them together. In terms of the community

they

live

in,

but

significantly

the

knowing

that

they

were

each

vulnerable and beautiful regardless of age, race, sexual orientation or socioeconomic status. At the onset, Phox did not anticipate the all encompassing nature of the undertaking. The scope

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of the one woman show and the importance of the exhibit quickly grew. To accommodate her flourishing project, Phox began to invite some of the women she photographed to participate. Further adding to the community centric-nature of the initiative, they suggested subjects, wrote biographies, secured sponsors and assisted with the exhibit’s opening night reception. With the help of a small committee that formed, and the moral support of the 100 Women of Long Branch, Phox reached her goal: 100 photographs of extraordinary, unique women who either live or work in Long Branch now hang at the Long Branch Public Library. More than an exhibit, Shine will be remembered as the movement that began breaking down social and cultural barriers in Long Branch. Since it’s opening on November 3rd we have become a more accepting city. Where we once went about our business unaware of the rich tapestry that formed our community, Shine enlightened us to the various lifestyles we live alongside. Where we may previously have been ambivalent, today we are more likely to recognize each other on the street. New friendships have emerged and a committee of women have mobilized determined to continue Shine’s momentum interweaving relationships long after the exhibit has closed. It is Phox’s hope that other communities will explore photography projects like Shine. Exhibits that push past the boundaries of our myopic worlds and give us a glimpse into the lives of others

our

understanding

community. and

Here

compassion

our

through

own feminine

beach

side

imagery.

metropolis, In

world

Shine more

inspiring

and

fragmented, Long Branch is pleased to be home to a grassroots movement committed to shining light on our commonalities. Shine 100 Women of Long Branch is open during library hours, Monday thru Thursday, 10 to 8 and Friday thru Sunday 10 to 5, through January.

ABOUT THE

SAVE THE DATE: “Shine 100 Women of Long Branch: Does Art Affect Society?” free panel discussion on January 28th, 2:00 pm in the Long Branch Public Library’s Community Room.

Andrea earned the title of Certified Professional Photographer (CPP) in 2003. In 2015 by virtue of winning numerous awards and ribbons, she became a Platinum Medalist. In 2016 she received the title of Master of Photography from the Professional Photographers of America and was awarded three blue ribbons in the Professional Photographer’s International Print Competition. One of Andrea’s blue ribbons title “Wake of the Flood” was chosen as one of the 1007 of the 5,700 images competing to be included in this highly esteemed publication. Another blue “Last Stop” was 1 of the 200 chosed to be included in the General Showcase Book. Andrea has gained recognition not only for her individual portraits, family and multigenerational portraiture but for landscape and nature photography as well. Although the project secured several sponsors, all profits from Shine events were donated to the Long Branch Public Library and 180 Turning Lives Around. Phox’s time, energy and creativity are her gift to Shine and to the legacy she hopes it will create.

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2016 ANNUAL APPEAL

Provide support for our operations and ensure the arts thrive for future generations. MAKE A DONATION TODAY | MONMOUTHARTS.ORG/GIVING

2017 ANNUAL MEETING JANUARY 19, 2017 | 6PM-8PM | ALGONQUIN ARTS THEATRE

Please join us for Monmouth Arts’ Annual Meeting! Open to all who are interested in the arts, this event provides an opportunity to meet new people and build relationships in the creative community. Every year the meeting is at a different location, drawing creative people to the various arts and cultural hubs around Monmouth County. In addition to networking and light refreshments, you’ll hear an update from Monmouth Arts on programs and initiatives that serve the community. This year’s guest speaker, Jenn Hampton of Parlor Gallery, will share insights on the Wooden Walls Project and making public art happen in the city of Asbury Park. During a short business meeting current Monmouth Arts member groups vote on incoming Monmouth Arts Board Members for the New Year. The 2017 Annual Meeting is Thursday, January 19th from 6 – 8 pm, hosted by Algonquin Arts Theatre in Manasquan. Algonquin Arts is located at 173 Main Street. Don’t forget to bring your promotional materials! RSVP to Danielle Acerra, arthelps@monmoutharts.org or 732-212-1890 x 3. See you there!

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THE INAUGURAL

MONMOUTH FILM FESTIVAL BY FILMMAKERS. FOR FILMMAKERS.

Red Bank, New Jersey, a city full of art, culture, world class dining and Broadway entertainment, is now the host of the inaugural Monmouth Film Festival. Premiering at the Two River Theater December 2016, Monmouth Film Festival is by filmmakers, for filmmakers. Monmouth Film Festival has received submissions from all over the world by filmmakers of all levels of experience. Our team of filmmakers view each submission to give every film the attention it deserves in order to make appropriate selections for the festival. Film, in any form, should illustrate the artist’s visual imagination, understanding and journey from concept through script to screen. Who better to understand than those who do just that, a team of local artists led by Monmouth County’s own award winning filmmaker, Nicholas Marchese. The nonprofit was founded on its mission to promote, connect and educate filmmakers of all walks of life, and all levels of experience. Monmouth Film Festival prides itself on its variety allowing both Narrative and Documentary style films in the following categories-Short and Feature Films, Screenplays, and Film Trailers. This variety of films is one way the Monmouth mission strives to create an opportunity for artists to network and get exposure in a difficult and competitive industry. Ultimately, it seeks to provide and highlight the kind of attention that ensures and assists artists in exposing their work - creating an environment where the artists

themselves are promoted. The Festival is partnered with businesses such as iPitchTV and Backstage - giving artists the opportunities to pitch their films to major studios and meet with industry casting directors to get their future work in the hands of talent they desire. Monmouth Film Festival is proud to have the support of organizations such as Monmouth Arts and Monmouth County Tourism. The Inaugural Monmouth Film Festival, December 16 – 18, 2016 at Two River Theater Friday, December 16th - Accepted Filmmakers are given the chance to talk with Press, interviewers and industry members. Saturday, December 17th - A full screening day awaits with an industry panel full of special guests. Sunday, December 18th - Begins with a filmmaker breakfast followed by screenings and an award event, leading to an after party in Red Bank pulling the entire community together. Buy tickets at http://www.monmouthfilmfestival.org/

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WHO IS

THE SHREWSBURY CHORALE? BY ROBERTA KILDUFF

The Shrewsbury Chorale is one of Monmouth County’s premier choral groups whose mission is to present high quality performances of diverse choral music to the entire community. We develop our members’ talents by providing a challenging musical environment. In addition to performing high quality concerts, we also reach out to those in the community who are unable to attend public concerts. As we enter our 60th season, we have weathered many changes. Members from all walks of life with a love for music, a talent for singing, and a desire to share their passion with audiences have come and gone. Music directors with their various strengths in singing, choral conducting, orchestral conducting, and keyboard expertise have coached and coaxed us in the learning and performance of a varied repertoire of music including the great masters, multi-cultural music, popular music, holiday music and more. We have been supported by many talented accompanists, vocal soloists, and orchestral performers through the years. But the one thing that keeps us going is a love of singing and artistic achievement in the intimate environment of a musical family. Our musical family gathers each Tuesday evening from 7:45-10:00 pm at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Monmouth County. We begin rehearsals with vocal warm-ups and then proceed to tackle the musical problems of the night. At the midpoint break, we have announcements, address group issues, chat with friends. Then it’s back to work, correcting and polishing under the able direction of Neil Brown, our new Music Director. Mr. Brown, who conducts with a clear and expressive style, challenges us to do our best with firmness, but always with good humor. Our talented accompanist, John Balme, is an amazing pianist who is so sensitive, we swear he reads the conductor’s mind. He is always there to lend us support and provides an artistically realized foundation to our singing. Running The Shrewsbury Chorale is a complex task. There is fund raising to address, publicity to publish, books to balance, concert venues to be found, music to be ordered, musicians to hire, programs to print, tickets to sell, receptions to plan, and on and on. Our family of singers devote much time and energy to accomplish these tasks so that we can bring fine music to our audiences. On Sunday, December 18, 2016 at 3 pm, The Shrewsbury Chorale will

present The Many Moods of Christmas, at Christ Episcopal Church, 90 Kings Hwy, Middletown. This concert will be filled with a variety of holiday music ranging from joyful carols to masterworks. Included in the program will be four suites of beloved carols arranged by Robert Shaw and Robert Russell Bennett entitled The Many Moods of Christmas. The concert will also feature a delightful choral arrangement called Four Nutcracker Favorites, selections from Handel’s Messiah and Vivaldi’s Gloria, Gerald Finzi’s modern musical Christmas scene, In Terra Pax, and more. Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors/students, and $10 for children. Discounts are available for advance purchases. Call 732-747-1362, email theshrewsburychorale@gmail.com, or visit www.shrewsburychorale.org. Invite your family and friends for a Sunday afternoon concert of joyous holiday music performed by one of Monmouth County’s finest choruses. Join us for a reception following the performance. The venue is ADA accessible and the performance is funded in part by Monmouth Arts. Let us put you in the holiday mood! The Shrewsbury Chorale will be celebrating our 60th Anniversary Concert next spring with a reprise of Brahms’ Liebeslieder Waltzes, which we performed in our very first season in 1957. The program will also include Handel’s Ode for St. Cecilia’s Day and Whitbourn’s Requiem Canticorum. We will be inviting former members to participate in this gala celebration. Singers who want to learn more about the Chorale are invited to take part in our Open Rehearsals on Tuesday, January 17 and 24, 2017 from 7:4510:00 pm at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Monmouth County, 1475 West Front Street, Lincroft. Scores are provided and the events are free. We are accepting singers age high school and up of all voice parts. To schedule an audition, call Joy More at 732-216-3907. Come join our musical family!

NEIL F. BROWN, MUSIC DIRECTOR SHREWSBURY CHORALE

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A PRODUCTIVE LIFE IS A BY MAI CLEARY Oasis TLC (Ongoing Autistic Success In Society/Therapeutic Life Centers) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote inclusion and acceptance of autistic individuals into their local communities by establishing environmentally exemplary farm centers that provide meaningful work, peaceful and healthy residences, and community interaction. Our philosophy is one that embraces the fact that people need to feel needed and that people are happier when they are productive. Our small farms are set-up to foster independence for people on the autism spectrum, but interdependence and social connectedness are integral goals. We believe that it is through work, personal exploration and our relationships with others and nature, that we realize our full human potential. Given the challenges of autism, we have found that the small local farm setting is the ideal place to achieve these goals for individuals. We presently own two farms in Middletown. Our first farm is set up as a transitional/vocational program, to assist young adults on the autism spectrum with their transition to work and adulthood. Here we teach independent living skills, vocational skills, language comprehension and usage, and social skills. Our students /interns work alongside their non-disabled peers (employees and interns from Monmouth University and Brookdale Community College), maintaining the farm and gardens and caring for the animals. Our second farm is a work-site and a home for our graduating farmers. In order to make it in farming, it is necessary to produce goods for sale all year round. When the growing season ends, our creative arts and manufacturing season begins. We have been so blessed with talented people who have been volunteering their time to teach these skills! We are also impressed with the artistic ability of all of our students. They are talented painters, sculptors, carpenters, weavers and bakers. The goods they are producing are handmade and are being sold at numerous community events. The money received supplements the cost of the program and puts money straight into their pockets. They are productive! Please take a look at our products and visit us at our upcoming events. We promise you will be impressed! You can also visit us on our website: Oasistlc.org

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monmouth arts | SUMMER 2016 QUARTERLY UPDATE

THE ART OF HEALING PHOTOGRAPHER CHERYL AUDITOR SHARES HER BREAST CANCER STORY

I walked out of Riverview Women’s Center in complete shock. I had just received an unexpected diagnosis of breast cancer discovered by a routine mammogram. The first time I uttered the words “breast cancer,” I could barely get them off my tongue. After the initial shock began to fade, I felt fortunate because I would not be required to undergo extremely invasive surgery. My stage-one diagnosis would require 16 days of radiation treatment. My incredibly kind coworkers donated sick days and vacation days through my employer’s donation program to help me get through the treatments, but I personally needed an outlet to cope with my illness. I turned to my favorite art form—photography. I did not realize how deeply I would be affected by my diagnosis until the morning of my first treatment. That same lump in my throat had returned,

leaving me scared and uncertain. After my first treatment, I stopped to admire the serenity of the Navesink River as the fog was moving out. I instinctively grabbed for my Nikon camera to capture the moment, but realized I only had my phone. I snapped a picture with my iPhone and added the caption, “I feel like I’m in a fog.” I decided to share it with my siblings in Holland and Delaware, giving me much needed feelings of strength and support. In this moment, I realized that documenting my journey through photography would be a major part of my healing process. After sixteen tough treatments, I reflected on all of the pictures I had taken. I decided to showcase these images in an ebook (“Kiss My Ass Cancer” - available on Amazon) in the hopes of empowering other women fighting breast cancer to find strength in sharing their stories as well. Although I tend to be a private person, I have been inspired to share my story to help others. I encourage preventative care through routine mammograms—but also want to inspire women going through treatment to consider art as a resource for finding strength and courage.

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BROOKDALE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

VISITING ARTIST PROGRAM BY MARIE NAPLES MABER The Brookdale Visiting Artist Program seeks to bring established and emerging professional artists and designers from a broad spectrum of media to the Department of Art at Brookdale Community College, in order to conduct a Studio Workshop and a public lecture and to engage with students, faculty and the community at large. Artist and Art Educator, Amy Faris, began Brookdale’s Visiting Artist Program in 2012. She was instrumental in obtaining start-up funding through a generous and anonymous $1,000 “seed money” donation that established an account with The Brookdale Foundation. Since the start of this program, we have seen painters, sculptors, ceramists, and a hand-made book artist engage with our students and our surrounding community of interested learners. Additional funding has been granted by Monmouth Arts through numerous Mini Grants in support of this program. Those monies enable us to pay each visiting

artist a $500 honorarium in support of their visit. An objective of the initial design of this program was to utilize the Center for Visual Art’s Gallery as a point of contact—a dynamic gathering place. At this meeting place, students, local community and the world (in the form of the visiting artist) are brought together to dialogue—to become the “gallery community.” By holding the public lecture events within the gallery, the local community is given the additional opportunity of viewing student, faculty and local artists’ works on display. Oversight of Brookdale’s Visiting Artist Program changed hands in 2015, when Ms. Faris offered me the opportunity to administer the program. As a full-time professor at the college, I have access to Brookdale’s resources in order to maintain and expand the wonderful

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momentum Ms. Faris has created. A broadening innovation to this program has been to extend the pedagogic aspect to Brookdale’s Art Appreciation Students, who are assigned to write an art critical essay as part of their regular curriculum. These students are asked to view the works of art by our Visiting Artists and select one as the topic of an essay. Students hoping to see their essays published are encouraged to submit them to Brookdale’s Student Newspaper—the STALL—for publication. The first such issue featuring our students’ writings was published in November 2016. Also in 2016, Brookdale Community College provided a new mechanism for the Visiting Artist Program to receive donations through direct deposit. Our faculty and staff can opt to have small sums of money deducted from their before-tax paycheck in a direct deposit to the Brookdale Community College Foundation, earmarked specifically for this program. Additionally, a $3,000 Brookdale Innovation Grant (BIG Grant) this year enabled us to match funds for our Monmouth Arts’ Mini Grant. It is and has been the goal of the Visiting Artist Program to expose Brookdale students to a wide variety of contemporary artmaking ideas, methods, histories and experiences in order to enrich and expand their education and to prepare them to be informed and innovative contributors in dialogue with the greater world and culture. To that end, the first three years of this program brought artists to Brookdale for a public Gallery Talk and a Student Workshop. Since then, the program has expanded to enable these Visiting Artists to have their works installed in the CVA Gallery, on display during their scheduled Gallery Talk.

Workshops are conducted in one of several studio classrooms, located in the CVA building on Brookdale’s Lincroft campus, and are typically 2 hours in length. They involve an introduction by the artist of a specific concept and technique followed by actual working time for the students. The benefits to students of working alongside professional artists cannot be over-estimated. It is a chance for them to receive feedback from sources other than their usual instructors, to learn a new technique and perhaps a new way of approaching their personal work, and to hear practical advice about making a life for themselves within the arts. I would like to thank Amy Faris for her professionalism and foresight in establishing the Visiting Artists Program at Brookdale Community College; thanks are due to Monmouth Arts for their continuing support of this program; thanks to Brookdale Community College for their generous funding through the BIG Grant; and to our initial, anonymous donor, who made the birth of this program possible. For more information about the Brookdale Visiting Artist Program, visit: https://www. brookdalecc.edu/humanitiesinstitute/art/visiting-artists/

Image Credits: Top L - ”Jeannine Marchand” © Tom Smith Top R - “Blue Brooch #9 by Visiting Artist Frederick Marshall” ©Brookdale Community College Center R - “Artwork by Mil Wexler” ©Manda Gorsegner Bottom R - “Frederick Marshall during the workshop in the Jewelry Making Classroom on Brookdale CC Campus” © Tom Smith

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ACTIVATING CREATIVITY IN THE FACE OF LIFEâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S CHALLENGES

PHOTO BY HAL KAHN

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BY HAL KAHN In the summer of 1996, when I walked through the aisles of my local pharmacy -- which was becoming an increasingly common practice -- my eyes often lingered over the $2 tins of watercolors. I wanted to buy one, but my daughter was already grown and off in college. “Why,” I thought, “do I need these? What am I supposed to do with a child’s toy?” Over and over, I repeated this dance. Some days, I lifted the lid to gaze at the colors and touch the soft bristles of the brush. Other days, I simply stared down at the box as though some secret was hidden among the colors. This routine went on for almost a year: more prescriptions, more fatigue, more yearning gazes at the school supplies section. Finally, in March of 1997, the fatigue overwhelmed me and I had to stop working. The trips to the pharmacy continued however, and I finally succumbed to my longing and bought the pristine paints, still unsure what to do with them.

landscapes on canvas. I loved the way the canvas soaked up the pigment. Awkward attempts at representation yielded to passionate albeit unskilled abstractions. What I lacked in talent I made up for in intensity. I had always seen art as a passive experience, looking at what others had done. Now it became a visceral delight. I indulged this passion for five or six years, usually accompanied by stiff shots of black coffee and vibrant music. But gradually, the thrill faded. I became frustrated by my inability to bring my desires to life on canvas.

I HAD ALWAYS SEEN ART AS A PASSIVE EXPERIENCE, LOOKING AT WHAT OTHERS HAD DONE. NOW IT BECAME A VISCERAL DELIGHT.

Then a stroke of luck intervened. A burglar crawled through my doggy door and cleaned me out. My computer, my cash, my baseball bat, my medicine, my camera, my bedroom slippers were gone. A kindly insurance adjuster helped me replace my belongings. He provided a new camera, which let me learn to go beyond my primitive point-and-shoot snapshots.

With my only child off to UCLA, I had joined the Audubon Society a few years earlier to try and fill the empty hours. I spent my weekends hiking along the San Francisco Bay with experienced birders who taught me how to use binoculars and spotting scopes to locate the flying bits of color. The first time I saw a meadowlark with its yellow breast hiding among the green reeds at the water’s edge I felt a jolt of pleasure that became addictive. As time went on, I realized that it was not simply color but the juxtaposition of contrasting hues that tickled the pleasure center of my brain. But now with my strength faded, I could no longer walk out in nature.

A new lust seized me, one which better suited my limitations.

Now I knew why I had yearned for the watercolors. While seated at home, I began to copy the drawings in Peterson’s Guide to Western Birds. But I wanted more. I wanted bolder colors, deeper engagement. Watercolors gave way to acrylics and then oils. Birds on 3x5 cards gave way to

Today, art is the most nourishing part of my day. In retrospect, I see that I had always been drawn to color but did not have the emotional vocabulary to express it to myself. Trying to make the ineffable visible has added a deeper level of meaning to my life.

No longer well enough to garden, I began photographing flowers. Again, my life filled with color. A few years later, a chance meeting with a model led to a long series of nudes. Then, as time wore on, I became obsessed with faces, deeply-lined, weathered faces. I began a project called “Faces of the Elderly,” which still occupies me. I had a number of exhibitions and found the news coverage to be validating and rewarding. Instead of watching life, I was living life.

45thanniversary || winter winter edition edition 45thanniversary

45thanniversary | winter edition

SUBMITTED BY THE GUILD OF CREATIVE ART

Just as in other similar venues, the Guild offers an array of events common to many: Monthly exhibits and receptions that are always free to the public, classes offered by experienced teachers in all media and open to children and adults, and first rate art that can be purchased. However, the Guild reaches out to the community in ways that few organizations do. The mission of the Guild has always been,“ To advance excellence in the visual arts.” However, its vision is to reach out to all, including children, those with Learning and/or Developmental disabilities, and Seniors with cognitive and/ or physical disabilities. This is accomplished in many ways. The Guild’s six off site locations allow Exhibiting Members to display their art away from the Guild. If one counts foot traffic in house functions as well as these places, more than 400,000 people yearly are exposed to Guild art. On a weekly basis we supervise clients from Search Day, a program for Adults with Autism. These enthusiastic individuals perform a host of volunteer activities; Vacuuming, dusting, recycling, collecting and putting out the garbage, washing windows and sweeping. They also set up chairs and tables for Docent presentations and classes. In addition, they are introduced to the Guild’s art and are often called upon to express their thoughts and feelings about the works. While they have often done gardening chores for us, and policed the grounds, the outdoors has also provided an opportunity for them to go on Nature walks that help them to identify trees, shrubs and weeds. The experience of volunteering exposes them to real world expectations, reinforces their ability to follow two and three step directions, and forces them to evaluate the proper sequencing of many tasks. This program has become a rich learning experience for them. Most importantly, perhaps, is that they are in a position to give; they have experienced a lifetime of others giving to them. This is a delightful change and they so appreciate the opportunity ( as do we)! The Guild has served as a resource for Elementary aged students, a group not normally exposed to a gallery. We have exhibited works by clients from Riverview Medical Center’s Art Therapy program and by students from the Holmdel Village School. Later this Spring, students from Red Bank’s Primary and Middle School will display their work in our studio. Boy scout troops have taken advantage of free Docent presentations. For several years, students from Red Bank Regional High School and Rumson-Fair Haven have exhibited at the Guild. Over the past two years we have increased our outreach to High School students by hosting “The Best of Teen Arts,” a selection from the Teen Arts Festival. Residents from two Assisted Living facilities come to the Guild every month for Docent presentations; residents from two other facilities have been unable to attend because of physical disabilities but have enjoyed Guild art presentations. Two programs for Adults with Developmental or Learning disabilities also visit us monthly. The Guild has partnered with Pier Village and Monmouth Mall. Ten Guild decorated Starfish graced the columns of Pier Village and the interior of the Monmouth Mall for five months before they were auctioned off for charity. Approximately $9000 was raised for the Valerie Fund. A storefront at the Monmouth Mall displays Guild art. On October 28th, the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Sandy, we hosted a joint fundraiser with Habitat for Humanity in Monmouth County. Thirty eight works donated by artists from both organizations (28 from Guild artists, 10 from Habitat) were put up for auction. Twenty pieces of art sold, and about $4800 was raised to further our respective missions. On December 6th, the Guild will host Habitat’s Holiday Cheer 50/50 Cash raffle. Works not sold on October 28th, in addition to about ten more donated works will be for sale. We have hosted Birthday parties and other organizations’ fundraisers, served as a place for book signings and readings, and have been the place for multimedia events combining art and music; a concert in conjunction with Paul Hansen’s solo show is scheduled for November 27th. All the while, most of our services are free. We remain a somewhat hidden community gem, but the word is getting out. The Guild of Creative Art has increased its footprint in the community and has established itself as a multiuse facility that caters to all; our art provides a respite, joy, amazement, satisfaction, enrichment, stimulation and delight for those who visit us, and to those who see our art off site.

AT T H E G U I L D O F C R E AT I V E A R T

The Guild of Creative Art has experienced a Renaissance of sorts over the past several years; a new exuberance has been infused into this non-profit artist cooperative. In the words of one official in the Arts community, “The Guild has become a model of what an artist cooperative/gallery should be.”

ARTS ED NOW Active creative learning is good for all students…and good for New Jersey! LET’S DO MORE #ArtsEdNow

55%

SAT SCORES & MUSIC ED in High School by students on free and reduced lunch programs

Arts Students are:

more likely

to attend post-secondary schools than students who don’t take arts classes

29%

Arts Students are:

more likely

MORE ARTS EDUCATION Higher Grade Point Avg.

CUMULATIVE GPA

For Florida seniors, the more arts classes taken in High School, the higher the student achievement in GPA, graduation rate, state test and SAT

2.8 2.7 2.65 2.6

Source: Kelly, S. N. (2012). A Comparison of Cohort Data from 2007/08 to 2010/11 Regarding Fine Arts-Related Instruction’s Influence on Academic Success. Florida Music Director,66(3), 8-10.

4 Yrs

2.5 - 3 Yrs 1.5 - Yrs .5 - 1 Yr

NO ARTS

@ArtsEdNow

Source: Elpus, K. (2013). Arts education and positive youth development: Cognitive, behavioral, and social outcomes of adolescents who study the arts. National Endowment for the Arts.

COMBINED MATH & VERBAL

ArtsEdNow.org

YRS

20%

YRS

1.5-2

914

YRS

.5-1

894 893

YRS

0 YRS

Source: Kelly, S. N. (2012). A Comparison of Cohort Data from 2007/08 to 2010/11 Regarding Fine Arts-Related Instruction’s Influence on Academic Success. Florida Music Director,66(3), 8-10.

Source: Elpus, K. (2013). Arts education and positive youth development: Cognitive, behavioral, and social outcomes of adolescents who study the arts. National Endowment for the Arts.

ARTS CLASSES

2.5-3

947

4-year to earneadegree colleg tudents than s n’t take who dos classes any art

985

as much

Source: Catterall, J.S. (1998). Involvement in the arts and success in secondary school. Americans for the Arts Monographs, 1(9), 1-10.

Among high arts participation students of low socioeconomic backgrounds

“Today an arts student...” See more stories at ArtsEdNow.org

LOWER Drop Out Rates

Source: Kelly, S. N. (2012). A Comparison of Cohort Data from 2007/08 to 2010/11 Regarding Fine Arts-Related Instruction’s Influence on Academic Success. Florida Music Director,66(3), 8-10.

Image: ArtsEdNow.org

45thanniversary | winter edition

JOIN NEW JERSEY’S

UPRISING BY MANDA GORSEGNER

Hear our state’s cry for active creative learning. Arts Ed Now is a statewide campaign to increase active participation in arts education at all schools in New Jersey. The arts education campaign is happening across our state—right now and through 2020. This isn’t a project led from the top-down; it’s an active grassroots effort created from the bottom-up—by students, parents, teachers, administrators, community leaders and policy-makers. We can all get active in different ways and increase the overall impact of our collective message…We want ARTS ED NOW! Why, you ask? Well, all NJ school districts are expected (by NJ State Policies) to provide learning opportunities in ALL four arts content areas (music, dance, theater, visual art) using sequential instruction that begins in Kindergarten. The New Jersey Core Student Learning Standards state that at the K-5 level, students are expected to gain broadbased exposure to all four art forms through instruction and opportunities for participation. At the 6-8 level, students are expected to gain deeper understanding of at least one art form. At the 9-12 level, students are expected to demonstrate competency in at least one art form. The New Jersey Administrative Code includes the visual and performing arts in their nine academic content areas, next to comprehensive health and physical education, language arts literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, world languages, technological literacy, and career education and consumer, family and life skills. So, if this is NJ’s State Policy on arts education as it fits into the broader scheme of overall student learning, why don’t all schools in NJ measure up?

that’s not fair. So, a collaborative multi-year campaign was created— spearheaded by the New Jersey Arts Education Partnership—to address our statewide issue. The campaign has been going strong since its launch in September, and we need more individuals—parents, teachers, principals, supervisors, community members, political leaders, and most importantly…the students—to Join the Movement to encourage schools to live up to NJ State Standards. It’s been shown through the data that the longer students are engaged in arts education, the better they do overall. Even if your child doesn’t want

“ARTS STUDENTS ARE 55% MORE LIKELY TO ATTEND POSTSECONDARY SCHOOLS THAN STUDENTS WHO DON’T TAKE ART CLASSES.”

The Arts Ed Now campaign fills us in. The state policies are not being maximized to engage students in arts education. Period. Not all of NJ’s students have the same access to arts education. Simply put—

—ArtsEdNow.org to become a professional cellist in a symphony orchestra or a Hollywood filmmaker, arts instruction at the K-12 level is essential to a fuller and deeper educational experience as a young person. The arts benefit classroom engagement, learning and comprehension, which translates to more thoughtful and well-rounded students and, yes, increasingly higher test scores. A 2012 study from Florida found the more arts credits seniors had on their transcripts, the higher their grade point average. Further, arts students are 55% more likely to attend post-secondary schools than students who don’t take arts classes. Yes, that’s what I said…55%! That’s a huge number! The arts fine-tune our observation skills, increase our focus, heighten our technical capabilities, and deepen our self-awareness. The arts expand

45thanniversary | winter edition

our minds, and thus, expand the boundaries we think we live in. When I was 14 years old, I went to a museum for the first time. I went to NYC on a class trip with my freshman fine arts class. I walked through the Corinthian columns at the top of the staircase of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and my world changed. I thought museums were only for the rich, not for lower-middle class kids on reduced lunch programs like myself. How wrong I was! I felt included; I felt humbled…yet, so alive! I soaked in every second that day. This art was for me, too. Not only did my global perspective begin to change—as I realized the world was much larger than I had understood—but I began to understand history and culture more deeply. I’d always been studious, but suddenly, events of the past that I’d been learning in school were more vibrant in marble, wood, armor and oil paint. I was more eager to work on my own technical arts skills—at school and at home. I began to see connections to the arts within other academic classes—opening history books to find portraits and prints telling the stories of the past. Biology and Physics made more sense as I made technical drawings and diagrams in my notebooks to help me study (an invaluable trait that carried all the way through my college years). My arts education experiences as a young person helped me through high school and through several college degrees. I am eternally grateful to

those experiences and especially to my art teacher in high school, who coordinated my first trip to a museum, which changed my life. So…by now you’re asking yourself…what can I do to make sure all students in NJ have equitable access to arts education in their K-12 experience? I’d urge you to check out ArtsEdNow.org—type in any NJ school—and see how they stack up in the four art forms. Check out the DATA behind the value in an arts education. You might be surprised at what you find! Read the stories, share your own, download the sign, upload your photo, get the word out, talk to your schools and communities, and Make Change Real. We do have power as individuals. For more information about the collective movement, Arts Ed Now, check out their incredible website, and don’t be afraid to start using #ArtsEdNow on social media to add your voice!

MONMOUTH TEENARTS FESTIVAL 2017 ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITY

Place an ad in the 2017 Monmouth Teen Arts Festival catalog, reaching 2,000 Monmouth County teens, teachers, administrators, artists and parents! Raise the VISIBILITY of your organization. The Monmouth Teen Arts Festival is our annual Arts Education program providing all teens ages 13-19 in the county a space to exhibit their art and perform over a two-day experience held at Brookdale Community College’s Lincroft campus. Have a coupon code or tear-out discount you want to include in our catalog? Email or call us at Monmouth Arts to talk about advertising options! FRONT INSIDE COVER $250 (8” long by 5” wide) BACK COVER $250 (8” long by 5” wide) BACK INSIDE COVER $200 (8” long by 5” wide) FULL PAGE $100 (8” long by 5” wide) HALF PAGE $50 (4” long by 5” wide) Catalog is PLAYBILL sized—vertical format. All ads are COLOR. DEADLINE for Catalog Advertising: February 1, 2017 To confirm your spot in our catalog, reply to Manda Gorsegner at ArtsEd@MonmouthArts.org as soon as possible with your completed Advertisement Form (available online). Limited space is available for ads.

COVER ART CONTEST SUBMIT YOUR ARTWORK FOR THE COVER OF THE 2017 MONMOUTH TEENARTS FESTIVAL catalog!

WIN A $50 RED BANK GIFT CARD, REDEEMABLE AT 100+ LOCATIONS & HAVE YOUR ART PUBLISHED ON 2,000 CATALOGS AS THE COVER IMAGE You must use one of two templates (available online) to submit your design. Actual printed size will be 8.5” x 5.5”. Submit original ideas only. Monmouth Arts will add text as an overlay to your image, stating festival name and theme. Your design should reflect the 2017 festival theme: An Ocean of Sound. All visual art forms are welcome (traditional or digital art forms; photographs of 3-dimensional work are acceptable). You must be a teenager (ages 13-19) living in Monmouth County to be eligible for this contest. Deadline: February 10, 2017 For more information, email ArtsEd@MonmouthArts.org or visit monmoutharts.org/teen-arts-festival

THIS COPY PRINTED COURTESY OF THE MONMOUTH COUNTY BOARD OF CHOSEN FREEHOLDERS THOMAS A. ARNONE, DIRECTOR SERENA DIMASO, ESQ., DEPUTY DIRECTOR LILLIAN G. BURRY JOHN P. CURLEY GARY J. RICH, SR.