An Angel for the Arts

Like so many other artists, my stereotypical struggle to survive professionally has lightened a bit by the touch of Patricia Bell. Not only does she have a “to-die-for” collection of art, she also supports many local art venues as a trustee on the boards of the Center for Visual Arts, Montclair Art Museum, Garden State Arts Center Foundation and the Aljira Center for Contemporary Art in Newark.

A Gem Among Her Jewels

Ms. Bell has not gone unnoticed; The Star-Ledger ran an article recently (“South Orange Art Collector’s Home is a Visual Feast“), and Park Place Magazine’s newest issue ran a multi-page article about Ms Bell: “The Art of the Party.”

Both are  wonderful pieces, highlighting her warm hospitality and keen eye for art. With a grateful heart and a  glow of pride, I’m delighted to say that Patricia cites me in both articles as an “artist to watch.”

Here’s a passage from the Star-Ledger’s piece: “Bell also lists the mixed media work of Nancy Tobin, a local contemporary visual artist among her favorites. New Jersey artists Claire Rosen, Willie Cole, Margaret Murphy and Lisa Pressman are also present here.”

And here’s an excerpt from the Park Place article:

Favorite NJ Artists to Watch

“I love new things, and always find a spot for the pieces I love,” says Pat Bell. “When I’m surrounded by all this wonderful work, it’s like living with the souls of the artists.”

Each month, as fresh—and sometimes massively large artwork—arrives at her home, Gabrielle Pulls, Bell’s housekeeper of 17 years, equips herself with an electric drill, a level, and a keen eye. As pieces leave the home, they often are loaned or contributed to non-profit organizations, such as the South Orange Performing Arts Center.

“I’m fortunate to live in this state because we have so many wonderful artists,” says Bell. “I like what’s in my backyard.” To keep au courant with the local art scene, get acquainted with some of her favorites:

Willie Cole, Mine Hill, multi-dimensional
(williecole.com)
Tom Nussbaum, Montclair, sculptor
(tomnussbaum.com)
Claire Rosen, Montclair, photographer
(clairerosenphotography.com)
Margaret Murphy, Jersey City, painter (margaret-murphy.com)
Lisa Pressman, West Orange, painter
(lisapressman.net)
Marcia Kure, Princeton, painter/collage artist
(marciakure.com)
Wayne Roth, Mountain Lakes, digital artist/photographer (2face.com)
Nancy Tobin, Maplewood, collage painter (nancytobin.com)
Dan Fenelon, Madison, painter
(wavedog.com)
Jordan Eagles, Short Hills, painter/installationist (jordaneagles.com)

Tags: Aljira Center for Contemporary Art, Center for Visual Arts, Claire Rosen, Dan Fenelon, Garden State Arts Center Foundation, Jordan Eagles, Lisa Pressman, Marcia Kure, Margaret Murphy, Montclair Art Museum, Park Place Magazine, Patricia Bell, South Orange Performing Arts Center, The Star Ledger, Tom Nussbaum, Wayne Roth, Willie Cole

This Week’s West of Chelsea: Lori Field

Children of Lir, by Lori Field    Photo courtesy of the artist and Claire Oliver Gallery

I was delighted to interview Lori Field for my latest West of Chelsea installment for the New York Times Local!

I talked with her about her new gallery in Chelsea (Claire Oliver), her background as a textile designer and illustrator, what inspires her creations, and her “Secret Drawer.”

Stop by and read for yourself how this New Jersey artist traversed the Hudson and wound up on the inside, looking out.

Tags: Claire Oliver, Lori Field, New York Times Local, Secret Drawer, West of Chelsea

West of Chelsea: Waaaaaay West of Chelsea!

Constructed Drwaing 00401 © Heidi Van Weiren

One of the great pleasures of my gig at the New York Times Local, is having a chance to meet all sorts of interesting artists and art professionals. Heidi Van Weiren is no exception.

Heidi’s work has been on my radar for a while; I’ve been drawn to her dreamy landscapes since first seeing them at Margaret Thatcher Projects in Chelsea a few years back. I imediately felt a kinship with her use of glue as a medium (the very first paintings in my Nowhere Here -2006 series were composed using glue as the layering medium).

Heidi — a native to western Michigan as well — will be joining me and over 1200 other artists in Grand Rapids, Mich. later this month, as we all take part in this very interesting experiment that is ArtPrize. I thought it would be interesting to look at what it takes to break into the New York art market as an outsider.

Read what she has to say…

Badlands 00701 © Heidi Van Weiren

Tags: ArtPrize, Grand Rapids Michigan, Heidi Van Weiren, Margaret Thatcher Projects, New York Times, Nowhere Here, West of Chelsea

West of Chelsea: Chat with Rick Devos about ArtPrize

The man with the plan! Courtesy of Brian Kelly

I was delighted to interview Rick Devos this week, for my usual West of Chelsea feature on The New York Times Local. He’s the brainchild (and bucks) behind ArtPrize.

It’s not uncommon for big money to support art — but what he’s got going really does shake things up. You go Rick!

Check out the interview here!

Tags: ArtPrize, Grand Rapids Michigan, New York Times, Rick DeVos, West of Chelsea

ArtPrize: Fox News Coverage & Sarah Weber

Watch Sarah Weber and Jane Lovett talk about ArtPrize

Sarah Weber is one of the artists I’ll be exhibiting with at Peaches, for the ArtPrize event. I was delighted when she sent me this clip from FOX News featuring her and the owner of Peaches, Jane Lovett! You go girls!

Jane Lovett and Peaches!

I planned to highlight a few of the artists who’ll be showing their work at some of the venues; and I thought this was the perfect time to start with one of my picks: Sarah Weber.

Sarah’s work “celebrate(s) femininity and style through abstract and representational characteristics.” I couldn’t find a web site for her, but here’s a great YouTube video, where she talks about her work.

I’m looking forward to meeting Sarah, and seeing her beautiful work in person!

Update: Sarah just sent these images over — of the paintings she’s working on for ArtPrize. Thanks for the peek into your studio, Sarah!

© Sarah Weber

Sarah Weber's work in progress!

Tags: ArtPrize, Fox News, Grand Rapids, Grand Rapids Michigan, Jane Lovett, Peaches Bed and Breakfast, Sarah Weber

Visit with Walter Zimmerman in the New York Times Local

Of all the wonderful things about writing my “West of Chelsea” feature for the New York Times Local blog, the best by far is the opportunity it affords me to get to know fascinating people right in my back yard.

The first time I met Walter Zimmerman was years ago at “Essex Exposed” — a juried exhibition at The Pierro Gallery in South Orange, N.J. (We both had work in the show.) I knew he was a kindred spirit the minute I met him; he had introduced himself, and he said how much he like my work — but the thing I remember most was his description of my work as “beautiful and just a little bit creepy.”

That is me in a nutshell. Most people either don’t see it or don’t mention it. (I mean the “creepy” part.)

It made sense that Walter would see the dark side to my work: I have no doubt that to many, the powerful assemblages he creates around his meticulously crafted glass pieces may seem “a little bit creepy.”

Don’t be afraid to take a closer look. Peek inside these mysterious networks and see the tireless work involved in finding beauty — against all odds.

Tags: Essex Exposed, New York Times, The Pierro Gallery, Walter Zimmerman, West of Chelsea

The Offbeaten Path: Susan Napack

Susan Napack's studio is a delight everywhere you look!

This week I visited with artist Susan Napack in my West of Chelsea feature for The New York Times Local.

The first time I ever saw Susan’s work was at an opening for a show she had at The Dancing Goat — local cafe and performance space. The “Goat” is now defunct, but Susan’s work left a lasting impression.

Susan describes her work as “an offbeat examination of found objects and nature culled from these collections — including hundreds of wishbones — which have supplied material for sculpture, digitally enhanced photographs, drawings and paintings.”

I would descibe them as pure magic!

Tags: art, New York Times, Susan Napack, The Dancing Goat, West of Chelsea

Behind the Action at Disney

The colors and detail in Snow White Disney's first full length animated feature are still enough to make me sing!

For any of you who missed my last post; Lisa Pressman asked me to write about my top ten influences. You can see the entire list at her blog, Lisa Pressman Art Blog. I like the exercise so much I decided to explore each one of them as a separate post.

Number one on my list is Walt Disney. Here’s what I wrote about him in Lisa’s blog:

1. Walt Disney- Love him or hate him, it’s hard to deny his influence on our culture today. Saturday matinees at the local theater in Grand Rapids allowed me my first glimpses into the world of art. While the action was playing out in the foreground, I would find myself entranced by the captivating world created by the studio’s background artists.

I imagine that for many children like myself growing up, animated films are their main exposure to visual art. Though I always loved to paint and draw and make things, I never set foot into a real art museum until I was in college.

Eyvind Earle spins Disney Magic in his backgrounds for Sleeping Beauty

I admit that I am one that enjoys Disney stuff. (We’re easy to spot: say the word “Disney” and you either get eyes as big as Bambi’s or a shutter.) We’ve taken our lucky children to Disney theme parks many times in their short lives.

But, as much as I like all the trimmings, by far the biggest influence on my art has been the amazing backgrounds in his early films. I learned a lot about painting by looking at these lush environments, things that I may have learned from from the masters in museums, but didn’t. Disney is accessible.

Disney’s talented team of background painters would set a stage where anything could happen. A world that invites you to come in and create your own story.

It’s not that Disney created a world of fantasy for me, but that he planted the seeds, that I could create that kind of place for myself.

Biotic Fizz � Nancy Tobin

(I was delighted to come across a blog by Rob Richards called Animation Backgrounds. Rob has an amazing collection of background art, from Snow White to Lilo and Stitch. It’s cool to be able to separate the action of the figures from these rich scenes.)

Tags: Add new tag, Animation, Backgrounds, Disney, Grand Rapids Michigan, Lisa Pressman, Rob Richards

Animating the Still Life

Touch by Jennifer Lewis Takahashi

In my second installment of West of Chelsea for the New York Times Local, I interviewed Jennifer Lewis Takahashi.

Jennifer spins a web with her fascinating still lifes. She talks with me about her work and life; reflecting on how one influences the other.

Still life was the best subject because I could arrange things exactly how I wanted them. That, along with my realistic style, felt like a dot of control in a blaze of chaos! These compositions were busy and crowded and echoed how I was feeling in many ways.

In my own struggles with realism, I admire her ability to express herself in this context, and do it in such an engaging way.

Read it here, then tell me what you think!

Tags: Jennifer Lewis Takahashi., New York Times, Still life, West of Chelsea

Shedding Light on New Jersey Art Scene (with the New York Times)

Join me as I peek into the beehive of activity that is New Jersey’s art scene. In my new feature for the New York Times blog I’ll be exploring the vibrant visual art scene on this side of the Hudson- especially its relationship to the centers of gravity just across the river.

My first visit is with Sarah Petruziello and her haunting self portaits. Armed with only graphite and eraser, Sarah weaves a spell, making me wonder, what lies within those darkest blacks?

Nocturne by Sarah Petruziello

I Am the Consumer by Sarah Petruziello

Tags: Graphite, New Jersey Art Scene, New York Times, Sarah Petruziello, West of Chelsea