629 Cookman Ave, Asbury Park, NJ 07712

908-278-1597                         art629gallery@gmail.com

On Saturday evening, November 2nd, 2019, 7pm-10pm, Asbury Underground presented an opening party at art629 Gallery located at 629 Cookman Avenue, Asbury Park, NJ, featuring a retrospective art exhibition of the work of the late Joe Harvard. Artist, musician, and author Joe “Harvard” (born Joseph Incagnoli), a mainstay of the thriving artists’ community in Asbury Park for many years, sadly passed away this past winter. Mr. Harvard is honored by Asbury Underground, art629 Gallery, and his many friends in a celebration of his life and spirit. Over 60 black light sculptures will be on display at the gallery now through February 2020. The opening celebration was done in complete darkness with only the art illuminated by black light. All work is for sale, and 100% of sales will be donated to a fund being created in Joe Harvard’s name.

The exhibit titled “Glow for Joe” is a showcase of the artist’s most recent work, which he referred to as, “found object ‘trash art’ and black lit Day-Glo work”. The exhibit is currently on display and will run through the second Asbury Underground in conjunction with The Light of Day Festival the weekend of January 18th. Asbury Underground is a city-wide showcase for art and music which takes place two times per year in Asbury Park. Gallery hours vary, and it is suggested to call ahead for hours of operation (732) 859-1458.

This will be the second gallery showing at art629 featuring the work of Harvard, who had lived and worked in Asbury Park for many years both as an artist and musician. Mr. Harvard had strong ties with Asbury Underground and for many years ran an all-day showcase stage in the now infamous Joe’s “gARTen” formally located on a vacant lot at 713 Cookman Avenue, where Joe converted a trash-strewn, overgrown lot into a walking “gARTen” where visitors could walk and explore with handheld back lights. Over the years Joe’s gARTen became a must see if you were visiting downtown Asbury Park. Today, in Joe’s absence, the lot has unfortunately returned to its’ former condition of being overgrown and littered with debris.

“Joe had been an integral part of Asbury Underground right from the beginning”, says Patrick Schiavino owner of art629 Gallery and founder of Asbury Underground. “What he did there was very unique and special bringing together many performers with deep roots in the Asbury music scene, and his “gARTen”, which he created on the vacant lot next door to Parlor Gallery, had been a favorite stop for passersby since its inception. It was also one of the biggest attractions of the Underground. I feel very honored to be able to do this show in his name and memory. He is very much missed in our community. His “glow” will warm the streets of Cookman Avenue this winter.

As part of this fall’s Asbury Underground Art and Music Crawl, which took place on Saturday, October 13th, art629 Gallery is very proud to present: Asbury Underground -“The Locals”.

This exhibition which showcases the work of 12 artists who live and work in or around Asbury Park, is currently on display, and will be on running until November 25th.

Featured artists from Asbury Park are Brittany James, David Rudolph, E.J. Berzola, Guy Stanley Philoche, Harry Kovair, Jim Inzero, Maggie Brown, Marshal Fox, Michelle Renee’ Bernard, Roddy Wildeman, and Tracy Coon.

This exhibition was curated by Roddy Wildeman who is a multi-media artist and gallerist from Long Branch, NJ. He was the former director of Torche Galerie and founder of “Sculpture on the Water”, Belmar, NJ. His exhibitions have led to dozens of projects that have reached across the country. Since 2013 he has been commissioned by the City of Yonkers to create Y.A.W. Art Fair. In 2015 he founded U.S.+ U Gallery in Yonkers NY. He is currently working on a grand opening for his newest project “Warburton Gallery” also in Yonkers, which is a 4500 square foot contemporary space focusing on exhibiting established and international contemporary artists. Wildeman will be the director and artist in residence as his studio will be on the premises.

Click below to visit Featured Artists websites:

• Brittany James
• Claire Sheprow
• Demetrio Belenky
• Jude Harzer
• Marcin Szprengiel
• MaryAnne Vitiello
• Suzanne Anan

A group exhibition featuring the work by contemporary artists working exclusively with recycled and/or repurposed objects. 

FEATURED ARTISTS :

Roddy Wildeman

Joe Harvard

Ronald Gonzalez

Michelle Renee Bernard

Amy Puccio

Michael Malpass

Jose’ Arvelo

The group exhibition will feature works by contemporary artists Michael Alago, Gary Baseman, Clayton Brothers, ELLE, C. Finley, Camille Rose Garcia, John John Jesse, Jason Newsted, Cleon Peterson, Vic Selbach, Shelter Serra, Swoon, and many more.

The collection of figurative paintings, photographs, works on paper, and wheat paste collages represented, reveal the diverse handling of the human form across artist and medium. The complex interaction between subjects from artwork to artwork and that of the viewer with the varied subjects requires the etiquette of Playing Nicely with Others. The visual dialogue the works are having with one another and the conversations created between onlookers, highlight how works which may be challenging individually take on a playful relationship when viewed as a whole. The physical aspect of playing nicely through collaboration is also essential in this exhibition as most of the artists included do work with one another on creative and humanitarian projects.

Plays Nicely with Others has an idealistic ambition which locates a common thread amid a seemingly chaotic array of styles, themes, tropes and stories summarizing recent developments and pointing to collaborative possibilities visually, for further artistic change and production on a global level. The artists included are particularly well-suited to address existing gaps in art historical discourse. When setting out to right a wrong in historical record, the task is taken on as a strength in numbers, not to be undertaken alone, as such change can rarely be proven with a single example or even an entire oeuvre of an artist. Instead such corrections are often most successful made when multiple voices and relationships combine. With this inclusive subset Plays Nicely with Others questions static models of past opinion, offering a different perspective by opening new figurative dialogue simply by taking an expansive view with its roster making unexpected connections and rich pairings between artists. Plays Nicely with Others provides context in order to allow meanings to proliferate and have resonance in an open-minded spirit.

ABOUT PATRICK SCHIAVINO:

Patrick Schiavino is a self-taught painter and mixed-media artist. A native of New Jersey, Schiavino is a graduate of Montclair State College where he earned a BA in Industrial Arts and Design. Upon graduation, Schiavino’s interest in contemporary art was fueled by developing friendships with working artist and musicians in Soho, New York City’s and arguably the world’s most creative center of that era. Schiavino’s long artistic career, in both the art and music industries has spanned over 4 decades. In that time, he has participated in well over 50 exhibitions of his artwork, and now lives, works, and runs his gallery, art629 in Asbury Park.

Some of the most noteworthy milestones of Schiavino’s career are: being selected by The Federal Government to have his paintings displayed at the American Embassy in Luxembourg, being selected by the Center of Emerging Arts, Miami, to have his work tour the United States, being invited by The State of New Jersey to do a 3-month solo exhibition at the State House in Trenton, being offered a Dodge Foundation Grant to participate in the Artist in Residency Program at the prestigious Vermont School, and being invited by Sting and Trudy Styler to show his work at The John McEnroe Gallery in Soho, as a participant in an art exhibition to benefit The Rain Forest Foundation.

ABOUT BRITTANY JAMES:

Brittany James graduated from Montclair State University with a BFA degree concentrated in oil painting in 2009 and has been a full-time artist and muralist ever since. As a Jersey Shore native, James began painting in Island Heights and was inspired by the beauty of her surroundings. Nature has always been a big influence in her work and continues to be today.

James refers to her style of painting as “Surrealistic Refined Impressionism”. She was most influenced in her early years as a painter by her mentor Elaine Sgambati, a New Jersey artist who often referred to her work as “refined impressionism”. As she developed her own style, James’ paintings began to head into more surreal subject matter and to take on fantasy-like qualities. All of James’ paintings are derived from a combination of photo references and imagined scenes to create the surreal images she paints today.

In addition to painting, James teaches art classes for children and teens at Inspired Minds Fine Art School in Lincroft. She also teaches painting classes for adults at art629 Gallery and runs an open studio for local artists. She is experienced in oil painting, acrylic murals, performance art, charcoal drawing, pastel, life drawing, printmaking, and sculpture.

On Saturday evening, December 17th, 2016, Asbury Underground will present an opening party at art629 Gallery, located at 629 Cookman Avenue, Asbury Park, NJ, featuring the work of black light artist, musician, and author, Joe Harvard, with additional submissions from his counterpart Mark Davis. Mr. Harvard will be in attendance, and will talk at length about his recent work on display, and also about his work as the founder and creator of “The gARTen @ 713 Cookman”, where Joe has been creating an interactive art and music experience as part of the Asbury Underground on a vacant lot for the past several summers. This event is free and open to the public.

The exhibit titled “Beauty Thru Radiation” will be a showcase of the artist’s most recent work, which he refers to as, “found object ‘trash art’ and black lit Day-Glo work”. The time of the opening is 7PM to 10PM. The exhibit is currently on display, and will run in conjunction with Asbury Underground’s Light of Day Downtown Art and Music Crawl through the weekend of January 16th, 2017. Gallery hours vary, and it is suggested to call ahead for hours of operation (732) 859-1458.

This will be the first gallery showing by Harvard, who has lived and worked in Asbury Park for many years both as an artist and musician. The gallery is showing Mr. Harvard’s work in conjunction with the Asbury Underground/Light of Day event, which takes place on January 14th. Asbury Underground is a city-wide showcase for art and music which takes place two times per year in Asbury Park. The last Asbury Underground event which took place in October drew an estimated 10,000 people to the downtown, for a tow days of art and music.

For more information about Asbury Underground click HERE.

As part of this fall’s Asbury Underground Art and Music Crawl, which takes place on Saturday and Sunday, October 15th, and 16th in downtown Asbury Park, where several thousand people attend for a fun-filled afternoon of art and music, art629 Gallery is very proud to present; Asbury Underground “The Locals”.

This exhibition which showcases the work of 12 artists who live and work in or around Asbury Park, will run through November 13th.

An opening reception for the artists is scheduled for Sunday evening, October 23rd, from 5PM till 8PM, and is open to the public.

Featured artists are Brittany James, Claire Sheprow, Denise Dmcohowski, Doug Fuchs, Maggie Brown, Mallory Massara, Michael Johnson, Patrick Schiavino, Pork Chop, Roddy Wildeman, Steve Forbert, and Suzanne Anan.

Patrick Schiavino, owner and curator of art629 Gallery and founder of Asbury Underground states, “Once again Asbury Underground has been a huge success celebrating the vibrant art & music scene here in Asbury Park. We here at art629 Gallery are very proud to be the catalyst behind this current exhibition, which once again showcases just how fertile this area is in the fine arts as well as our very historic musical heritage.”

On Saturday evening, October 3rd, 2015, art629 Gallery, located at 629 Cookman Avenue, Asbury Park, NJ, will host an opening party featuring the work of mixed-media artist, Roddy Wildeman. Mr. Wildeman will be in attendance, and this is open to the public.

The exhibit, titled “Got Wood?” will be a showcase of the artist’s most recent work, which he refers to as, “Composite Memory Fine Art”.  The time of the opening is 7PM to 10PM. The exhibit will be on display from Saturday, October 3rd, and will run through November. Gallery hours vary, and it is suggested to call ahead for hours of operation.

This will be the first gallery showing at art629 by Wildeman, who lives and works in the area.  The gallery is showing Mr. Wildeman’s work in conjunction with the Asbury Underground fall event, which takes place on October 17th. Asbury Underground is a city-wide showcase for art and music which takes place three times per year in Asbury Park. For more information about Asbury Underground go to: www.asburyunderground.com.

Famous photographs by the world’s foremost Rock & Roll photographer Bob Gruen.

The exhibition runs from January 9 – February 28

Special Reception for the Artist and Book Signing Saturday, February 7, 7PM – 10PM

As part of this fall’s Asbury Underground Art and Music Crawl, which took place on Saturday afternoon, October 18th, in downtown Asbury Park, where several thousand people were in attendance for a fun afternoon of art and music, art629 Gallery is very proud to present; Asbury Underground -“The Locals”.

This exhibition which showcases the work of 12 artists who live and work in or around Asbury Park, is currently running through December 31st.

An opening reception for the artists is scheduled for Saturday evening, November 22nd, from 7PM till 10PM, and is open to the public.

Featured artists from Asbury Park are Patrick Schiavino, Pork Chop, Doug Fuchs, Denise Dmochowski, Linda Meyers, Brittany James, Maggie Brown, Mallory Massara, and Zachary Westfall. Other local artists included are Roddy Wildeman (Ocean Grove), Suzanne Anan (Belmar), Sarah Langsam (Bradley Beach).

Patrick Schiavino, owner and curator of art629 Gallery and founder of Asbury Underground states, “Once again Asbury Underground has been a huge success celebrating the vibrant art & music scene here in Asbury Park. We here at art629 Gallery are very proud to be the catalyst behind this current exhibition, which once again showcases just how fertile this area is in the fine arts as well as our very historic musical heritage.”

On Saturday, January 18, 2013, art629 Gallery, www.art629.com, located at 629 Cookman Avenue, Asbury Park, NJ, will host an opening party featuring the photographic work of past light of day festivals by the sanctioned Light of Day photographers, Danny Clinch, Debra L. Rothenberg, John Cavanaugh, John Posada, Kristen Driscoll, Kyra Kverno, MarkWeiss and Mike Black.

The exhibit, titled “In the Light”, will be a showcase of eight photographers, officially sanctioned by the Light of Day Foundation, and their photographs documenting past Light of Day Festivals. This will be the first time that there has been a public exhibition of this type where all of the photographers will be featured in one showing. The exhibit will have a preview for the public during Asbury Park’s “First Night” event on Saturday, January 4th, from 7-10 PM. The official opening reception for the artists will be on January 18th between the hours of 5 and 7PM as part of the “Light of Day Downtown” event presented by Asbury Underground. All artists will be in attendance, and 100% of all sales will go directly to the Light of Day Foundation. The opening reception and all Light of Day Downtown events presented by Asbury Underground will be free to the public.

DANNY CLINCH:

Danny Clinch loves music. He listens to it, plays it, photographs it, and films it.  He has photographed and filmed a wide range of artists, from Johnny Cash to Tupac Shakur, from Bjork to Bruce Springsteen, and as a guy from New Jersey is proud to have his photographs in 8 Bruce Springsteen albums.

His work has appeared in publications such as Vanity Fair, Spin, Rolling Stone, GQ, Esquire, The New Yorker, and The New York Times Magazine, and his photographs have appeared on hundreds of album covers.

www.dannyclinch.com

JOHN CAVANAUGH:

John Cavanaugh has been taking serious concert photographs for more than 20 years.  He concentrates on the Jersey Shore area but has captured moments in New York City, Philly, Cleveland, and parts of Europe as well.

His photos have been published in a number of tri-state area newspapers, Rolling Stone and Backstreets magazines, as well as other respected national and European publications.  His photos are complementary and their availability to the public has been encouraged by the subject artists.

www.rocktography.info

KRISTEN DRISCOLL:

Kristen Driscoll is an award-winning photographer who specializes in weddings, portraiture and capturing the energy of live music. In 2013, she was voted the Best Photographer in Monmouth  County, NJ by the Asbury Park Press Reader’s Choice Awards, and in 2012, she was nominated for an Asbury Music Award for Top Journalist in Support of Live Music. Kristen’s photos capture the emotion in decisive moments of live performance, visually freezing the music in her images. Her professional photography career began in 2009, when she photographed local bands at The Saint and the Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ. Musicians continue to be her favorite subjects.

www.kristendriscollphotography.com

MIKE BLACK:

Mike Black is a science teacher who considers photography a ‘labor of love’.

Mike is a Getty Images Contributing Photographer.

Mike’s photos have been published in The New York Times, Rolling Stone Magazine, and shown on every TV network. Mike’s time lapse of the Christmas 2012 Blizzard went viral on Vimeo, with 3.6 million views, and was shown on every major American network, as well as BBC TV News.

Musicians and bands like Willie Nile, Last Perfect Thing, Divine Sign and others have used Mike’s photos for album art.

Mike’s current interest is Nature Photography, specializing in astrophotography, birding, NASA, and photography for Getty Images.

www.mikeblackphotography.com

DEBRA L. ROTHENBERG

Debra L. Rothenberg’s first book, BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN IN FOCUS PHOTOGRAPHS 1980-2012 hit books stores on October 1, 2013 and has remained in the top 10 on Amazon’s best seller list since its release. The Wall Street Journal said it was one of “the best photo books for fall” and The NY Daily News called it “amazing.” In November 2013, Debra was named as the first woman to be an Olympus Visionary. As an Olympus Visionary, she has been contracted by the camera company to produce images and provide feedback on new product lines.

An accomplished professional with a broad photographic range, Debra L Rothenberg has worked as a concert photographer for the NY Daily News since 1999. At the age of 16, she fell in love with the music of Bruce Springsteen and after college, landed a dream job for a newspaper at the Jersey Shore where her life and career began. Her photography has been exhibited in galleries worldwide and her images have been published in top magazines including Rolling Stone, Q, Time, Newsweek and US Weekly. Her photos reside on a wall at the legendary Stone Pony.

www.debrarothenberg.com

JOHN POSADA:

John Posada is a local photographer specializing in music and performance photography, photographing about 200 bands and musicians each year in the NY/NJ area, but predominately on the Jersey Shore. His photographs have been used by over 50 local musicians and bands for their CDs as well as for hundreds of musician promo posters, newspaper articles, music reviews, and web sites.

www.actionremembered.com

KYRA KVERNO:

Brooklyn- based photographer Kyra Kverno is from the Bay Area in California.  In the late 90’s she ventured out to the east coast to pursue photography, stopping in Long Branch, New Jersey for the first couple of years before planting herself in New York City.  It was there that she first became involved with the Light of Day Foundation. Kyra’s work has been featured in publications such as CNN, Thrasher, Paste, MOJO, Elmore, and many more.  She continues to travel the country photographing music related events ranging from large- scale festivals to accompanying artists on tour.

www.kyrakvernophotography.com

MARK WEISS:

In 1975 Mark began shooting rock concerts and by ’77 he was sneaking his camera into Madison Square Garden to photograph legendary bands such as Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Queen and Peter Frampton. He developed the prints at home to sell the next morning out of his high school locker, and then back in front of the venue that night. In 1977 KISS came to NYC for three days and Mark was arrested for selling his photos outside of the Garden. After a night in jail, his peddling days were over.

The next day, Weiss took his portfolio to Circus magazine, the leading rock publication at the time.  His first published work was a centerfold of Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler in October 1978, and soon after he was shooting the magazine’s covers and features as staff photographer. In 1978 Mark’s first assignment was to shoot Springsteen at the Spectrum in Philadelphia to accompany a live review of the DARKNESS tour.

Mark toured with rock veterans Van Halen, Aerosmith, Mötley Crüe, Guns ‘n Roses, Ozzy and Bon Jovi, shooting countless album covers including Bon Jovi’s SLIPPERY WHEN WET and Twisted Sister’s STAY HUNGRY.

Some 35 years later, Mark is still working with the same bands whose photos he peddled on the streets of NYC. In September, Mark was honored to unveil his own memorabilia case at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The display pays homage to him as an up-and-coming rock photographer–while still a teenager, featuring a mannequin outfitted in his original 70s garb and first camera standing amongst his collection of original darkroom equipment and photographs from those early years.

Weissguy’s photographs of the 80s are displayed exclusively throughout Broadway’s Helen Hayes Theatre and the Venetian in Las Vegas for the hit musical “ROCK OF AGES.” Also in Vegas is Mark’s latest project–Vince Neal’s EAT-DRINK-PARTY! The Mötley Crüe frontman’s new restaurant and bar utilized Mark’s vision and iconic photographs to recreate the vibe of Hollywood’s Sunset Strip in the 80s.

www.WEISSGUYgallery.com

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Patrick Schiavino is a self-taught painter and mixed-media artist.  A native of New Jersey, he is a graduate of Montclair State College, where he earned his degree in Industrial Arts and Design. After his graduation in 1977, Patrick spent two years working for interior designer Irene Kulak, who was designing residential loft conversions in Soho, NYC.  Soho at that time was a bustling art community, and it was there that Patrick developed his interest in fine art, and began to experiment with his own work.

Patrick started painting in the mid 1980s, purely as a hobby.  In 1990 a friend introduced his work to Natalie Best (Best Portfolio), and Natalie immediately invited Patrick to participate in a show that she was curating at the Schering-Plough Corporation.  Patrick’s painting “Moon River” was voted “Best in Show”, and Natalie was instrumental in encouraging Patrick to spend more time on his art.

That started a slew of activity for the artist, as he participated in well over 30 shows from the years 1992 through1998.  Some of the highlights of his career include several noteworthy events.  In 1994 he was selected by the United States Government to have his paintings exhibited at the American Embassy in Luxembourg.  In 1996 he was invited by the Center for Emerging Artists, Miami, to have five of his paintings tour the United States.  The following year, he was invited by the State of New Jersey to do a three-month solo exhibition at the State House in Trenton.  The next year, he was offered a Dodge Foundation Grant to participate in the Artist in Residency Program at the prestigious Vermont School.  And in 1998, Patrick was invited by music icon Sting, and tennis great John McEnroe, to participate in a fund raising art show at the John McEnroe Gallery in Soho, to benefit the Rain Forest Foundation.

In 2000, he purchased a building on Cookman Avenue, in downtown Asbury Park, to become a full-time artist. As of today, he still lives and works in his building, while running his gallery on the first floor (art629 Gallery), where he showcases not only his work, but the work of other artists as well.

ArtsCAP, the Arts Coaltion of Asbury Park present, by special arrangement with Pat Schiavino owner of art629, a gallery on Cookman Avenue Asbury Park, will present a special exhibition to honor artist Doris China, who passed away last June. An Asbury Park artist and ArtsCAP member, Doris generously shared her talent and time to encourage and excite other artists and art students. “Radiance,” as the exhibition is called, opens Saturday November 16 at 7:00 p.m. at art 629, a gallery located at 629 Cookman Avenue in downtown Asbury Park. The gallery, owned by artist Pat Schiavino, has generously been made available to ArtsCAP for this special event.

Before Hoboken became a popular destination, Doris China recognized the potential of that city. She purchased a brownstone to remodel, rented some studio space and became an activist with a vision for the city’s redevelopment plan. Many years after Hoboken refreshed its identity, Doris, by then a Brick Township art teacher, moved to Asbury Park and purchased a needy Victorian close to the beach. In her new home town she sought a community organization to support and discovered ArtsCAP. She quickly became a active and vital member and wasting no time, joined the Pubic Art Committee which led to the adoption of the City Public Art ordinance in 2010. Additionally, she became the liaison who assisted artists by hanging their art work at ArtsCAP hosted monthly art exhibitions in downtown venues such as Mattison Park and Market in the Middle and she wrote the ArtsCAP monthly newsletter.

Also at this time she was challenging herself as a painter, refining her increasingly larger paintings of stylized tropical flowers. These works, inspired by the lush tropical foliage of Puerto Rico, where she and her husband Carlos wintered each year, not only captured the unique detail of each plant, but also layered vibrant colors broadly brushed across the canvas suggesting the island’s warm breezes. She was a frequent exhibitor in area shows, including Heaven is Asbury Park and at most recently at a juried show in Rahway she was referred to as the “Georgia O’Keefe of the Tropics.”

“The exhibition gathers her vibrant paintings together so that we may remember her singular talent and contribution, not only to the arts in Asbury Park but also, to the organization,” comments ArtsCAP’s president, Ginny Otley. “The exhibition will also be an opportunity to continue Doris’ legacy” continues Otley, “by creating a scholarship in her name which will be awarded to an Asbury Park student majoring in art who is accepted at a university, college or art school.” Proceeds from or the sale of art works on view will fund the scholarship as well as donations to the Doris China Art Scholarship Fund. Donations can be made at the exhibition and also by sending a check to ArtsCAP. PO Box 507, Asbury Park, NJ 07712.

”The public is invited to celebrate Doris’ work at the opening, which will also include a musical performance by her son Emilio China. We and the family, are particularly thankful to Pat Schiavino for the use of his gallery” concludes Otley. The exhibit will be on view through November 24

Ronnie Wood has captured in many mediums legendary Rock n’ Roll, Pop and rhythm & Blue performers including Jimi Hendrix, Chuck Berry, Jim Morrison, Elvis Presley, Bob Marley, Eric Clapton, John Lennon and Madonna – all friends or admired colleagues. He knows his subjects well, often having performed with them on stage or in the studio during his musical career; especially after joining the Rolling Stones.

These portraits, featured in this exhibition, of his fellow Rolling Stones band mates and other famous friends are executed in a straightforward style that captures the intimacy of the relationship between subject and artist. For Ronnie, music and art have always gone hand-in-hand, and the intensity that he brings to the guitar translates onto canvas and paper with rhythmic line and vibrant colour. Ronnie Wood’s paintings are a record of his many talents and loves. One of the things he most enjoys is to paint the views from his farm in County Kildare Ireland and the horses he keeps in stables there, allowing him time to take time out from both the media attention that follows him everywhere and also work on his future projects, both with the Rolling Stones and other musicians, in a more secluded atmosphere.

SICA, The Shore Institute of the Contemporary Arts is proud to announce the opening of “The End”, a solo exhibit of the art of Victoria Hanks. This show is being graciously hosted by Patrick Schiavino at art629, located at 629 Cookman Avenue, Asbury Park, NJ. There will be a reception on Saturday, March 2nd, 2013 from 7pm – 10pm. The reception is free, open to the public and everyone is welcome. This is the first in what SICA plans to be a series of solo exhibitions, and we are please to begin this series with such an exceptionally gifted artist.

Victoria Hanks’ works of animals, common, endangered and extinct, deal with the precarious condition of all of nature and the reality of species being lost forever. The vibrancy of her imagery contradicts the worldwide pandemic assault against natural habitats. Like Medieval heraldic emblems, these portraits take on iconographic and ritualistic significance, at once a source of tribal power as well as communal despair. Within the boundaries of paper and canvas, wildlife commingles and conflicts with technological excess and the faces of these creatures evoke sorrow and perhaps, penance.

Ms. Hanks acknowledges that many artists have had an influence on her art throughout her 25 year career, and while elements of Sue Coe’s activism; Phillip Guston’s dark humor, and the baroque movements of Dorothea Tanning can be seen in Victoria’s art, her work has matured to be unique unto itself with few apparent derivations. As Victoria explains, “I take inspiration from those artists and writers that push the boundaries of the imagination but also call attention to what is happening in our time. I strive to make work that lives up to their dedication to craft as well as their ability to strike something in one’s soul.”

Viewers are apt to find themselves attracted to her work much like one is drawn to the comics on Sunday morning. They at first appear comical, almost cartoon-like. But this whimsical attraction is soon replaced with an uneasy feeling that all might not be as it first appeared – that there are actually ominously darker issues being addressed. With Victoria’s work one enters a theatre of the absurd where the dark societal issues we have grown-up to recognize play counterpoint to the light world of our youth.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Ms. Hanks completed a BFA at Montclair State University and, an MFA at the University of Hartford, completed a residency at the Vermont Studio Center as well studying in Venice, Italy for a summer with NYU. She also was recognized by the NJ Council on the Arts in 2000 when they awarded her a fellowship in painting.

Ms. Hanks has shown her work throughout Newark, NJ (where she formerly lived) at galleries such as Rupert Ravens Contemporary, Newark Arts Council/Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, and at Gallery Aferro. In addition, she has been featured at Amos Eno Gallery, New York, NY; Zuzuˆs Gallery, Hartford, CT; Taub Gallery, W. Hartford, CT; Fine Art Center, Passaic, NJ; INDEXG, Toronto, Ontario; Silpe Gallery, Hartford Art School, Hartford, CT; St Pancras Railway Station, London, England; The George Segal Gallery, Montclair State University, Montclair, NJ; Protest Space, New York, NY; Pierro Gallery, South Orange, NJ; Art Gotham, New York, NY; Downtown Association, New York, NY; Art Gotham, New York, NY; 473 Broadway Gallery, New York, NY; Soho20 Chelsea, New York, NY; Stedman Gallery, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ; Downtown Arts Club, The Knitting Factory, New York, NY: and ENMU-R, Roswell, NM.

ABOUT THE ARTIST:

Born in Bristol, Tennessee and a graduate of Virginia Intermont College, Holly Suzanne Rader began her fine arts career as a classically-trained portrait painter, while in recent years evolving into a sculptor and mixed media artist exploring a wide range of materials including acrylic, photo collage, wax, resin, paper mache, sequins, glitter and even candy. She is drawn to subject matter typically of vintage glamour. Bright drips of paint, glitter-enhanced photos and high gloss finishes create a visual seduction of color and texture. The overture of her work, whether on canvas or in sculpture, evokes a playful presence of the feminine soul.

While completing her MFA at the Savannah College of Art and Design, she traveled extensively and received international recognition. She was a featured artist in the 2002 “Women by Women” exhibition at the Mona Bismark Foundation in Paris. She was commissioned to create paintings for the 2006 SCAD Fashion Gala honoring designer Vera Wang. In 2010, Savannah College of Art and Design commissioned her to create over one-hundred mixed-media fiber works to be installed at their new Hong Kong campus.

Public and private collections of her work are continuously displayed in Atlanta, Savannah, Miami, Puerto Rico, New Jersey, New York City, Lacoste, France and Hong Kong. Cottage Living magazine described her work as “blending femininity with modern form.” She has also been featured in The New York Times, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, and Le Monde and Le Figaro magazines.

She currently lives and works on the Jersey Shore with her son Jackson.

ABOUT SUZANNE ANAN:

Suzanne Anan is an American artist who creates figurative compositions primarily reflecting women as her subject. She creates in all mediums, but prefers the unpredictable results that painting serves to project the humility and vulnerability created with every stroke of oil onto canvas. Her work is inspired by great works of poetry and literature, and her raw material comes from real life and musings. These evocative images resonate moods and memories and question what it means to feel human.

Anan’s work has recently been shown in a group exhibition at the 80WSE Gallery in New York and this month will be included in a contemporary portrait exhibition in Lecce, Italy featuring the work of Andy Warhol and Xiao Lu.

Her work was selected this past March for the Artour-O Exhibition in Florence, Italy. Her latest work, “Venetian Red” measuring 66×40 inches was inspired from her visits to Venice, Italy. She incoporates images from Piazza San Marco and the Carnival mask of the sly and cunning, “Zanni” character from the Commedia dell’arte.

Her work titled “Hard Work Never Killed Anyone” was awarded the President’s Award in 2011, by juror Shiva Amadi for a National Women’s Arts Exhibition titled “From Our Perspective.”

Anan’s work was selected by juror, Daniel Shay of the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. for a National Arts Exhibition in 2011, titled “Strokes of Genius” for her painting titled “Ain’t I A Woman?” She received an award of Merit for her work.

Suzanne’s work titled “The Most Of It”, inspired by a poem written by Robert Frost was recognized by David Grant, the former President of the Dodge Poetry Foundation.

Anan’s work was exhibited with forty-six artists from thirty-one countries in an International Art Exhibition in Florence, Italy in November 2010 and then in May 2011 in Ferrara, Italy at the Castello Estense to bring public awareness to Human Rights issues.

She designed numerous award winning pieces for clients such as The Newark Museum and the State Theatre of New Jersey. She volunteers for several non-profit organizations as a designer and educator; including The Newark Museum, The New Jersey Performing Arts Center, State Theatre of NJ, Newark Arts Council, City Without Walls, Aljira, Barart Foundation and La Casa De Don Pedro youth organization. She is a former adjunct professor of Typography and Editorial Design at Kean University’s Robert Busch School of Design, and the former Vice President of the Art Directors Club. She is in the process of obtaining Artist Membership at the Salmagundi Club, New York and she is an Artist Member of the American Artists Professional League of New York.

For more information on Suzanne Anan, visit her website at www.suzanneanan.com, or email at: suzanan@verizon.net

The exhibit, titled “Hans & Hans: Dutch Invasion”, will be a Showcase of the two artists who hail from The Netherlands. This will be their first show in New Jersey, and only their second show ever in the United States. The exhibit opens on Saturday June 16, both Mr. Withoos and Mr. Van Bentem will be attending the Artist’s Reception, from 7 – 10 PM (open to the public). The show will run through June 24.

‘Monumental’ is the word that most accurately describes Hans van Bentem ’s thinking and work. However, capturing him with one word does him a disservice – ‘creative’, ‘inquisitive’, energetic’, but above all, ‘innovative’ come to mind when the observer is confronted with his creations.

A preference for the monumental came early in Van Bentem ’s career. Initially he started out as a painter of grand murals. During his education, his work gradually became more spatial and three dimensional, but it was only after he started working with ceramics that Van Bentem made a discovery. Creating sculpture was like painting in three dimensions, developing spatial form where color and clay became one. A sculptor was born.

Van Bentem is a multifaceted artist. Although best known for his colorful ceramic sculptures, he also finds time to work with other media, including glass, crystal and porcelain. He does not fear challenges. His endeavors take him all over the world, from the Czech Republic for his glass work and chandeliers, to China for his porcelain series. The common thread in his work is the ‘bigger than life’ proportions. No matter whether pieces are commissioned or autonomous work; they will always be bold and impressive. With his latest passion–bronze sculpture–Van Bentem continues to play with his boundaries – in literal and figurative terms.

For more information about Hans Von Benthem, you can visit his website at www.hansvanbentem.com or www.nl-equals-us.com.

ABOUT HANS WITHOOS:

Hans Withoos’ photography is set in the world of abundance and artifice–the smell of decadence wafts towards the viewer. It is a world simultaneously familiar and different. In Withoos’ exaggerated scenes, the figures crowding the images become archetypes, and the viewer is overcome by a sense of alienation. The work is full of layered, staged images with idiosyncratic esthetics. Sometimes the photographs evoke emotions related to suffering, sensuality and hidden oppressiveness; at other times the images depict the complete opposite and are deliberately emotionless.

Models are portrayed as Greek mythological heroes, movie stars or plastic dolls. All are photographed in edgy environments. The demonstrated anxiety in ‘The Beauty of Suffering’ is the element that brings the theme to life.

The artist describes his oeuvre: “The images don’t show a critical perspective, but rather an observant one. The location itself determines the position of the model, as well as my emotional state. All of this is reinforced through styling and embellishment.”

‘It takes a lot of preparation before the ultimate image is shot. The choice of the model, clothing and make-up must measure up to the image I have in mind. Later, in the studio I edit the images on the computer. Like a classical painter I build layer upon layer to complete the image to perfection.”

For further information on Hans Withoos, you can visit his website at www.hanswithoos.com.

The exhibit, titled “ROCK SEEN”, (taken from his latest book by Abrams, 2011), will be a showcase of Bob Gruen’s photography spanning the past 40 years. This will be the first showing of his work in Asbury Park, but not the first time he has worked here. He has some history of shooting concerts here including The Clash in 1982, and the Pretenders in 1994.

Bob Gruen is one of the most well-known and respected photographers in rock and roll. From John Lennon to Johnny Rotten; Muddy Waters to the Rolling Stones; Elvis to Madonna; Bob Dylan to Bob Marley; Tina Turner to Debbie Harry, he has captured the music scene for over forty years in photographs that have gained worldwide recognition.

www.bobgruen.com

Shepard Fairey

Shepard Fairey is an American contemporary graphic designer, and illustrator who emerged from the skateboarding scene. He first became known for his “André the Giant Has a Posse” (…OBEY…) sticker campaign, in which he appropriated images from the comedic supermarket tabloid Weekly World News. His work became more widely known in the 2008 U.S. presidential election, specifically his Barack Obama “Hope” poster. The Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston calls him one of today’s best known and most influential street artists. His work is included in the collections at The Smithsonian, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Museum of Contemporary Art in San Diego, the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

You can visit Shepard Fairey's website here.

SICA, The Shore Institute of the Contemporary Arts and art629, are proud to announce the opening of SICA’s 8th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL JURIED EXHIBITION. This year’s artwork was chosen by juror, KenTyburski, who is a partner of DCKT Contemporary, in New York City, and the Curatorial Director of NEXT Art Fair in Chicago. The exhibition was open to all mediums of works that have been completed in the past 5 years and that have never been displayed at SICA. This year SICA had 495 works submitted from throughout the US & Canada, as well as from as far away as Austria, Azerbaijan, Denmark, Israel, Italy, Poland, Serbia, and Taiwan. From these entries Ken Tyburski selected 75 works to be in the exhibitions.

The exhibition will be split between the two venues with their receptions being held on two separate dates. On Sunday, September 11th, SICA held a reception for the majority of the chosen art between 2-5 pm, and on Saturday, September 24th, you can see the rest of the chosen art at art629 between 7-10pm. Both venues close the exhibition on November 13, 2011. SICA is located at 20 Third Ave in Long Branch. ART629 is located at 629 Cookman Avenue in Asbury Park, NJ.

Art629 Gallery will host an opening party featuring the paintings and painted wall sculptures of Jean Johnson. The time of the opening is 7:30 PM to 10 PM, and the exhibit will be open to the public from Saturday, July 9th, through Sunday, August 7th.

Born in Castro Valley, California, Jean Johnson is an active artist exhibiting in over fifty solo, invitational and juried exhibitions at commercial, corporate and art organization galleries. Johnson’s select solo exhibitions include Georgian Court University, GTE Government Systems, Johnson & Johnson World Headquarters, TRW Environmental Safety Systems, EDS Government Services Group and Logistics Management Institute. Ms. Johnson’s art is held in private and corporate collections.

Johnson is a promoter of the arts. She firmly believes that art creation engages the core of human creativity and thought process that can be universally applied to project creation in all fields of endeavor. She continues to work towards building art awareness through her art, education, volunteerism and arts promotion. She conducts visiting artist presentations to University and Community College Art Departments; is a public speaker and panel presenter at arts organization, education and radio venues; volunteers for educational and community arts groups; along with her work as an artist and life endeavors.

The exhibit, titled “HIGHWAY OF SIGHT”, will be a Showcase of Mr. Forbert’s photography while touring as a musician on the road. This will be the first gallery showing in Asbury Park by Forbert, who is much better known as a musician, singer-songwriter. The gallery is showing Mr. Forbert’s work in conjunction with the “New Harmonies Exhibit” being produced by The Smithsonian Institute, which will be a month-long celebration (March 12 – April 17) of concerts, shows, and exhibits of American Roots Music throughout the City.

Forbert on the Photos:

“The photos are taken strictly with a 2005 LG cellphone. I’ve tried some of the newer, higher resolution phones, and to me the results are less interesting. A proper camera is out of the question. I don’t feel there is anything I can add to the standard, accepted field of Fine Art photography. What I’m attracted to are bright colors, repetition, symmetry, a bit of obvious irony and the simply absurd.

I arranged to have a working phone/camera on a recent three week trip to the UK, but took very few pictures—which might mean that there is a strong American element to what I like in the way of photo subjects.
I’d say my influences are William Eggleston, Clarence John Laughlin and Warhol.”

FEATURED ARTISTS:

CARLA SIMPSON

MOLLY JOHNSON

KRISTEN DOMENICO

JIRSTEN NUNEZ

KRISTEN DRISCOLL

The exhibit, titled “Resurrection”, will be a retrospective featuring paintings and sculpture created by the artist over the past 20 years. The time of the opening is 7PM to 10PM, and the exhibit will run through the end of October.

This exhibit and opening party will run in conjunction with the CityArts tour in Asbury Park, where the Arts Coalition of Asbury Park will bring together international artists, local artists, and multiple art groups working in various mediums, including visual arts, music, spoken word, dance, theatre, film, video and sound. This event will take place from September 24th though the 26th on Cookman Avenue, Bangs Avenue, and along the Asbury Park Boardwalk. 

About The Artist

This will be the first gallery show in Asbury Park by Schiavino, who has shown both nationally and internationally. Some of Schiavino’s credits include having his work in the American Embassy in Luxemburg, participating in a Rain Forest Foundation fundraiser at the John McEnroe Gallery, Soho NY, hosted by rock icon Sting, and being honored by receiving The Governor’s Award, from Governor Christie Whitman from the State of NJ, after a 3-month solo exhibit at the State House in Trenton.

The theme of the show, which is on display until it’s August 28 closing event, addresses current affairs through the portrayal of dominant subjects such as tanks, bombs, rockets and robo-soldiers with an underlying playfulness that is expressed through a bright color pallet and refined designer fabrics.

Features will include traditional paintings as well 2-D and 3-D installations, promising a “visual explosion” of wonderful pieces that will cover the gallery from floor to wall.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Bradley Hoffer, 36, is a semi-professional artist that has contributed to the art industry for 10 years through his participation in over 30 shows throughout five states. **BLAST/BLITZ** will be Hoffer’s first solo exhibition in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

There was a time when photography was equated with truth. Something to be believed, more powerful than memory. But with the growth of technology and developing ease of manipulation that notion has changed. Some mourn this loss while others see it as an opportunity to take photography in a different direction. “Based on Real Life” is a show that explores two photographer’s varied interpretations of reality.

The 2 artists approach this phenomenon in different ways. Gary Dates constructs a whole new reality, in some cases by imagining another side of the mainstream icons Barbie and Ken, while in others by simply creating a fantasy world. Andi Monick references the truth, but nudges it aside to create room for something a little less concrete.

Art 629 is pleased to present an exhibition of work by the artists Adam Murray and Corey Antis. The show consists of two distinct but related bodies of work, each addressing the gap between abstraction and appropriation.

Art Series Proudly Presents Contemporary Cuban Artist Josignacio. This is a rare exhibit for one weekend only in Asbury Park on Friday 11/6, Saturday 11/7 and Sunday 11/8. The Opening Reception is open to the public on Friday, November 6th 6pm to 9pm at art629 Gallery located at 629 Cookman Avenue in Asbury Park, NJ. Cocktails and Hors d’Oeuvres by Branches Catering and Sweets by Market in the Middle will be served.

About the Artist

Born in Cuba, Josignacio is often credited with helping to refocus the Cuban contemporary art world from his native Havana to the Art World of Miami, Florida, the city that adopted him after leaving Cuba in 1989. Josignacio’s extensive exhibitions (almost more than any other artist of his generation), have been well-covered in the media, particularly following his “Best in Show Award” in 1996. Josignacio earned this prominent prize during the Hortt 38 Show (the oldest and most prestigious Juried Art Show of Florida), which took place at the Museum of Art of Fort Lauderdale; the award was given to one of his plastic paint medium artworks from his ‘Dualism Series’: “The 3 O’clock”. Josignacio’s body of work consists of several series, which he has maintained open for more than 20 years. These series consist of ‘Portrait Series’, ‘Dualism Series’, ‘Abstract Series’, ‘Yoruba Series’, ‘Tauromaquia Series’, etc. With more than sixty Solo-Shows, his technique “Plastic Paint Medium” and his controversial exhibitions have redefined international expectations on Contemporary Cuban Art. Josignacio currently resides and creates his artwork in Miami Beach, Florida.

In this new series, inspired by the writings of poets such as Sir Thomas Wyatt, William Butler Yeats and Pablo Neruda, Suzanne portrays her “Men” rife with an exciting and riotous mixture of subject that are as tempestuous as they are peaceful. These works represent a diversified blend of the “fateful” and a strong feeling that something is about to happen—or has happened.

Anan lived in Venice, Italy while studying abroad for her Masters of Art from New York University. It was there she developed her deep interest and passion for this ominous, yet sensual imagery in a city that continuously changes its appearance with the passing of light and shadow.

These new works 40″x60″ to 80″, are figurative compositions usually much larger than life size. They combine a subtly smooth surface with rich color, drawing inspiration from 17th Century painter Artemisia Gentileschi, painter Will Cotton’s sugary portraits; and by Italian photographer, Paolo Roversi.

The delicate balance of violence and grace has been an ongoing subject in Anan’s work. First showing in Asbury Park in 2004 at the former Rock Paper Scissors Gallery her “Women Series”, anchored in the subconscious, portrayed a dramatic display of paintings created in oil and ink on canvas. There was a sense of drama, with each woman quietly revealing her story of fear and desire.