News
The 39th Annual Monmouth Festival Of The Arts
By Eleanor O'Sullivan
IN THE BEGINNING, there were perhaps 20 artists whose works were chosen by members with a background in art. Thirty-nine years later, the Monmouth Festival of the Arts, held at the Monmouth Reform Temple, Tinton Falls, is presenting works by more than 230 artists in numerous media. Their art has been juried by a committee of their peers with stringent standards of quality.
The 39th annual festival offers an opportunity for artists working in a wide variety of media to sell their creations. It begins with a gala reception on Saturday, March 28, at 7:30 p.m. at the Temple, 332 Hance Ave. Tickets in advance are $60; at the door $65. Tickets admit the bearer to the entire non-profit festival, running through Wednesday, April 1.
Arlene Berg, Colts Neck, is co-chair of the festival with Gayle Horvath; between them, they have shepherded 23 different Temple committees to present an arts event that will offer, for sale, paintings; watercolors; mixed media; photography; sculpture; jewelry; ceramics; glass; wood; fiber; furniture; graphics; pastels; textiles and quilts. Berg says artists at the show primarily come from the tri-state area - New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, with some from Connecticut, as well - with the largest number from New Jersey and the largest part of that group from Monmouth County. "Once we began having a juried event, we had fewer artists represented but the quality of the art became excellent, and a lot more of the art was sold,'' Berg says. In addition to the art for sale, there will be a lecture series during the festival, as well as workshops for children, plus a closed symposium for educators, daily demonstrations by artists, an art auction via chance, and at the Le Petit Café, snacks, lunches and light suppers.
On Sunday March 29, doors will be open from noon to 8:30 p.m.; on Monday, March 30, from 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; on Tuesday, March 31, from 9:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., and on Wednesday, April 1, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Single-day tickets are $8 for adults; $5 for seniors and students; and $18 for Sunday through Wednesday admission. "The group that started the festival wanted to provide a showcase for artists in the area and to bring art to residents closer to home,'' Berg says. Berg, who was a promoter for the late Howell sculptor Jim Gary, has a background in teaching and as a paralegal. She says as the caliber of the art grew, audiences grew. She remembers that the festival's growing popularity prompted staff members to bring their own food so that the Café would have enough food on hand to feed the public.
The opening gala on March 28 enables the public to meet and chat with the participating artists. She said 300 artists submitted works for consideration; about 230 were selected. Jurors change with each year so that artists who have tried a previous year without success have another opportunity to be accepted. The festival requires that the artist submit a work done in the past six months, so that "the art is new,'' Berg says. Berg says it takes a full year to coordinate and organize the big festival, which she estimates is one of the largest in New Jersey and close in prominence and size with similar shows held in New York and northern New Jersey. It is the largest such non-vendor show in Monmouth County. This year the festival will feature musical entertainment: the Colts Neck Swing Band will perform as part of the overall festival, at 6:30 p.m. March 29. Other highlights include lectures and workshops in watercolor art; wood turning; pastel painting; Chinese brush painting; camp crafts; animal sculpture; making fabric bead jewelry; drawing; loom weaving; book binding and making filigree jewelry. The festival is made possible in part by a grant from the Monmouth County Arts Council.
More information is available at (732) 747-8278; and www.monmouthfestivalofthearts.com.
