News

Letter from the President

Hello fellow artists,

As we move into the holiday season, I want to wish you all Happy Holidays and we look to 2021 with hope and optimism. We will need to be patient and continue with all our health precautions.

The Guild had a relatively successful Fall class/workshop season, under the circumstances. We look forward to being able to begin our 2021 class season sometime in February. While we will be closed from December 21 through January 2021, we hope you will all find time and solace in working with your medium of choice. Please continue to share your creations on our Facebook Group page.

As the days get shorter continue to reach out to friends and family with words of hope and encouragement that ‘this too shall pass.’ I wish you a happy holiday season and look forward to your shared creations!

Warm wishes to all,
Wendy Kovacs
OCAG President

What lies behind us and what lies ahead of us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
Ralph Waldo Emerson

Over the last few months, the Guild was the recipient of so many art supplies from the families of former Guild members.

We greatly appreciate the generosity of these families in thinking of the Guild.

These supplies will enable us to offer students a 'true beginner experience'. They will be able to just show up for class and we will have supplies for them to try a 'new medium', that they may come to love.

We want to thank the families of: Vincent Altamuro; Larry Lane and Guenther Timm for their thoughtfulness and generosity.

Announcements

Recently the Guild lost two long-time members

Ray Moran (October 17, 2020)

Although a chemist by education and profession, Ray Moran painted primarily in watercolors for many years. The foundation for his work comes from past studies with noted local artists and continues today in workshops with talented artists from all over the country.

He could be found participating in art shows throughout the state and was an active member of the Ocean County Artist’s Guild, the Manasquan River Group of Artists, the American Association of Professional Artists, and the Pine Shores Art Association. He taught watercolor at different venues throughout the Shore area.

Accepted into many local, county, and state juried shows, Ray’s work won awards from the exhibits of all the groups he belonged to. Ray’s paintings have been displayed at the Anchor & Palette Gallery in Bay Head, the Art Effects Gallery in Spring Lake, the Bridgepoint Gallery in Point Pleasant and Jersey Shore Moments Gallery in Manasquan. Ray’s paintings have been chosen to be included in “The Jersey Shore Guide Book”, and “The Long Beach Island Rhapsody”, a coffee-table art book available at book stores.

Paul Dresher

Paul Dresher, has died at the age of 93. He and his wife Olga moved to Toms River in 1992 and both joined the Guild. His work was exhibited at the Guild in a solo show, as well as regular contributions to Members’ Shows since the early 90’s. His work was highly valued by some of us who admired his large, sometimes satirical, canvases of clowns, jesters, marionettes, and Jewish figures like Golems and Kosher butchers, as well as beautifully painted nudes. He and Olga were regular attendees at our life drawing workshop. Olga, who now lives in Fair Lawn with their daughter, also showed her floral paintings in members’ shows, and is a prolific maker of hand-crafted books and jewelry as well as a poet.

Largely self-taught, Paul grew up in New York City, and haunted museums and studied other artists all his life. While serving in the army of occupation in Germany after the war, he was provided with a place to paint by the USO, and began depicting holocaust survivors as they emerged from the camps. These works were featured in a major show on Long Island, and later were part of a show at the North West Trilogy on Long Beach Island, a gallery which has handled his work since 2011.

Statement from Gallery Committee:

The November Solo shows of Dot Johnson and Mariellen Smith, as well as the Members' Show "Pets" and "Beautiful Blooms" will remain on view in the galleries until December 20. The Guild will close December 21 through January 2021. Pick up for the November show will take place on Wednesday, January 13 and Thursday, January 14, 1-4PM.

Bonnie Brown and Robert Bohne are scheduled to exhibit in February . The opening will be Sunday, February 7, 1-4 PM. Members are invited to explore the theme "RED" for exhibit in the Members Gallery Show. To celebrate Valentine's Day members are asked to use the color red as a theme - the color of heat, the color of fire, the color of love, the red in a sunset, in a flag, in rosy cheeks.

Drop off for the February show will be Wednesday &Thursday, February 3-4, 1-4PM.

In March all those who participated in our three Plein Air sessions in October are invited to submit up to three pieces inspired by those sessions at the Guild, by the river and at Cattus Island. All media accepted including photography. Drop off for March will be Wednesday & Thursday, March 3-4, 1-4PM.

Please note that we are asking members to donate $5.00 along with their monthly submissions to support the Guild.

Envelopes will be left with the sign in book.

Make note of the above dates on your calendar as many of them do not conform to our usual schedule. Happy New Year!

Upcoming Guild Events

December 2020

December 1 (Tues) 4-6 PM Board Meeting
December 6, 13 & 20 (SUN) Elves gift table & gallery viewing
December 21-December 31, 2020-Guild will be closed to the public

January 2021
Guild will be closed to the public through January 31
January 13-14 (Wed/Thur)1-4 PM Pick up for November Show

February
February 3-4, 1-4 PM Drop off for Feb Show
February 7 (Sun) 1-4 PM Gallery Opening

Gallery 1: Bonnie Brown "Positive Outlooks on Life"
Gallery 2: Robert Bohne "New Jersey Impressions (Oil and drawings)"
Studio Exhibit - Member Choice – Theme RED

March
March 3-4 (Wed/Thur) 1-4 PM
Drop off for March Show
March 7 (Sun) 1-4 PM
Gallery 1: Plein Air Artwork
Gallery 2: TBD
Studio: Artist Choice

Awards

Winners 2020 Juried Photography Show
Original Art Work for Sale
October 4, 2020

Awards for Excellence
Best in Show
“Silverback” by Vicki DeVico
Monochrome
1st Place “Sunk” by Kristopher Schoenleber
2nd Place “The Blacksmith's Barn” by Susan Powell
Special Category: Capturing Quarantine
1st Place “Empty” by Joel Goldberg
2nd Place “Covid Quartet” by Rob Rielly
Manipulated & Abstract
1st Place “Angel Sighting” by Frank Saragnese
2nd Place “Quixotic Throb” by Jamie Hom
Honorable Mention “Bubble Fiz” by Honorable Mention
People
1st Place “Along the Canal, Kerala, India” by Lucille Rielly
2nd Place “Pensioners Passing the Pub” by Jeff Heilbrun
Nature
1st Place “Mountains in the Clouds” by Angela Previte
2nd Place “Rose in Bloom” by Rosemary Reinman
Honorable Mention “Fish Gone Geyser” by Carmelina Carra
Honorable Mention “Twist and Tern” by Ted Tobiassen
Honorable Mention “Flying Colors” by Ted Tobiassen
Honorable Mention “Beauty of Summer” by Ted Tobiassen

Judge: Andrea Phox
Show Co-chairs: Bill & Gina McNamara

OTHER MEMBER NEWS

Wendy Kovacs was awarded First Place in the Pine Shores Online Sepia Show in July 2020 for her painting "Gram and Baby Olga"
Karen Wachter was awarded Second Place in the Pine Shores Online Sepia Show in July 2020 for her painting "Destiny"

2020/2021 Officers and Trustees

OFFICERS

Wendy Kovacs, Interim President

Judy Lepore, Vice President (ends 12/31/2020)

Jo Guscott, Vice President (begins 1/1/2021)

Sally Cornelison, Recording Secretary

Bill McNamara, Treasurer

Wendy Kovacs, Membership Secretary

Carol Colvin, Corresponding Secretary

9 TRUSTEES

Mary Jo Austin Tamara Woronczuk

Russ Whitman Robert Henne

AnnMarie Dario Judy Lepore

Marcie Falconetti William Kobasz