The West Windsor Arts Council is showcasing the work of many of its talented member artists in the exhibition Fiction: The Art Show. The show is running through May 17.
The theme was chosen in conjunction with the spring theatrical performance of
“Fiction” by Steven Dietz and produced by the Pegasus Theatre Company to be staged at the West Windsor Arts Center. (See story below.)
The juror, Michael Joseph, is a Rare Books Librarian at Rutgers University and the founding director of the New Jersey Book Arts Symposium.
The exhibition consists of 39 artworks, representing 26 artists, 3 of which were selected by Joseph to be awarded prizes for their outstanding work and relevance to the show theme.
Best in Show, a $100 prize, went to Meta Dunkly Arnold for her work “Adeline at the Window.” Second place, a $50 Prize, went to Brigitte A. Calderon’s “Tender is the night. Homage to F. Scott Fitzgerald.” Third place, a membership to WWAC, went to Lucretia E. McGuff-Silverman for “Midnight in the Garden of Art and Science.”
Dunkly Arnold, makes found-object assemblages. Her background in English literature lends a narrative quality to many of her pieces, and her work as an educator inspires her to try to capture the excitement of discovering new things.
“Many of my assemblage pieces are kinetic and interactive, inviting the audience to share my creative process by going on a “treasure hunt” of their own,” she said.
“Adeline at the Window,” portrays her favorite scene in Ann Radcliffe’s early gothic novel, The Romance of the Forest.
Calderon and McGuff-Silverman also examine art and literature through their art. Calderon created “Tender is the night. Homage to F. Scott Fitzgerald,” in reaction to the story that F. Scott Fitzgerald tells in Tender is the Night.
“Only black could depict the emotional struggles that the character endures.” Calderon said.
McGuff-Silverman creates drawings that are slices of views of different spaces and things that come together to tell a new story.
West Windsor and Plainsboro artists featured in the show include : Zakia Ahmed, J. Bettina, Margaret Kalvar Bushnell, Joann Donatiello, Ilene Dube, Renee Kumar, Barbara Weinfield and Andrew Werth.
The show is at the West Windsor Art Center Gallery, 952 Alexander Road, in West Windsor. Hours are Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Go to westwindsorarts.org for more information.
