WEST ORANGE, NJ — JCC MetroWest will present all new art exhibits in January and February, including works by 2019 Gaelen Juried Art Show winners Susan Holford and Lori Abrams, as well as painter Felix Aarts. An opening reception for all exhibits will be held Sunday, Jan. 12, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at JCC MetroWest, 760 Northfield Ave. in West Orange. The reception and exhibits are free and open to the community.
Holford’s mixed media works, to be on display in the Gaelen Gallery East, can be attributed to the influences around her. In her pieces, these influences may come in wondrous textures, shapes, forms and colors. What brings Holford’s works to life are the influences of thoughts, feelings and ideas. Most importantly, she bows to all the artists whose journeys have been to help her “see” in another way. Her “Mardi Gras AM Celebrations” was awarded Best in Show at the 2019 Gaelen Juried Art Show.
Abram’s photography will also be on display in the Gaelen Gallery East. Abrams is an award-winning photographer based in Maplewood. A relative purist, Abrams does her own post-processing and printing. With a deep interest in the natural world that includes macro, landscape, nature and street photography, Abrams has an increasing interest in photographing the human species. Abrams’ “Neighborhood Under the City” was awarded Best in Photography at the 2019 Gaelen Juried Art Show.
Aarts’ paintings will be exhibited in Leon & Toby Cooperman JCC, Ross Family Campus lower lobby. Aarts has had an extensive career, dancing soloist roles in ballets of renowned choreographers such as George Balanchine, Maurice Bejart, Jiri Kylian, John Cranko, Rudolf Nureyev and others. In the spring of 2013, Aarts graduated with honors from Pratt Institute in New York with an MFA in painting. Aarts has exhibited his work throughout Europe and the United States. He lives and works in South Orange.
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