Virtual gallery reaches beyond walls of SOPAC

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The Herb + Milly Iris Gallery at the South Orange Performing Arts Center has added a new show, along with a new way to view it. Responding to the need to reach beyond the walls of the building, “INSPIRING MINDS: Art Educators Exhibition” is now on display virtually at www.sopacnow.org/gallery-virtual-exhibition. Works in a variety of mediums, including oils, acrylic, watercolor, ceramic, fibers and mixed media, are featured.

For the past several years, the Iris Gallery has hosted “INSPIRED MINDS: Young Artist Exhibition,” a juried show presenting the work of talented Essex County high school students. Gallery curator Jeremy Moss and Director of Community Engagement Linda Beard wanted to extend the gallery experience to the talented teachers who engage and inspire their young artists to reach further and attain more than they ever thought possible.

The exhibition, presented in tandem with the student exhibition that will be viewed later in the spring, is an opportunity for art educators to share their individual talents beyond the classroom. Every teacher spends hours demonstrating art techniques, and cultivating and displaying the artwork of budding student artists, but this show focuses on the other side of art education: the educator as an artist. This exhibition celebrates current art educators who continue to display their own inspirational journey and creative development.

“I hope that viewers take away an appreciation of the artistic talent that abounds in our teachers and community. It’s important to recognize that these amazing people are not only teachers. They are practicing artists who share their love of art and their own creative journey with their students every day,” Moss said.

Artwork in the gallery is available for sale. A portion of the fee is given to SOPAC, a nonprofit organization.

Participating artist teachers include Kirsten Angel-Lambert, Josephine Barreiro, Kristian Battell, Christine Benson-Vos, Avril Bogle, Elaine Brodie, Nate Brown, Carol Cassel-Baker, Maya Cozmos, SK Duff, Shana Falda, Curtis Grayson, Adam Gustavson, April Hart, Kathleen Harte-Gilsenan, Jennifer Johnson-Tiongson, Lauren Kaiser, Bridget Lamperti, Angela Melchionne, Sharon Paster, Doris Peterson, Erin Pickering, Lisa Rosen, Jennie Traill Schaeffer, Lindsey Shevkun, Julia Thomson, Janet Tsakis, Miriam Untoria, Lorena Vera, Ann Vollum and James Worrell.

  SOPAC