County Library Acquires ‘Identity’ Collage from Arts Council
SHREWSBURY – The Monmouth County Library Commission has acquired Identity, an art collage created by teen artists from the Monmouth County Arts Council, to add to the library’s permanent art collection.
Identity has been on display to the enjoyment and delight of patrons at the Eastern Branch Library in Shrewsbury for most of the past year, and the Eastern Branch will now have the artwork on permanent display.
“The library as a community anchor, a gathering place to sharpen our educational experience and a platform for creativity, is acquiring Identity, an artwork created by Monmouth County teen artists that speaks of joy, of youth, of energy and of imagination,” said Renee B. Swartz, Monmouth County Library Commission chairwoman. “Come enjoy this home-grown Picasso now on permanent display at the Eastern Branch and feel enriched by its inspiration!”
The collage of 12 canvases individually painted and lettered was created at the 2012 Teen Arts Festival, sponsored by the arts council in collaboration with Brookdale Community College.
The annual festival is an exceptional experience for emerging teen artists of all disciplines to come together in a creative atmosphere of workshops, evaluations and fun. Last year, close to 1,900 teens registered to participate in the festival, according to Sandy Taylor, arts education director for the Monmouth County Arts Council.
Each year, a theme is presented to the teen artists to explore in an art installation project that is created only during the two-day festival. Students from around the county mix and mingle, work alongside each other and share ideas in conversation and in painted images.
“Our artistic high school students come from almost 30 schools from around the county – from Allentown to Keyport and in between – and work together on each year’s themed installation piece,” Taylor said. “It has been a very fulfilling process, one that the students, teachers and the community have enjoyed immensely.”
The theme for 2012 was Identity, a theme conducive to many interpretations which gave teen artists a direction for inquiry, exploration, inspiration and discussion, according to Taylor.
With the guidance of an artist facilitator, the teens painted canvases in six sessions during the two festival days. Their collaboration created a mixture of butterflies, inspiring words and portraits that together expressed their individual and group concept of “identity.” One of the guiding phrases was “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”
“The library has been a staunch supporter of the Monmouth Arts Council and its Teen Arts Festival, and we are pleased to give Identity a permanent home,” said Freeholder Lillian G. Burry, liaison to the Monmouth County Library. “The core theme of Identity is ‘Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.’ And it’s encouraging to see the creativity and imagination and the talent of our teen artists on display.”
Since 2009, the Monmouth County Library has displayed the teens’ themed installation projects from the annual festivals throughout its branch libraries, enabling the public to view the art. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, according to Janet Kranis, branch librarian for the Eastern Branch library. “Our teen patrons in particular have been very interested in the pieces we display,” she said.
Of the previous teen festival projects, only the Identity piece remained in the possession of the Monmouth County Arts Council, according to Taylor.
The public is invited to view the creative work of art. The piece will continue to be displayed in the main reading area of the Eastern Branch at 1001 Route 35.
COLTS NECK
Cedar Drive Middle School will host its first Colt Fest from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, for students in grades 6-8.
The goal of the event is to help middle school students develop the characteristics of highly successful teens while building our school community.
Students will attend sessions that focus on character development while introducing them to a number of great activities that are available to them in their community.
Participating in the event will be a number of community members and organizations. A DJ from The Breeze will be the emcee and will be accompanied by a live local band. Key sponsors and contributors are the Colts Neck Alliance, the Colts Neck Police Department, the Colts Neck PTO and the Cedar Drive Middle School staff.
All sixth-grade students will attend a session on first aid and CPR. All seventh-graders will attend a session on Internet safety by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office. Eighth-graders will attend a session on safe dating by Prevention First.
The students then will choose three additional sessions for the rest of their schedule from a list that includes surfing, weight training, mountain biking, self-defense, makeup session by Sephora and Nordstrom, hairstyling, video games, jam session, cooking and cake decorating, ballroom dancing, break dancing, fashion and baseball-hitting instruction.
Students also can sign up for a study hall/open gym time from 2:30-4 p.m. that day. Snacks and refreshments will be served from 4 to 4:30 p.m. while dinner will be served from 5:30 to 6 p.m.
The cost is $5. A brochure and sign-up sheet will be available at the school.
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The Colts Neck Reformed Church community is very excited and pleased to have expanded its campus to include a newly built ministry center and church offices. This new building will assist in the ongoing vital ministry of this historic congregation.
All are invited to an open house to see the three major buildings of church campus, including the new ministry center, from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, April 7.
Visitor are asked to stop by and spend as much time as they would like.
The church buildings are located at 72 Route 537 west, a quarter-mile from the intersection of routes 34 and 537.
HIGHLANDS
It’s time to break out the chili powder for the Highlands Business Partnership Chili Cook-Off fundraiser from 3 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 24, at Off the Hook, 1 Navesink Ave.
More than a dozen of Highland’s best-known chili chefs will put their recipes to the test at this hot competition. Those attending this first-ever event will be able to come eat the heat and sample delicious chili while washing it down with plenty of beer. Tickets are $25 and include snacks, chili tasting, beer and two voting ballots.
There will be two contests, the “professional” cook-off will begin at 4 p.m. and the “amateur” cook-off will begin at 5 p.m. Once the chili lovers have tasted all chili, they will vote for their favorite and drop their ballot in the ballot box. The results will be tallied and the winners will be announced at 6 p.m. Prizes will be awarded to the winners.
Grand Marshal Rebecca Kane and Deputy Grand Marshal Dave Parker will be among the panel of five independent judges for another contest.
Sponsors of the event include Off the Hook, Shore Point Distributors and Brown-Forman, a Jack Daniels company.
Additional information about the partnership’s programs and other special events is available by visiting www.highlandsnj.com or calling 732-291-4713.
MIDDLETOWN
High school juniors and seniors who live in Middletown are invited to submit essays about their local government for a chance to win a $1,000 scholarship in the 2013 Louis Bay second Future Municipal Leaders Scholarship Competition.
The scholarship is offered through a joint venture between local mayors and the New Jersey League of Municipalities. Each student must write an approximately 500-word essay on the theme, “What My Mayor and Governing Body Do Best,” to be included in the contest. The theme is chosen by the state League of Municipalities, Mayor Gerard P. Scharfenberger said.
All essays must be received by March 8. Middletown will select one essay to forward to the League of Municipalities in Trenton as a semi-finalist. The League of Municipalities will then choose 15 finalists and three scholarships winners. Winners will be announced in May. Winning essays will be featured in the New Jersey Municipalities magazine.
Applications are available at area schools and the mayor’s office in town hall at 1 Kings Highway and at www.middletownnj.org.
For more information, students should check with their high school or call the mayor’s office at 732-615-2024.
RED BANK
The Navesink Garden Club has invited a representative from Edible Jersey, a quarterly magazine, to speak about the sustainability of foods in the Garden State.
The presentation is free to the public and will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 19 at The Atrium, 40 Riverside Ave.
Edible Jersey is distributed via Whole Foods, Sickles, Dearborn and many other stores, restaurants and wineries in our area. The magazines spotlights the growers, producers, retailers, artisans, chefs, home cooks, and others who energize New Jersey with regionally-based food choices.
The Navesink Garden Club’s programs are open to the general public and free of charge on the third Tuesday of the month in September, October, November, January, March, April and May at The Atrium. The club is a member of The Garden Club of New Jersey, Inc. and the Central Atlantic Region and National Garden Clubs, Inc.
Additional information about the garden club and its program is available by contacting the membership chair, Katherine Pojawa, at 732-772-0488.
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Youngsters are invited once again to come together for dinner, dessert and a classic movie from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 28, at Lunch Break, 121 Drs. James Parker Blvd.
Beginning in 2011, 40 to 50 children have gathered once a month, at no charge, for the event. Most of the children come from the Boys & Girls Club of Red Bank, but others are welcome to join the festivities.
Dinner is donated by local restaurants and volunteers, usually from local high schools, serve as waiters. Following dinner, ice cream is provided by a husband and wife who have supported Lunch Break projects for several years. The events are held the fourth Thursday of each month.
Those who would like to attend are asked to call Lunch Break and speak to Sharda Jetwani at 732-784-7360 to be included in the official guest list. Jetwani also can be contacted at sjetwani@lunchbreak.org. Attendees should leave their name, the names of the child or children, and telephone number or email address. All children must come with an adult who will also stay for the dinner and the movie.
The movie this month was chosen in celebration of Black History Month. It’s the true story of Ruby Bridges, a courageous African-American girl who, at age 6, helped to integrate the all-white schools of New Orleans.
To learn more about Lunch Break’s activities and services, please visit www.lunchbreak.org.
RUMSON
This year the Rumson Garden Club once again will award The Rita Morgan Boyle Memorial Scholarship.
The scholarship will be presented to a Rumson resident who plans to attend or is attending an accredited college and has a demonstrated interest in any area of horticulture, landscape design or environmental studies, i.e., conservation, marine sciences or earth science.
The applicant is required to write an essay outlining his or her interests and accomplishments as well as academic studies and extracurricular activities. Essays may be mailed to the Rumson Garden Club, Attn: Scholarship Chairman, P.O. Box 121, Rumson, NJ 07760 or emailed as an attachment to ahhintelmann@gmail.com.
The deadline for applications is May 1.
TINTON FALLS
Jersey Shore Rose Society’s March meeting will feature information about photographing roses.
Attendees will learn how a rose photo can become a work of art. The organization meets from 12:30 to 3:30 p.m. March 23 in the community room of Kensington Court Assisted Living, 864 Shrewsbury Ave.
During the meeting there will be a beginner clinic from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. that will be conducted by members. The session from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. will have the main meeting and lecture by professional photographer Michael Miller.
The event is free.
Additional information is available at www. jsroses.com/ map.html.
