MONMOUTH BEACH – “Box of Rain,” an exhibit of abstract expressionist paintings by artist Kurt Ackerman, is on display through Saturday, April 5, at the Monmouth Beach Cultural Center.
The title “Box of Rain” comes from Robert Hunter, who wrote the lyrics to Phil Lesh’s music for the Grateful Dead song. As Hunter explained, “The ‘box of rain’ is the world we live in – and, I don’t know who put it there.” Most of the paintings in the exhibit deal with places, music, and events from the recent past, from the USS Arizona to wildfires in Sedona, Arizona; from 9/11 to Super Storm Sandy.
Ackerman has been an artist ever since he was old enough to hold a pencil. He studied oil painting, watercolor, drawing, sculpture, airbrush, photography and advertising art at the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Art, graduating in 1978.
While working as a graphic artist and instructional designer in the world of corporate communications, he earned his Bachelor of Art in Fine Arts and then his master’s.
While in corporate communications, he has designed covers for the National Academy Press, the National Academy of Sciences and has designed a showcase for Bell Communications Research in the Smithsonian Institution. When not working on creative projects in education, film, and multimedia, Ackerman continues to paint abstract canvasses, and write and illustrate children’s books.
He has exhibited his art with the Art Alliance of Monmouth County, Brookdale Community College, Christian Brothers Academy, Holmdel Town Hall, the Kurtzman-Elder Gallery in New York, 9/11 Tenth Anniversary Memorial Art Exhibit in Middletown, Monmouth County Guild of Creative Art, New Jersey Project Management Institute and the Monmouth County Libraries.
An artist meet and greet will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 29, at the Monmouth Beach Cultural Center at 128 Ocean Ave. The cultural center is opened 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays and can be reached at 732-229-4527.
