Metropolitan-area Photographers Spotlight Women’s Strength

The Hudson County Office of Cultural and Heritage affairs is presenting an exhibit to remind us of the importance of Women’s History Month. Meredith Lippman and Eileen Gaughan of the Cultural Affairs Office curated an exhibit of 38 photographs for In Her Strength, an exhibit by 24 photographers that illustrate women’s courage, energy, tenacity and fortitude. The exhibit is on view in The Brennan Gallery, Justice William Brennan Court House, 583 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ. The photos show women in reflection, with their families, marching for equality, rock climbing, boxing and participating in all types of activities. Each of the photos holds a special meaning to the artists, which is evident in these images of women in both private and public moments. 

Artists featured in the exhibit are Heidi Sussman, Gloria Bernard, Tamarra Mohapatra, Debbie Guedalia, Gwen Charles, Tamara Fitzpatrick, Sharon Harvey, Beatrice Mady, Monica Holder, Mildred Kerr, Noncy Ori, Melida Rodas, Kaitlyn Chow, Leona Seufert, India Blake, Roberta Smith, Heidi Sussman, Trang Tran, Kat Wolfe, Mary Pugh Clark, Faruz Ugdah, Lydia Frank, Roslyn Rose and Heather Kurdyla. 

For 20 years, Roslyn Rose of Hoboken was a professional printmaker, specializing in etching. She became more involved in photography, creating Polaroid transfers before starting to work with Photoshop. Her photograph, The Suffragettes, incorporates vintage images of Suffragettes in a time in women’s history that had a resounding affect on Rose as an artist. I’ve been an ardent feminist since the 70’s, the artist said. My sister lives in the Rochester area and we have visited the sites where Suffragettes held meetings, protests, and suffered jailings.

Heather Kurdyla, 22, of Kearny, is a photography major at New Jersey City University. Her images are photographs of pictures of her great-grandmother, Josphine Perna, placed on things that she once owned. Debbie Guedalia’s two images entitled, The Bridge and Letter to My Children, translate her personal psychological landscape. 

Feminism abounds in the photographs featured in the In Her Strength exhibit, which runs through March 25th. Women photographers, ranging in age from early 20’s to early 90’s, offer a great way to introduce young women to the feminists who have made a difference.

Once a year, Hudson County rolls out the red carpet to pay tribute to local women who make an amazing contribution to the quality of life in the County. This year’s program is called  Our History is our Strength and spotlights 25 activists who are usually behind the scenes. It was held on March 22 and was dedicated to the late Honorable Shirley Tolentino, JSC, who served on the bench in the Justice William Brennan Court House.

Excerpted from an article by Sally Deering in the River View Observer, published by the Jersey Journal. 

It’s Valentine’s Day

It’s Valentine’s Day! Wasn’t it just New Year’s Day?

Oh well, staying in the studio because of the snow, ice, and winds gave me time to create four new photographic montages.  A new portfolio of prints entitled, “Of Reflection and Time,” has been started. (Title courtesy of my sister Peg’s creative mind.)

I have almost caught up to date with paperwork for the Spring exhibits. Two venues have already responded with their choices for upcoming shows.

The National Association of Women Artists, Inc.

March 1-31, 2011

Ev(e)olution

Riverside Public Library
127 Amsterdam Avenue, NYC

March 9, 2011: Opening reception   

5:00 – 7:00 pm

“Sisters” is a  Montage of  two vintage photographs, one is a detail from a Southern bed and breakfast on a Summer afternoon and the other was extracted from a studio portrait of the Gambaldi sisters, Emma and Rose.

GOGGLE WORKS Center for the Arts
“OUTSIDE/INSIDE”
201 Washington Street
Reading, PA 19601
May 13 – June 19, 2011

Reception: June 3 evening

“In Search for Lost Time” is my manipulated photograph of the rear entrance to Hoboken’s old Church of the Holy Innocent with the addition of a found early image of man wearing an overcoat and fedora.

Hope everyone is having a sweet Valentine’s Day.

Happy Holidays

Relax and enjoy the holidays and my wishes for a wonderful, successful, healthy 2011 to all!

The last exhibition of the season is a gift from hob’art cooperative gallery to the citizens of Hoboken in honor of the Holiday Season at the Windows on Washington Gallery’s present location, 716 Washington Street. Playing Santa during this economical slow down, the members created original artwork, in a variety of mediums, on 9” x 9” paper and are offering each for sale at $50. The show opens on December 17, 2010 and closes on January 15, 2011. A reception to meet the artists will be held on January 7, from 6 to 8 PM. The members especially want to thank Barbara Tulko, Realtor for 16 Washington Street, for allowing hob’art to use the premises to showcase this exhibition.

Liz Cohen, whose mixed media work was inspired by a doll culture she has developed, and France Garrido, creator of water color and ink pieces, are the curators of this show. Also on display are Laurel Brooks’ photograph of a vintage car, complete with a parking ticket; Michael Smith’s Polaroid Transfer representing the “Live Nativity” that takes place in Upper Bergen County each year; oil studies of N.C. Wyeth’s paintings by Tom Egan; and Roslyn Rose’s Montages, using details from her Hoboken photographs. Other examples of artwork in this extraordinary show include a rubbing with encaustic and collage by Leslie Rubman; Constance Ftera’s homage to the artist, Morandi; Ibou Ndoye’s glass painting; acrylic works by Papa Gora Tall; and Gustavo Diez Presilla’s ink drawings. There are also prints by Sissi Siska, Ray Guzman, and Matthew Connors, as well gouaches by Janet Kolstein.

The Year draws to a Close

Amazingly, the year is almost over. I am involved with filling out paperwork for 2011 exhibits. It has been a very busy year, both personally and professionally. The highlight was my October solo exhibition at Ceres Gallery in New York City. The opening was listed on the National Arts Month website. The attached picture, Playground, was shown at Ceres Gallery.

I was represented in some great national and state group shows and won a few nice awards; worked with my webmaster, Joe Corrado, to produce a new website; and survived some health problems. In October my work was part of five art venues during the Annual Jersey City Art Tour, including hob’art and Pro Arts gallery exhibits.

During the past year, I was again occupied with Hoboken’s hob’art cooperative gallery meetings, shows, and Public Relations. The local news media was especially generous with reports about our group and solo member presentations. Our first Windows on Washington exhibits were held in a lovely empty storefront at 716 Washington Street. A third art happening in the same venue should be open to the public before the end of 2010.

As part of the Board of the Hoboken Arts & Industries Council, I was encouraged by our Mayor’s support and the feedback from the company working on the city’s Master Plan. Maybe we will get an art district and we will save the few old factory buildings for studios for the remaining artists and artisans in Hoboken, NJ.

I have great hope for the arts in 2011.

New Website and Art Reception

Announcing the launching of my new website, courtesy of Joe Corrado, a well known graphic and fine art photographer. Please visit http://www.roslynrose.com to see my newest creations.

My solo exhibition, “Past as Prologue,” is up at Ceres Gallery, 547 West 27th Street, New York City, until October 30th. There was a wonderful reception last Thursday evening. On the  evening of October 14th, the Marsh Hawk Press will hold a book signing and poetry reading at Ceres Gallery. I will give a short speech about my work about 5:45pm. Marsh Hawk Press website is presently featuring images of my art: http://www.marshhawkpress.org/gallery.htm

“Past as Prologue” is listed on the http://maps.artsusa.org/nahm/ page in honor of National Arts and Humanities Month.

The following images are below: “In Search of Lost Time” and “Sisters” both inspired by Hoboken’s (NJ) past.

WHY I HAVEN’T BEEN BLOGGING

The August and September are a memory of a whirl of creating new photographic montages for my October solo show at Ceres Gallery, NYC, arranging framing, delivering to group shows, paperwork, paperwork, paperwork, etc.

Here is the schedule starting with today:

Newark (NJ) Art Tour, “Lost and Found,” hosted by hob’art cooperative gallery 
33 Washington Street, 3rd Floor, September 25th & 26th, 12 to 5pm.

ROSLYN ROSE EXHIBITION VENUES DURING
JERSEY CITY ARTISTS TOUR WEEKEND
October 2nd and 3rd, 2010, Noon to 6pm

PRO ARTS MEMBER’S SHOW
GRACE CHURCH
ERIE STREET & SECOND STREET

JERSEY CITY ART FAIR @ THE BEACON
MONTGOMERY STREET & MILL ROAD

BETWEEN THE WALLS
HOB’ART COOPERATIVE GALLERY
430 Communipaw Avenue

EXQUISITE CORPSE GROUP SHOW
190 Christopher Columbus Drive

MAPPING RACE
THE DISTILLERY GALLERY
7 Hutton Street

Hoboken Activities

As a member of the Arts & Industry Council of Hoboken, NJ, I attended a meeting with Mayor Dawn Zimmer yesterday. We were so impressed with her knowledge and commitment to foster the arts in the City. There will be meetings with the Planning Board, the Director of Community Development, etc., etc., and the formation of a City Arts Advisory Board, over the next three months. I will be announcing dates for the unveiling of plans for under the, soon to be rebuilt, 14th Street viaduct.
All the local artists and artisans will be needed at the September 21st Planning Board meeting to protest the plans of the owner of 38 Jackson Street to tear down the building. Of course, he wants to replace it with two condo towers, surprise, surprise. We will lose two new art galleries and numerous studio spaces.

Rahway wants to be the next Hoboken. Lets make Hoboken the next Hoboken.

Current Exhibition

Currently my Photographic Montage, “Family Play, Act 2,” is part of the Ceres Gallery annual group exhibition. There is still time to visit and see a wonderful group show.

A Master Plan

A Master Plan is typically defined as the general land use plan of a city. In Hoboken, NJ, which has had five different Master Plans (the first of which was introduced in 1904), the document has historically served as a veritable development bible that, taking into account the city’s changing demographics and needs, guides development projects with an eye towards how they will affect the city’s long-term future. The chief objectives of a Master Plan Reexamination report—something the city is legally required to complete every six years—are to assess the relevance of the current plan, identify whether the community’s policies or objectives have changed since the adoption of the current plan and to recommend specific change, etc.

On June 30th a meeting was held in the City Hall for residents to make suggestions. In all, 27 residents stood before the planning board and made remarks on the current Master Plan, offering their perspectives on what elements need inclusion or reevaluation. By far, the most vocal and well-represented interest group at the meeting was Hoboken’s arts community.

Director of Cultural Affairs Geri Fallo said she was speaking as a member of the Hoboken Arts and Industry Council and submitted an “Arts Master Plan” for the board’s consideration. Fallo told the board she hopes it will “consider adding aspects, if not all, of the Arts Master Plan and add an arts district” to the city’s Master Plan.

Chris O’Connor, founder of the Mile Square Theater followed Fallo, speaking in support of the Arts Master Plan, saying that it aims to draw more artists to the city, which in turn will benefit the local economy.

Several others from the arts community spoke about the importance of the Master Plan including a comprehensive strategy for nurturing the arts scene in Hoboken. Local artist Roslyn Rose, who handles public relations for the hob’art cooperative gallery, said that Hoboken needs more places where artists can display their work, or the city risks losing its vibrant arts scene.

Rose said city officials from Rahway, NJ have approached her about moving her studio to Rahway and bringing her colleagues with her. She said Rahway city planners want to emulate Hoboken’s art scene and they have explicitly told her that they “are going to be the next Hoboken.”

Windows on Washington Street

WINDOWS ON WASHINGTON STREET

The hob’art cooperative gallery and the City of Hoboken invite the public to a closing reception celebrating our first Windows on Washington Street exhibition, “Art Works,” at 716 Washington Street on Friday evening, June 18th, from 5 to 7pm. The next group exhibition in the empty storefront will be a show by different members of hob’art.

The Board members of hob’art thank Barbara Tulko, who graciously and generously opened the store to our artists and Geri Fallo, Hoboken Cultural Affairs Supervisor, who is the liaison between the gallery and the city. In addition, the exhibit would not have become a reality without the help of Mayor Dawn Zimmer and Council Members Peter Cunningham and Dave Mello. Other supporters include Freeholder Anthony Romano and Maurice Fitzgibbons, Member of the State Council on the Arts.

“Art Works” was taken as the title for this show in honor of Rocco Landesman, the new Chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. Mr. Landesman has stated that art works to attract people and eventually jobs.

Left to right: Councilman Dave Mello, State Arts Council member Maurice Fitzgibbons, Freeholder Anthony Romano, hob’art Publicity Director Roslyn Rose, Mayor Dawn Zimmer, hob’art President Liz Cohen, Real Estate Agent Barbara Tulko, Cultural Affairs Supervisor Geri Fallo, and Council President Peter Cunningham.