Juried Art Exhibit Focuses on the Power of Art to Transform Lives – Posted 2/5/15


There is a power in art that can transform lives which the National Association of Women Artists (N.A.W.A.) will be exploring this year at its annual juried members exhibition to be held at County College of Morris (CCM).

Recognizing that art can change the lives of not only artists, but also viewers and at times even society, N.A.W.A. has selected the theme “Art of Transformation” for its 2015 Juried Members Exhibition.

The exhibition, featuring the artwork of 22 female artists from across the country and including two CCM adjunct faculty members, takes place in the CCM Gallery on its Randolph Campus, 214 Center Grove Road, February 16 through April 3. A panel discussion on the “Art of Transformation” also is scheduled for Thursday, February19, starting at 5 p.m. That will be followed by a reception from 6 to 8 p.m. featuring many of the artists. The exhibition, panel discussion and reception are free and open to the public.

Serving as panelists for the discussion will be Clayton Allen, chair of the Visual Arts department at CCM, and Adjunct Professors Andrea Kelly and Leah K. Tomaino, and Madeline Zulauf, wife of CCM Professor Sander Zulauf, each of whom has had one of her artworks selected for the exhibition. The pieces they will have on display are Kelly’s “Cherry Tree Bend and Cusp,” Tomaino’s “Climbing Mt. Rainier and The Last of Mt. Rainier,” and Zulauf’s “Denouement and Grace.”

“When we were searching for the first few exhibitions to be held in CCM’s newly renovated gallery, we wanted to be sure they would be particularly noteworthy,” said Todd L.W. Doney, professor of Visual Arts and director of the gallery. ”Along with the CCM faculty show, the group show ‘Unity of Spheres,’ and the ‘Neo-Latino’ exhibit, we felt that the National Association of Women Artists would be a fantastic exhibition to mark the renovated gallery’s first year of operation.”

The gallery was upgraded last year as part of the renovation of the Sherman H. Masten Learning Resource Center in which it is housed. The upgrade included the construction of an enclosed professional gallery, along with a student gallery, and improved professional lighting.

The gallery’s hours are Monday and Wednesday, noon to 5 p.m.; Tuesday and Thursday, noon to 8 p.m.; Friday, noon to 4 p.m.; and the first Saturday of the month, noon to 3 p.m.

N.A.W.A., based in New York City, is the oldest women’s fine art organization in the country and strives to support its members and women artists at-large through exhibitions, programs and education.

Photos: Leah K. Tomaino’ s “Climbing Mt. Rainier and The Last of Mt. Rainier” and Andrea Kelly’s “Cherry Tree Bend and Cusp,” which are included in the upcoming National Association of Women Artists Juried Members Exhibition at County College of Morris.

Credit: Todd L.W. Doney