Exhibits & Events
Reception: Inspired by Family and Community
Studio Montclair (SMI) is delighted to present “Inspired by Family and Community”, a joint exhibit with Montclair Art Museum (MAM) that marks SMI’s seventh Community Partnership Program. It will run from September 12 through October 20 at both SMI’s Leach Gallery, 641 Bloomfield Avenue, and MAM’s Vance Wall Art Education Center Gallery, 3 South Mountain Avenue, both in Montclair, NJ. An opening reception will be held at both locations on Thursday, September 26, from 7:00-9:00pm. Due to the proximity of both venues, viewers will be able to easily walk between the two spaces. The exhibition will be on view to the public at SMI's Leach Gallery beginning on September 12, and at MAM beginning September 14.
The theme for SMI’s exhibition was inspired by MAM’s current exhibition, “Family, Community, Belonging: Works from the Collection,” which examines concepts of family and community in relation to belonging, diversity, and inclusion and featuring a variety of historic, modern, and contemporary works. Exhibitors were asked to create work that explores their unique understanding of family, community, and interpersonal connections and its significance within their personal and artistic arenas.
This year MAM will also be hosting the 2024 New Jersey Fine Arts Annual with the theme of “Exploring our Connections”. These similar themes have been at the forefront of exhibitions throughout our state for the past year and reflect a common desire among artists to create dialogues through their artistic endeavors, often sharing personal histories.
Created by SMI co-founder and past president Virginia Block, the Community Partnership Program—now in its seventh year—aims to reach out to other nonprofit organizations each year to create a collaborative exhibition designed to inspire SMI members, create new connections, and reach new audiences.
Participating Artists: Charlene Avery, Roxanne Baechler, Andrea Birnbaum, Mariette Boerstoel, Phil Cantor, Elizabeth DeMarco, Antoinette Ellis-Williams, Tomesha Faxio, Harriet Finck, Johanna Foster, Adele Grodstein, Alice Harrison, Martine Kasmin, Alex Katsenelinboigen, Christopher Kull, Sue Ellen Leys, Len Merlo, Courtney Minor, Pamela Moore, Katherine Nagel, Amy Putman, Richa Rashmi, Neena Shah, Marcia Shiffman, Dorit Shmuel, Elaine Shor, Voyo Woo
About the Curators:
Virginia S. Block is a native of New Jersey. She holds a BA in Art Education and an MA from William Paterson University. Ms. Block is one of the five co-founders of Studio Montclair and was its first president from 1997 – 2002. She also served as Studio Montclair’s gallery director from 2010 – 2018. Block’s work is included in hundreds of corporate and private collections throughout the East Coast and the Midwest. She has had a long and varied art career, including positions in teaching, package and logo design, and as director of incentive marketing for an advertising company. Throughout this time, she has continued to develop her career as a fine artist.
Ira Wagner, Executive Director, Montclair Art Museum. A Montclair resident for more than 30 years, Ira began studying photography in 2008, after working on Wall Street for more than 25 years. With an interest in urban history and design, he has focused on photographing the urban landscape. He received his MFA from the Hartford Art School in 2013 and has taught photography at Monmouth University in New Jersey. His project Houseraising, photographs of houses being raised on the Jersey Shore following Hurricane Sandy, was featured in The New Republic, The National Geographic, and was released in a photobook by Daylight Books in 2018.
About Studio Montclair: Studio Montclair is a nonprofit organization of exhibiting professional artists and others interested in the visual arts. Its mission is to promote culture and education in the visual arts and encourage emerging artists. Founded in 1997, the organization includes over 450 members including artists from around the United States, as well as Europe and Asia. For more information, contact smi@studiomontclair.org, or call 862-500-1447.
