On Saturday, the held an opening reception for its new ‘Art on the Edge’ gallery featured alternative pieces.
“The show came about because the Belmar Arts Council wants to reach out to the younger artists in the area and generate some ‘new blood' into the Council,” said Tara Collins, the council’s new art administrator. “I suggested a more alternative, edgier show that would appeal to the younger masses of artists in and around the area. It can't all be sunsets and sailboats, right?”
Collins explained that artists who create alternative art rarely get the chance to display their work in a gallery.
“They usually only show their work in restaurants, coffee shops, record stores, etc., so for them to be able to be part of a gallery show is a great thing. The winner of the show receives a two-week solo show in our small gallery,” Collins said.
The sounds of the live band in attendance, Dr. Void and the Death Machines, a rockabilly band filled the gallery. Attendees couldn't keep their hands off the cupcakes provided by in Belmar, long enough. There were drinks and other finger foods, aside from all of the art.
Collins also explained that over 160 artists applied to be in the show and 68 were accepted. Among those 68 were Barbara Brennan of Ocean Grove, Donna D’Amico, 53, of Jackson and best of the show winner Christopher Walsh, 25 of New York.
Brennan explained her piece ‘Morning Johnny,” a photo of three porta potties on the boardwalk in Bradley Beach, displayed framed in a toilet seat on top of a cooler to give the effect of a porta potty.
“I had been driving to a friends house and I saw three porta potties in Bradley Beach. I thought it was humorous because Bradley Beach is such a classy town,” said Brennan, a full time medical technologist and part time photographer.
D’Amico displayed her piece of various mediums ‘Fragments,’ a six in one piece that showcased a bunch of her thoughts (conflicts with relationships, music, dreams and more) in acrylic, air brush, collage and print making. She had gotten the idea from an old photograph she had taken of herself.
“I have all of these conflicting thoughts and passions going on as an artist,” D’Amico said. “It evolved organically. I liked the idea of fragmenting small pieces within a painting. It works as a painting by itself and as separate pieces.”
Walsh’s three photographers were inspired by what he refers to as his ‘political mind.’
“Of all the things we don’t have control of in this world with politics, one thing we do have control over is what we eat,” Walsh, an anarchist said.
The photographs were three photos of food in and from the dumpsters of New York City— what the food looked like while in the dumpster, once he brought it home and once he fixed it up. This Parsons School of Design graduate believes that this world wastes to much food, so he goes through garbage cans in New York City and saves wasted upper class food.
“Sometimes there’s really good stuff and it just gets thrown away,” Walsh said.
Lynn McSchane of North Arlington complimented the atmosphere, Walsh’s work, and the gallery as a whole.
“There are so many different art forms here and a lot of variety,” said McSchane. “I love the atmosphere.”
Cethelen MacEalaionta of Bordentown, an artist himself who went out to the event for pleasure, was pleased with the variety also and diversity of work. With him, he took his friend who works in marketing, Jessica Shedaker of Beverly.
“It’s cool and interesting— funky and edgy,” Shedaker said of the gallery.
