Community Supports Avon Art Show

On Saturday, Avon held its 6th Annual Art Show at the Avon Pavilion to give local artists an opportunity to display their work.

“It’s mostly local artists. It’s an open show so you don’t have to be a member of the Manasquan River Group of Artists to be in it,” said Mary Mongale of Spring Lake, one of the organizers of the event. “It’s a friendly show for people to see and engage in.”

The show included 16 artists who had their paintings on display and interacted with attendees.

Elizabeth DeGregorio, a member of the Manasquan River Group of Artists loves design and experimentation. Today she has about 30 pieces of art on display and is particularly fond of her Ocean Grove art work. One piece in particular titled “Ocean Grove Tent Houses” is an up close display of the tent houses in Ocean Grove. She painted the original in acrylic from a photo she had taken and has reproduced it.

“It can be described as a giclee -- a term meaning a fine art reproduction,” said DeGregorio. “The original was 18 x 24 inches in size and it won a number of awards.”

Another unique painting DeGregorio had on display was her painting titled “A Dogs Life.” Very different from her Ocean Grove art work, “A Dogs Life is a more whimsical and abstract piece.

“It strictly came from my imagination,” said DeGregorio.

“A Dogs Life” uses sharp bright colors of green, yellow and blue with some white.

Another artist in the show was Carol Abel of Lakewood who just started doing beach scenes.

“They are my newest and my favorite has been doing the beach and children,” said Abel.

Abel mostly uses watercolors, a form she says many artists shy away from because they think it’s so permanent.

“It’s really not permanent -- it’s using a lot of water to help it flow easily and water is a watercolors friend,” said Abel.

Additionally, Abel enjoys investigating all kinds of subject matters. She too has her Ocean Grove artwork and flowers like many of the artists at the show.

Nancy Brennan, a part time Avon resident and part time Manhattan girl is enjoying browsing the unexpected collections.

“I came out for breakfast at the Avon Pavilion and noticed the show. I love that its likely local artists doing something they love to do,” said Brennan. “I’m seeing lots of scenes duplicated of this town and neighboring towns. It’s fun to see people doing what they love.”

Brennan who works in Marketing is also an artist herself.

“I’m a painter so I like to see what other people are doing,” she said.

Sandra Stevens of Neptune is enjoying picking out artwork to redecorate her house with.

“It’s a great day. I didn't expect it. I was just walking around. I saw the art show and I picked up a couple of things to redecorate my house,” said Stevens.

One of the things she picked up was a sunflower painting by DeGregorio and there after she stood over by artists' Donna Ferrante’s display admiring the painting “Merlot” -- a watercolor of purple grapes.

“I like it because I’m doing my kitchen in Tuscany (theme) and it has the grapes that match the colors I have,” said Stevens.

This event will continue to run the second Saturday of each August every summer.