Jazz & Art: Together Again for Summer 2016

As we have been doing for so many years (94, to be precise), we will once again be displaying member artwork out-of-doors in Westfield during the summer.


a scene from our exhibit last summer at Sweet Sounds 2015 (click to enlarge)

This summer will be special, as it is the 20th anniversary of Westfield's popular Sweet Sounds Downtown Jazz Festival. We loved our spot in the pocket park on Elm Street (see photo above) last year, and will be setting up there again this summer on Tuesday, July 12. We will move to just-opened Foundation Park (adjacent the south side of the traffic circle) on Tuesday, August 9. On both nights, a selection of local artists - all WAA members - will be exhibiting their original artwork. These events offer a terrific opportunity for visitors and townspeople alike to spend a little time seeing wonderful art and talking with the artist. And, of course, enjoying the many live jazz bands.

The Westfield Art Association has been putting on outdoor exhibits, demonstrations, and artist lectures in our town since 1922, making it the oldest independent art association in the state of New Jersey.

Stephen D'Amato Exhibits at Gallery U

Our WAA long-time board member, workshop demonstrator, and former president, Stephen D'Amato, has a solo exhibit opening this Friday, June 10 at Gallery U.


click to enlarge

Stephen is a superb watercolor artist, and familiar to many in the NJ arts scene as an instructor. This exhibit features his paintings of the Jersey Shore, with images of sunny days at Asbury Park, Ocean Grove, Spring Lake, Cape May, and the Wildwoods.

We look forward to seeing lots of members at Gallery U on Friday as we celebrate Steve's artwork.

Recap: Sculpture In An Afternoon

Yesterday's program with professor Barbara Wallace was informative and well-attended. Professor Wallace began the afternoon with a slide presentation and interactive discussion of three-dimensional art, combined with a little art history and lots of anecdotes from her own fascinating career.

Following the lecture and a short break for refreshments, we moved to the workshop tables and began to mix the plaster for our sculptures.

With the plaster mixed and carefully poured into plastic bags, attendees followed Barbara's guidance in preparing the plaster by kneading the mix to work out the lumps and air bubbles.

With the plaster mix beginning to set, we each started to form the mix into the rough shape we wanted to work with before heading homeward to continue our sculptures.

Another fascinating, social, and engaging afternoon of art and education with the Westfield Art Association. Join us next month on June 12th, when Gene Wisniewski returns for his re-scheduled slide lecture on Art Appreciation.

This Sunday's WAA Event: Sculpture in an Afternoon

Join us this Sunday, when professor Barbara Wallace will be giving a talk on three-dimensional art and leading participants in creating their own plaster sculptures. Come learn and create with your friends in the WAA.

Barbara Wallace began her artistic training at the Art Students' League of New York. She received her BFA in Painting from Pratt Institute and her MFA in Sculpture from the University of Pennsylvania. Wallace is an Adjunct Professor at Kean University and Passaic County Community College.

CALL FOR ART

Call For Art ­ Our 4th Exhibit at Limani Seafood Grill!

The Westfield Art Association is pleased to be exhibiting member art at the Limani Seafood Grill at 235 North Ave W, Westfield. Owner George Vastardis is always sad to see the previous work come down but is looking forward to a new showing of art for his customers to enjoy. We are currently seeking artwork of all mediums and styles (unfortunately not sculpture) of works about 20 x 25 outside measurement. Also one large piece for his back dining room space about 40 x 40. Since warm spring weather is finally here, let's hang some pleasant outdoor scenes, people enjoying activities, or colorful still life, to view while dining. Artwork will hang for the months of May and June.

This exhibition is only open to active members.  Now is the perfect opportunity to join the WAA or renew your membership to take advantage of this and upcoming exhibition opportunities. You may become a member or renew your membership immediately by accessing our member option to the right of this page. 

Active Westfield Art Assoc members please send 3 or 4 jpgs for submission, not previously shown to v​irginiapuskar@comcast.net.​ Put in the subject: Limani Spring Exhibit. For each piece please list your name, title, outside framed dimensions, medium and price if for sale. Deadline is 5:00 pm Tuesday May 3rd, 2016. Selected artists will be promptly notified with further instructions. Works accepted must be properly wired for hanging on picture hooks.


Thanks for participating in this WAA exciting opportunity to show your work! Any questions, email Ginny Puskar at: virginiapuskar@comcast.net 

Recap: Our National Poetry Month celebration in Westfield

The Westfield Art Association, in partnership with Gallery U, hosted a wonderful public celebration or poetry & art this past Sunday with events both outside & in. The corner of South Ave & Westfield Ave was a bustle of activity, with the Creativity Caravan's Tiny Book Show parked at the corner and open for visitors to explore hundreds of handmade books or to join in the fun of making books and writing poetry down the sidewalk in chalk. Inside, the gallery hosted a poetry reading in support of their on-going Ekphrasis exhibit.

Robert Langdon reads poetry inside the gallery while the Tiny Book Show events go on outside

Participants explore the wonderfully tiny books outside in the bright sunlight 

Many poets combined their efforts to create poetry on the sidewalk

Union County Freeholder B.J. Kowalsky visits with Amy Tingle inside the Creativity Caravan

Good-bye Tiny Book Show & thanks for helping us celebrate National Poetry Month!

WAA Celebrates National Poetry Month this Sunday, April 17, 2016 from 1 - 4 PM

The Westfield Art Association (WAA) is pleased to celebrate the 20th anniversary of National Poetry Month in April with a day of activities for adults and children of all ages. The event will take place outside on the corner of South Avenue West and Westfield Avenue (one block from the south entrance of the Westfield train station) on Sunday, April 17, 2016, from 1-4 PM. All are welcome and the event is free of charge.

 The WAA is hosting a visit from the Creativity Caravan — a vintage 1965 trailer  that fosters the appreciation for creativity — to help Westfield and the surrounding communities celebrate the written word. Cataloged inside the  Creative Caravan is The Tiny Book Show, a traveling exhibit of miniature books hand made by artists and writers from around the world. Participants will have the opportunity to view the books during the event and experience first hand the influence of art and words throughout the world.

 Hands-on activities for people all ages that encourage an appreciation for poetry and creativity will be held throughout the day. In addition, a poetry reading will be held inside Gallery U Boutique at 2 PM as part of their “Ekphrasis: Art & Words” exhibit which pairs artists and poets in inspiring one another’s art.

The activities planned by the WAA to celebrate National Poetry Month are sure to  introduce participants to the idea that poetry can be more accessible than one may think. Many participants will walk away from the event with a fresh idea of the power of personal expression through words and art, and the beginning of a life-long love for visual arts and the written word.

Gallery U celebrates National poetry Month with Ekphrasis: Art & Words consisting of an exhibition of art and poetry— side-by-side — that includes local artists and poets inspiring one another. Existing poetry was collected by invited poets and artwork was curated from artists throughout New Jersey. Artists and poets were given the opportunity to choose selected poems or pieces of art that spoke to them and to create a new piece of art—be it a visual art piece or poem—based on the original inspiration. Exhibition will be on view through May 2, 2016