“We come from a variety of backgrounds, with some reaching the professional stage with intense training and others who are amateurs with a keen desire to excel at drawing as well as painting,” Javant Shroff, one of the members of the artist group, said. “Our diversity is highly visible in the paintings.”

About the reception

The names of the baskets, Pound Fish Basket, Eel Basket, Shaker Basket, Lunch Tote with Light Green Handles and many others, tell the tale of a simpler life style and are objects from our history that made up everyday life. The Display will be up through May 31. To learn more visit www.tuckertonseaport.org.

Rosenstein, a Highland Park resident, has been painting for more than 45 years. She is a forensic psychologist who paints to bring calm moments into her life. Her paintings capture serene outdoor scenes, people, colorful objects, and wildlife.

“I paint to find serenity,” Rosenstein said. “I want to pass along the calmness.”

Artist William Giacalone is exhibiting at the library in March 2013.

During the 1960s William Giacalone (Bill) illustrated a number of story books and Hebrew school books for young children. Three Stories by Sholom Aleichem, The Pitzel Holiday Book, The Shlimeels of Chelm by Sol Scharfstein, Draydel, Draydel, Draydel, Debbie In Dreamland-Her Holiday Adventures, and one of his favorites, The Schnitzel Book. His illustrations are whimsical and reminiscent of the old country where Hasidim studied and danced with the Torah, villagers labored on farms, and where students attended small village schools.

Giacalone, who has lived and painted in Highland Park for more than 50 years, is also a retired commercial art designer and was art director for the Remco Toy Corporation and other firms. He was a three-time winner of the Technicraft Corporation Competition. The life long area artist, who grew up on a chicken farm in Piscataway, received his art education at Cooper Union and the Art Students League both in New York. He has exhibited nationally and internationally and has been in exhibits with artist George Segal at the B’nai Brith Klutznick Museum in Washington, DC.

Through January 7, 2013 his new exhibit will be in the meeting room of the library.

John Marron is a local sumi-e artist in the tradition of hakuin zenji, kaz tanahashi, franz kline, John Cage and Marcel Duchamp. An active member of HPAC (Highland Park Artist Collective), Curator of the “Owls” Show, author of BLIPS (haiku, scat, visual, & long form poetry), Oiyeau, & The Path of Don’t Know, Mr. Marron is also a high school crisis counselor.

Symone Banks is a local up and coming artist from Piscataway New Jersey. She studied art courses at Kean University, and recently graduated Du’cret School of Art last spring. Symone currently works freelance on children’s books, logos, letterhead, and commissions. You can see her work at Ruthie’s Bagel Dish in Highland Park. This past October, she debuted new work in the True Colors Artshow.

By John Marron

By Symone Banks

Dr. Fritzsche, who lived in Germany, visited Highland Park every summer to see his daughter Hanina Hanoch and her family and to give them his handcrafted volumes. This year Dr. Fritzsche died and his daughter, as a tribute to his life, organized a display of his tools and books for the Highland Park Public Library, 31 North Fifth Avenue, that will be in the main hall display case through October.

“My father, Heinz Fritzsche, was fond of the Highland Park Public Library,” Ms. Hanoch said. “On his visits with us he came here to look things up and take out books that he could not easily get at home in Germany. He called this library ‘Little Reginstein’ after the big research library at my university in Chicago.”

E. Carol O’Neill will be exhibiting her new show, Collage 2012: New Works, through the month of October at library.

Photos, copies of photos, ribbons, and magazine pages all find their way into O’Neill’s collages.

“The collages are inspired by magazine pages and hand-made papers from countries all around the world,” said O’Neill. “Some of the latest pieces are based on old photos of Africa and Afghanistan.”

According to the Highland Park artist, her work is mainly abstract, she does use realistic subject matter such as architecture, religious symbols and cultural images. Popsicles have even found a place in her complex, layered pieces.

O’Neill had her first solo show at the Highland Park Public Library in October 2006. She won first place in Piscataway’s Annual Art Contest in 2009 and 2011. O’Neill is a member of the Highland park Arts Collective since 2010.

A Life Lived Across Continents and Cultures: Art Show

Dr. Indrani Choudhury, born in Calcutta, India, worked as a biomedical research scientist for 25 years beginning in India and continuing in the United States at UNDNJ until she retired in 2005. That year she reconnected to her first passion – painting. For the month of September, Dr. Choudhury is exhibiting at the Highland Park Public Library, 31 North Fifth Avenue. An art reception will be held for the artist on Saturday, September 8 from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM in the meeting room.

In her work she depicts her early life in Calcutta: lively streets, sultry summer afternoons, and family gatherings. She also paints scenes from her adopted home in New Jersey: the auburn shades of fall in her backyard, the blush of cherry blossoms in spring, the loneliness of a suburban morning, the serenity of a deck freshly covered with snow. Her landscapes are inspired by travels through India, Europe and the US.

The wide range of subjects reflects a life lived across continents and cultures.