New Exhibition to Open!



Bathers by Cindy Stockton Moore



Water/Line: Mark Stockton and Cindy Stockton Moore



The Center for Contemporary Art is pleased to present “Water/Line”, an exhibition of the work of Philadelphia artists Mark Stockton and Cindy Stockton Moore opening on Sunday, October 16, 2011 from 3-6 p.m. with an Artist Talk at 3 p.m. The exhibition runs through December 3, 2011 and is curated by well-known New Jersey artist Mel Leipzig.


Cindy Stockton Moore's painted work explores the liminal landscape in a variety of media including encaustic, watercolor and gouache. Swimmers trespass in isolated bodies of water - restricted reservoirs, wetlands, and rivers- creating a sense of both playfulness and potential for disaster. Themes of unease within nature, impending danger, and vulnerability also run through Stockton Moore’s Actum Agere series. Here paintings are repeated and abbreviated resulting in shifts and alterations from piece to piece and creating a narrative series that references cinematic story-telling. The imagery is inspired by cult films and staged photographs, resulting in a related but evasive narrative.


Mark Stockton works with traditional materials and techniques to reference a range of historical portraiture. Through a time-intensive and rigorous process, he reproduces the synthetic product of celebrity through hand-drawn and intimately human means. Through his drawings, Stockton reexamines familiar images of famous and infamous archetypes in an exaggerated size and with painstaking detail. Working from memory, found images and Internet sources, his work reflects a collective consciousness that is shaped by our media-saturated culture.




Poised by Mark Stockton



“Water/Line” speaks to the underlying themes connecting the work on view and the very different ways that these two, married artists work in their shared studio. Both artists are interested in saturation, Stockton with media-generated saturation of images, and Stockton Moore with the physical sensation of saturation. Both seek out the implied spaces around figurative images, but their methods differ dramatically in revealing them. Mark Stockton’s carefully rendered compositions introduce complex connections between iconic figures, while Cindy Stockton Moore’s looser, more intuitive approach to painting allows the media to obscure and reveal simultaneously.



Area artists will have an opportunity to learn directly from the exhibiting artists when they return to The Center on Saturday, October 22nd  to lead full day Guest Artist Workshops. Cindy Stockton Moore will lead an 'Experimental Watercolor Workshop" and Mark Stockton will teach "Drawing from Photographic Sources."



Please call The Center at 908.234.2345 for more information or register for the workshops online at www.ccabedminster.org

Party of the Year!!!

DADA Co-chairs Lisa Mayle, Christine Sutherland and Michelle Mendez

Get your DADA on at The Center for Contemporary Art’s anti-gala house party on Saturday, September 24, 2011, 7:30-11:30 pm. Taking place at The Center’s headquarters at 2020 Burnt Mills Road in Bedminster, this much anticipated fundraiser will celebrate the whimsy, imagery and inspiration of the international artistic and literary movement know as Dadaism.

Art studios will be transformed into a hip and happening venue where guests will experience the vibes of DJ Frankie Frank, black light body and graffiti painting, Cabaret Voltaire, timed portraits, slight of hand magic, video projections, pocket art and more. Featured entertainers from the Little Top Circus and Medicine Show will bring a refreshing dose of different as they pop up in unexpected places complete with ringmaster, burlesque queen, vocals, percussion, lovely assistant and more. This unique theatrical cast will enliven the mundane as they replicate the antics and characters of a 19th c. sideshow. Food, drink and dancing will round out this lively art-themed, surprise-filled and interactive evening.

DADA Co-Chairs are Lisa Mayle, Michelle Mendez and Christine Sutherland. Lisa Mayle is President of The Center’s Board of Trustees and long-time resident of Bernardsville. Michelle Mendez and Christine Sutherland are owners of downtown Bernardsville Wallflowers Gallery.

Be hip, be square, be you, be me, be there…be DADA! Reservations for the event are $75 and up per person. Guests must be 21 years+. Facilities are fully accessible. Please call The Center for Contemporary Art at 908-234-2345 or go to its website http://ccabedminster.org/news-events/upcoming-events/ to purchase a ticket or make a tax-deductible donation

Teen Programs Starting Soon!



Super Hero by Rich Hedden

Happy campers of all ages are honing their creative skills while having old-fashioned fun in our spacious air-conditioned art studios in this, the saecond week of summer art camps at The Center.

Many of you have expressed frustration at the lack of art programs available for older children. We heard you! For the first time The Center is offering intensive morning and afternoon courses in drawing, digital photography, graffiti, oil painting, printmaking and fashion illustration for teens. Also, a Portfolio Development Intensive is designed for teens 16-18 who plan to apply to art school or want to strengthen a liberal arts college application by submitting an art portfolio.

316 DRAWING WORKSHOP
JULY 18 - 22 · 9:30-11:30 · $190/165 members
Yelena Piatigorsky
Students will focus on the fundamentals of drawing through demonstration and direct observation. Shapes, proportions, line, composition, light and shade, and value will be stressed. A clothed model will be used for the last session. Pencil, charcoal and pastel will be used. Model fee included.

317 MASTERING THE DIGITAL CAMERA - A TO Z
JULY 18 - 22 · 12 - 2:30 · $225/200 members
Adam Turow
This course will explore the technical aspects of photography, allowing students to feel confident using the manual mode in their cameras. Students will learn how to make a photograph tell a story and how to approach a photograph as an artist, making choices about everything such as color, lighting, backgrounds, angles, reflections and more. Bring a camera that has aperture adjustments and the instruction booklet.


318 GRAFFITI AS FINE ART! SOLD OUT
JULY 25-29 · 9:30-12 · $225/200 members
Kasso, AJA & LUV1
Three masters of this under-appreciated art form who are taking public art to a new dimension, will teach various aspects of graffiti with it's bold use of color and design. The week begins with the history of graffiti, including the evolution from the subway era to modern aerosol art, followed by methods of drawing large-scale. Students will learn letter design and abstraction and the different levels of designing a name. Portraiture, character design, masking, stencils and various painting methods will all be covered.

319 PORTFOLIO DEVELOPMENT INTENSIVE
JULY 25- 29 · 1- 5:00 · $425/400 members
Dannielle Mick
Do you want to go to art school, but need to improve your skills? The Portfolio Development Intensive (ages 16 - 18) offers students the opportunity to prepare portfolio-ready work that meets the requirements of the four top rated art schools. The student will develop skills and confidence while learning still life, portraiture, perspective and much more. Demonstrations and class critique will round out this one week intensive.

320 STUDIO PAINTING IN OILS
AUGUST 1-5 · 9:30-12 · $225/200 members
Yelena Piatigorsky
Learn the basics of oil painting in this intensive program. Students will be working from a still-life or their own reference material. They will learn to mix colors, block in the underpainting, master brush techniques and bring the painting to completion- painting lean to fat, and dark to light. Composition and lighting will also be covered.


321 PRINTMAKING WORKSHOP
AUGUST 1-5 · 1 - 3:30 · $225/200 members
Dot Paolo
Students will experiment with monotype collograph, chine collé and relief printmaking. The class will be working with Akua inks, the new soy based inks that are easily cleaned up with water. All of the techniques taught can be done at home without a press but students will have access to an etching press for this class.

322 FASHION ILLUSTRATION
AUGUST 8-12 12:30 - 2:30 · $190/165 members
Wanda Blake
Students will learn to achieve the sensitive drawing techniques of line and shading used most often by fashion illustrators. Emphasis will be on accurate, yet stylized proportion, along with capturing the gesture of the pose using a live model. A variety of media will be used including charcoal and pastel. Model fee included.

323 SPECIAL ONE DAY CARTOON WORKSHOP
JULY 16 · 10 - 3:00 · $100/80 members
Rich Hedden (see "Superhero" above)
Students will learn the process of creating a comic strip from the initial concept to the finished product from DC Comics writer and penciller, Rich Hedden Focus will be on character development, drawing, visual storytelling and how to best express a personal idea into comic book panel format.

Many of these week-long sessions still have spaces available. Please call The Center for more information or to register for a class at (908) 234-2345.

Visit us online for information about summer programs for all ages!

The Center for Contemporary Art
2020 Burnt Mills Road
Bedminster, NJ 07921

The Art of the Garden Party to feature Manhattan Floral Designer Mark Rose

Bridal Luncheon at Marble House, Newport, RI by Mark Rose Flowers & Events

The Center for Contemporary Art will hold its annual spring benefit luncheon on Tuesday, May 17th at Fiddler’s Elbow Country Club in Bedminster. “The Art of the Garden Party” will take place from 11 am to 2:30 pm and feature table designs by well-known area designers and businesses including Laura Clare Floral Design and Event Decor, Eggsotic Events, Classic Home and Garden, Philosophy Boutique, Diane Durocher Interiors and House of Jawi.

Mark Rose

The day’s special guest is acclaimed Manhattan floral designer Mark Rose who will share highlights of his own events and give a presentation on the elements of a fabulous garden party. Mark Rose was raised in New England where his fascination with nature and love of flowers began at an early age. His education in architecture, design and horticulture combined with his extensive international travel continually provide his inspiration.

Mark’s professional career began in Washington, DC where he designed events at The National Gallery of Art, The Library of Congress, The Smithsonian and The Washington Opera, establishing himself in his field. Mark moved to New York to work with event designers Robert Isabell and Preston Bailey, and soon after was offered the position to oversee the public flowers and in-house events at The Plaza and The Pierre Hotel for Atlas, where he worked for almost a decade. These grand hotels and other prominent venues throughout New York have been ideal locations to showcase Mark’s style, where he has designed spectacular wedding receptions, corporate galas, and charity balls in the celebrated spaces. Mark is also sought after for his beautiful residential flowers, and brings his elegant point of view to every project.

“The Art of the Garden Party” is co-chaired by Kathleen Palmer and Debbie Bergen. Tickets start at $85 per person and all proceeds benefit education and exhibitions programs at The Center for Contemporary Art. For more information or to purchase tickets please visit our website or contact Ellen Rannells, Special Events Coordinator at (908) 234-2345 or erannells@ccabedminster.org

Serena Bocchino exhibition opens April 10 and runs through May 26th

The public is invited to the opening reception of "Serena Bocchino: Paintings from the iPOP series" on Sunday, April 10th. The artist will be signing copies of her children's books.

iPOP is the term used by Bocchino to describe her recent body of mixed media work which includes paintings, “photo-paintings,” painted figures and drawings. Using bright enamel and her unique “pouring technique,” Bocchino creates a true wonderland in this installation. Surrounding her vivid and lyrical paintings is a garden with ordinary lawn ornaments such as bunnies, squirrels and flamingos which she transforms into iconographic pop elements. The result is vital and dynamic; a colorful and surprising environment which combines high art with popular culture.

Bocchino is also a children’s book author and illustrator. Who Am I? The Story of the Artist, is her most recent book and will be on display and for sale for the duration of the exhibition. At the opening reception Bocchino will be available to sign copies of her book and limited edition giclee prints of the illustrations that combine watercolor illustration with her abstract paintings will also be on display.

Visit our website for more information or call us at (908)234-2345!

An Evening of Hot Jazz is coming up on Friday, March 25th

The Center for Contemporary Art will present “An Evening of Red Hot Jazz” on Friday, March 25th from 7:30 – 10 p.m. The event features live performances by the Rio Clemente Quartet and the Vincent Troyani Trio. Guests will enjoy wine and hors d’oeuvres, a display of original jazz-themed artworks, caricaturist, silent auction, door prizes and more.

Morristown native Rio Clemente is an acclaimed master pianist, composer, educator and recording artist who has performed at the Newport Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, Birdland and Lincoln Center among other venues. His music combines a strong classical background with a rich knowledge of jazz history, making him one of the most expressive and versatile pianists today.

Vincent Troyani played first alto sax in Chico Mendoxa’s Latin Jazz Ensemble and has since performed with numerous jazz and rock groups. Troyani graduated from William Patterson University where he majored in Sound Engineering Arts and Saxophone Performance. He is the owner of Dungeon Studios recording studio and is active in live performance, recording/producing and teaching.

Tickets for “An Evening of Hot Jazz” begin at $50 per person. All proceeds benefit education and exhibition programs at The Center for Contemporary Art. For more information or to purchase tickets please contact Ellen Rannells at (908)234-2345 or erannells@ccabedminster.org

New Executive Director

On Feb. 22 the Center for Contemporary Art (CCA) in Bedminster will welcome Elie Porter Trubert as its new executive director.
Trubert brings more than 12 years of nonprofit arts experience to CCA, having held positions at the Hunterdon Art Museum, the Arts Council of the Morris Area and the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey where she was the director of development and communications for three years. She is an experienced manager, fund-raiser and development professional, and most recently was employed as a development consultant with Partnership in Philanthropy. She is also an artist, and lives with her family in rural Hunterdon County.
“I am a strong believer in the value of the arts and their impact on so many areas including the education, health and wellness, community-building, economic development and overall quality of life," said Trubert. "I am honored and excited to join an organization that is reinventing itself and is poised for tremendous growth, and I look forward to working with the CCA Board, staff, members and the local community.”
Founded in 1970, CCA until recently was known as the Somerset Art Association. The organization’s new identity was announced last October when the art center marked its 40th anniversary, recognizing past accomplishments and looking toward the future. CCA is a vital regional art center with a vibrant studio art school, extensive exhibition program and important community outreach component.
For more information, visit ccabedminster.org or contact Trubert at (908) 234-2345 or etrubert@ccabedminster.org.