Visual Artists

KIM ADLERMAN
Discipline: Multimedia

Kim Adlerman is a local teaching artist, graphic designer, children’s book author and illustrator, and game inventor. She received her BFA from the University of Buffalo in Communications Design. Kim teaches adult art classes at the Metuchen-Edison YMCA where she enjoys exploring different media with her students. This has inspired exploration in her own work, including but not limited to printmaking, acrylics, pastels, inking, and watercolors. kimarts@aol.com

ROXY AGGARWAL
Discipline: Jewelry

Roxy Aggarwal is a Metuchen resident who works with Special Needs Students in the Elementary School. She is a self–taught jewelry designer and loves to teach young learners how to create their own style with confidence. Twinkling Creations is her company where she creates events for birthdays, engagements and weddings using handmade jewelry designs, including Swarovski Crystals, and semi-precious stones. Twinklingcreations.com

MATTHEW ALBANESE
Discipline: Painting

Matt Albanese is a lifelong resident of Bergen County, NJ. He began studying art while at Bergen Catholic High School and then graduated from Montclair State University with a BA in Fine Art in 2010. While at Montclair, he studied under the instruction and encouragement of Professor Peter Barnet, the son of renowned painter Will Barnet. He has displayed at numerous shows including the 2017 Art in the Park, winning a first place award. He was recently selected for the NJ Symphony Orchestra Art Strings charitable event to paint a compositional theme from a classical piece onto a violin. He is currently working on a mural at New Bridge Medical Center in Paramus. In creating his oil paintings, he tries to capture energy from extreme positives to the depths of extreme negatives.

NATALIE ALLEYNE
Discipline: Multimedia

Alleyne (known artistically by her last name), has always held a keen interest in art “since the womb.” Alleyne graduated from the School of Visual Arts, where she received her BFA in Advertising and Graphic Design. She landed a graphic design job on the island of St. Maarten where the rich vibrant culture filled with color and texture imbued her art and influenced her to become a fine artist. Considering herself a ‘colorist,’ Alleyne’s work is always sparked by vibrant hues, no matter the content. Faces and trees frequent her canvasses with the artistic license of abstract patterns, color and texture. Her most recent body of work transcends the canvas, using wood, metal and nails as the backdrop of her creativity. Alleyne’s work can be found in a myriad of private art collections both in the United States and abroad, and has been seen in numerous exhibitions. This body of work consists of works on paper canvas or wood, with the theme of collage. Hand-made paper is used along with acrylic paint, and metal and nails are used on some pieces. She currently lives and works in Union, New Jersey. www.alleynestudios.com

IMMA BARRERA
Discipline: Photography

Imma Barrera is a fine art nature photographer based in Metuchen, NJ. She is a graduate of the NY Institute of Photography and the recipient of several awards and has exhibited at numerous galleries in NJ and PA. She is also a biologist and loves capturing the beauty of nature including the night skies. Imma creates photographic prints on metal or paper depicting fine art photography – landscape, wildlife and astrophotography. www.imma.photo

MARIE BEER
Discipline: Multimedia

Greeting Cards not only help people keep in touch, but also are a way to express emotions such as love, congratulations, condolences and gratitude. Although we live in a world run by digital communication, a distinctive, custom greeting card can mean a lot to both the sender and the recipient. Marie creates beautiful greeting cards for all occasions, using pencil, stamps, marker and ink.

JEAN BLAISE
Discipline: Painting

Jean is a member of the artist collective group “Ayitistik,” which promotes Haitian Art and artists from all disciplines to improve public awareness of all art forms. They support Haitian art and artists locally, nationally and abroad through exhibition of its members’ work and collaborations with established and emerging art groups and institutions, to enrich and enhance the broader canvas of ethnic art. They also mentor and sponsor youth, regardless of ethnicity or national origin, who have demonstrated an interest in the arts. www.ayitistik.com

STEPHANIE BOFFICE
Discipline: Painting

Stefanie is an artist who likes to combine meditation with brushstrokes to create images that highlight the amazing beauty in nature. Her media include watercolor, watercolor collage, woodblock prints and linoleum prints.

TOM BURCHER
Discipline: Jewelry

Tom attended Glassboro State College (now Rowan) from 1976 to 1981, majoring in Art, with a concentration in jewelry, under the tutelage of Dr. John Ottiano. He currently works in another profession, but art and jewelry-making have always been his passion, which he creates in his own workshop at home and at the Rowan College at Burlington County studios. His work is inspired by fractal geometry and the chaotic nature of the universe. He works primarily with .925 and gem stones to create a piercing, cracked or fractured design. (www.shadowcatjewelry.com) www.shadowcatjewelry.com

CYNTHELIA CEPHAS
Discipline: Fiber Art

Cynthelia developed a love for quilting during her formative years while watching her aunt construct intricate works by hand, using just scraps of fabric, a needle, and thread. Her interest was ignited when she became a member of the Nubian Heritage Quilters Guild of New Jersey, and her hobby developed into a small business, C.C. Quilts. She is best known for made-to-order family picture quilts, which feature transposed photographs stitched onto the fabric. Her work has been displayed at various quilt shows and art galleries in New Jersey, New York, and Philadelphia. In 2004, her work received third place honors among 800 other competitors by the State Quilt Guild of New Jersey. She was also featured in a two-page article in the Courier News (June 2004) https://quiltsbycc.weebly.com/

JACKSON COSTELLO
Discipline: Painting

Jackson Costello is a 16-year-old visual artist and photographer with a wonderful sense of color, composition, and spontaneity. He has practiced out of the Academy of Art Highland Park since the age of five and has experimented with various media, including watercolor, acrylics, ink, graphite, charcoal, and clay. He is planning to major in art in college and hopes to pursue a career in photography. At the festival, Jackson will show paintings created in oil, acrylic, and liquid colored inks as well as small clay sculptures. www.costwoodstudio.com and www.etsy.com/shop/CostwoodStudio

KATHRYN JERABEK DAVIS
Discipline: Ceramics

Kathryn Jerabek Davis is a potter with a degree in Ceramic Art from Syracuse University. Her highly functional work uses an elegant, clean line and understated form to achieve a fine balance between beauty and purpose. Kathryn works in her home studio, as well as the studio at The Center for Contemporary Art. She teaches at the duCret School of Art and fires an anagama kiln biannually with the Firing Squad in Pittstown, NJ. Her work is functional, made on the potter’s wheel, and she has recently introduced hand built forms which are fired both in a standard electric kiln as well as gas and anagama environments. jerabekpottery.com

AMY DEES
Discipline: Painting

Amy Dees, a Metuchen transplant from California, enjoys painting trees, flowers, and fruit in a variety of media. Her paintings are made with watercolor, acrylic and oil, which she offers as originals, prints and greeting cards.

JEAN DOMINIQUE
Discipline: Painting

Jean Dominique graduated from the Pratt Institute in New York City and continues as a painter. He has had several shows throughout the United States Jean creates oil paintings on canvas. www.jcdominiqueart.com

JAYME FAHRER
Discipline: Painting

Jayme is an abstract expressionist artist who paints with emotion and intention to visually express feelings to the viewer. The pieces are created without any brushes using hands, motion, spatulas and straws to make a “mess.” Most of Jayme’s pieces are produced on canvas or wood using latex, acrylic and spray paints with mixed mediums. jaymepoursout.com 

DON FALLON
Discipline: Jewelry

Don is a student, handyman, English teacher and medical editor, who came to art later in life. Starting in 1995, he became an assemblage, up-cycle artist who has been creating jewelry and sculture from found and discarded objects, industrial/mechanical parts, beads and other materials.

SONDRA FLITE
Discipline: Sculpture

Sondra has worked in wood and wire for more than 40 years. She especially enjoys using salvaged materials and depicting natural subjects. Sondra also creates commissioned signs, walking sticks and plaques. Her work most often depicts animals in wood, often locally sourced, and wire. Works in wood typically show the marks of hand tools and are naturally finished. Materials reflect the texture of the subjects.

JERRY GEORGES
Discipline: Painting

Jerry is a Haitian-American artist and a founding member of the art collective Ayitistik that has attended the festival for the past three years. He has been a professional artist for 35 years and has participated in many art shows and galleries in the tri-state area and abroad. Jerry uses all types of media, including acrylics, oil, pastel, pen, and ink as well as markers. His work is very diverse and encompasses figurative, landscape and abstract compositions ayitistik.com

MONALISA GHOSH
Discipline: Jewelry

Monalisa is a fashion jewelry artist whose boutique offers creative fusion jewelry based on motifs from all over world. She works with .925 Silver, metal, high quality Czech glass beads, Murano and Venetian glass beads, Swarovski crystals, metal handmade designer beads, unique handmade artistic bead collections in different media from all over world. Her designs reflect a lot of intricacies and love statement pieces with seed beads in different weaving techniques. http://lamotif.in/

MICHAEL GOLDSTEIN
Discipline: Painting

Michael is the winner of multiple art awards and has sold his works across the country. He paints with a quality that can only be described as SHA-POW!

ELIZABETH GOODMAN
Discipline: Painting

Elizabeth produces magical and mystical creations with a juxtaposition of spiritual symbolism and realistic flora/fauna. She uses acrylic and watercolor to create hand-painted jewelry, boxes, tapestries and flags. She also creates embroidery, jewelry, woven textiles, magnets, stickers and prints. www.surrealgoods.com

JAMES GRIFFIN
Discipline: Painting

Jim Griffin is a Metuchen-based artist and creator, focused on exploring the intersection of the STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Mathematics) disciplines with a heavy dose of geek culture. His multimedia designs incorporate 2D materials such as paper, glass and vinyl and techniques from quilting and graphic design to create pop art works that evoke a 3D sense of time and space. His work is primarily paper craft which utilizes use card stock, hand-dyed paper, graphic design and die-cutting.

SHINOBU HABAUCHI
Discipline: Ceramics

Shinobu was born in Tokyo and grew up with antique tea utensils made by her grandmother, who was a tea master. Shinobu was fortunate to learn to appreciate Japanese craftsmanship and old culture from this experience. When she studied display design at art college in Tokyo, she fell in love with a work of “Shogo Kariyazaki,” Japan’s most famous Ikenaba (Japanese floral design). One day, she introduced herself and was able to become his apprentice. After coming to the US and having her own family she started to study pottery in a local art center that connected all her experiences as an artist. Here, she began to create things that are “imperfect” or in the Wabi-Sabi theme, which honors the remarkable beauty of imperfect things in life. Shinobu makes ceramics using the traditional Japanese kick-wheel, clay from Chesapeake and North Carolina, and making glaze from ash, such as wood, straw and rice husk. Firing is done in a Noborigama kiln www.instagram.com/shinobu_habauchi/

LES HARDLEY
Discipline: Drawing

Les is a financial services executive who creates thought provoking drawings and prints of drawings using only pencil or paint pens to create embellishments. Lhardley.com

JAMES HEMMEL
Discipline: Jewelry

James Hemmel has been working as a professional jewelry craftsman for more than 30 years, concentrating in sterling silver and mixed metal designs. He has been a teaching artist at the JCC in Manhattan since 2002. His work is handcrafted sterling silver and mixed metal jewelry, all designed, constructed and finished in his studio.

KEIKO INOUYE
Discipline: Ceramics

Keiko studied pottery at Wesleyan University and went on to be the First Apprentice to Kaitaro Kojima in Soja, Japan. Following her four-year apprenticeship, she became “inchininmae” and was given her own symbol as a mark of pottery mastery. Keiko Inouye currently works and resides in New Jersey where her pottery has been adopted by some of the finest restaurants, such as Common Lot, Fascino, Heirloom Kitchen, Jockey Hollow Bar and Kitchen, Pig & Prince, The Ryland Inn and Viaggio. She currently has an exclusive line featured at the Whole Foods in Bridgewater, NJ. She uses a variety of techniques but is currently focusing on wheel thrown, functional ware. Materials are mostly stoneware. Firing methods vary from electric, gas and wood firing. keikopots.com

MODESTO IRIZARRY
Discipline: Drawing

Modesto is a practicing artist with many years of experience in creating, teaching and exhibiting works of art of different media, including drawing, painting and sculptural works of art. His art work includes drawings created with different methods and media, including graphite, colored pencils and wash/watercolor. He has a BFA in Studio Art.

AVALENE JACOBS
Discipline: Painting

Chinese visual art is an ancient art form that features Chinese watercolor and sumi ink on rice paper. It began about 2000 years ago by the royalty, elite and scholarly. This form of art is intentionally slow and complex. Avelene’s Asian roots spurred her study with an accomplished Chinese master. As a retired nurse, Avelene finds this art form (and all art) to be especially healing. She also enjoys photography of diverse subject matters that have become canvasses

DENISE JENIOUS
Discipline: Painting

Jenious Crafty Creations is the result of a passion that started in Denise’s adolescence in middle school and then took a back seat to rais- ing a family and building a career. Having retired 12 years ago and looking for a new purpose, she started exploring a DIY approach to life and rekindled her artsy side by working with many different media, which started out as a way to make personal and intimate gifts for friends and family. Her current medium is canvas art using acrylic paints and a Tree of Life wire work, using 24 gauge wire, assorted beads and other materials.

MIRIAM KAGAN
Discipline: Printmaking

Miriam is a yogi, printmaker, painter and aspiring art therapist. Nature and patterns have always been an interest, and she hopes to portray the benefits of therapeutic creative expression through her artwork. Using acrylic and oil paint, she is able to utilize the free flowing methods to convey a sense of immediacy and intuitive flow. Through printmaking, she confronts the lengthy process of creating before any results are made, which evokes a sense of manifestation. Art is an experience started by the artist but finished by the viewer, and she seeks to gain access to this interaction through her artwork and to share a positive experience with the audience. Original sources for her pieces are from personal photography, illustrations, and found photographs. Paintings are made with acrylic paint, utilizing time restraints to work quickly and diligently. etsy.com/shop/mkagan13

DIANE KANTOR
Discipline: Jewelry

Quest Complete Jewelry blends modern style and fantasy themes. The handmade chainmail jewelry is lightweight, colorful, and sure to make a statement. Diana’s chainmail jewelry uses materials such as silver, niobium, and aluminum and is accented with natural stones and pendants. She draws inspiration from fantasy themes to blend the modern with the magic.

BERYL KOBLIN
Discipline: Fiber Arts

Beryl Koblin lives in Metuchen, New Jersey. Her early interests were drawing, silk screening, and photography. In recent years, she has developed a strong interest in fiber arts with a focus on color, texture and movement. For weaving, she uses found materials and a wide variety of fibers. She also weaves and knits practical items for the home. She has shown her work at the Metuchen ArtFest, Highland Park Arts in the Park, Nails in the Wall Gallery at St. Luke’s, Metuchen Eat, Drink & Buy Art and the Transformations Gallery at the Old Franklin Schoolhouse, in Metuchen.

VERONICA KRATZ
Discipline: Sculpture

Veronica is an artist and the owner of String Happy. She creates personalized fur baby art and jewelry for the devoted dog lover by using tiny strings of polymer clay to create dog portraits, dog art, and jewelry. Veronica lives in Plainfield.

ALECIA KUMAR
Discipline: Jewelry

Prettiuneek handmade jewelry is unique be- cause it is not mass produced and therefore has less impact on the environment. The pieces are lovingly crafted by hand with skill and passion. At Prettiuneek, they consider the environment as well as supporting fair trade markets; some of the items they offer incorporate Fair Trade and sustainably harvested materials. Many of the materials used in the jewelry are hand made by artisans, which brings artisans and designers together. prettiuneek.com

DAVID LAMORTE
Discipline: Sculpture

David is a Metuchen-based artist and educator who makes sculptures and paintings. He likes to blend images and materials to create odd and fun works of art. He creates paper and resin sculptures. davidlamorte.com

MARA LEVINE
Discipline: Jewelry

Mara Levine has been designing custom semi-precious jewelry professionally since 2001, and has appeared in a number of juried shows and festivals. She creates handcrafted beaded jewelry, semi-precious stones, pearls, crystals, necklaces, bracelets, earrings and ankle brace- lets using gold and sterling silver. Her designs have been featured on an episode of TLC Four Weddings! Mara is also a folksinger, her latest CD Jewels and Harmony hit #1 on the Folk DJ chart for January 2013 and #3 for that year. She has since had two #1 singles on the Folk DJ Chart. www.maralevine.com

ADRIENNE LOCKETT
Discipline: Jewelry

Adrienne Lockett has been designing one-of-a-kind jewelry for more than 20 years. Her pieces have been described as having ancient opulence with an ethnic vibe. She is a metal smith working in sterling silver, brass and copper. She also creates leather and hemp cord pieces using macramé knotting and recycled glass beads.

BAPINDER LONG
Discipline: Painting

Bapinder Long, aka SURI, is a fine artist who excels in the use of color configurations and the art of transforming geometric forms. Her palette is vibrant, unusual and innovative. The artist brings an innate sense of rhythm to each painting. Her art is bursting forth with relentless energetic expression. Colors and forms coalesce in an exquisite sense of harmony, balance and depth. These patterns manifest in harmony, often superimposed upon the other, to create a reverie of unpredictable movement and transparent effects. Born in India, she became interest- ed in art at an early age and has studied privately with distinguished art teachers in India and United States. Employing oils, acrylics, watercolors and ink, she maintains a studio in her home in New Jersey. Her work is in several private collections.

AIMEE MALONEY
Discipline: Drawing

Aimee’s inspiration for her “Zen” art was originally sparked by the trend in “zentangles,” along with adult coloring books. Zentangle style art are combinations of ink and charcoal with intricate patterns and details within animal figures. There are also oil, acrylic, and watercolor pieces in the same style. She was intrigued by the idea of completing art that when one looks back on the beautiful results, a sense of calm and relaxation is generated. Aimee sees the patterns and abstract details within each real life photo of an animal she selects before even start her piece. She imagines it is similar to capturing the animal’s spirit in her choice of media. Her inspiration for her paintings usually comes from her travels: glaciers in Iceland, landscapes from the Andes Mountains on the Inca Trail in Peru, or beautiful star-filled skies.

MARK MILLER
Discipline: Photography

With a sales background of 40 years, Mark’s life changed when he and his wife purchased an aluminum print of a beach scene at an art fair on Labor Day weekend 2015. He said to her, “I can do this” and since that day hasn’t stopped. Mark specializes in travel and floral photography printing, predominantly on aluminum. This medium gives a vibrant life-like appearance and places you right there in the moment. Whether it’s the picturesque canals of Amsterdam, the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong, trekking a glacier in Alaska, the grand palaces and midnight sunsets of St. Petersburg, Russia, or the charm of Lake Como, Italy, he is always in search of that perfect photo. Mark’s travel and botanical photography are printed on aluminum, wrapped canvas, and archival photographic paper in various sizes ranging from 5x7 to 24x36. markmillerfineart.com

KRISTIN MOGER
Discipline: Drawing

Originally from Connecticut, Kristin was trained as a painter and taught high school art for several years before becoming a full time mom and artist. The paintings of the masters, early etchings, and illuminated manuscripts have always captured her imagination. Following a sabbatical from her art and moving to Indiana and then Pennsylvania, her work re-emerged harkening back to these techniques of realism, line drawing, and elaborate embellishment. Following observation and research, Kristin creates a pencil sketch and tighten up the main forms with Micron ink and filling in forms with hand drawn shapes to create depth, mood, rhythm and whimsy. www.facebook.com/MelangeSeriouslyFunArt

MICHAEL MOLFETTO
Discipline: Photography

Michael moved to Metuchen in 1985 and fell in love with the small town feel and the different neighborhoods of beautiful houses. He started photographing when he was young, inspired by his father, who was always taking pictures and videos. Michael also does photographic assignments for the schools of Metuchen. Together with his daughter Sarah, they provide photo services to a wide arrange of clients, from newborn pictures to weddings.

JAKE MUSMANNO and VEGAS ROCKAFELLER
Discipline: Photography

Jake and Vegas are 15-year-old photographers following their passion for photography. Living in Metuchen, they have always wanted to sell their work to the people of their town, along with incoming guests. At their METFEST booth, they will sell photo prints that were taken from various vacation destinations as well as many from their hometown of Metuchen.

GEORGENE NOVAK
Discipline: Jewelry

Georgene has spent her life making jewelry with love and passion. When one designs from the heart, magic happens. She is a metalsmith who designs and makes one of a kind jewelry using mostly recycled copper. Soldering, texturing, cold connections, enameling and found objects make her pieces unique wearable art www.georgenenovak.com

KATHERINE OLSON
Discipline: Photography

Katherine is a Rutgers graduate and local New Jersey artist who seeks to spread her passion of photography and travel with others, and to bring beauty and inspiration into their lives as it does her own. She is experienced in nature, landscape, portrait/couples and event photography. Her work is original photography displayed on a variety of hand wrapped canvas with sizes including 10x10,12x8 and 16x20. Her new line of canvas prints include original photo with inspirational wording.

MAJA OPACIC
Discipline: Painting

Maja (pronounced “Maya”) received formal training in art restoration from the Art and Restoration Academy in Belgrade, Serbia. Since moving to the United States in 2012, her work has been exhibited in the VAM Gallery in Metuchen, NJ and Gold Light Gallery in New Hope, PA. Her works have been shared by Hubble Space Telescope via social media through their Facebook and Twitter accounts. Her work includes oil on canvas and watercolor on paper. majaopacicart.com

ANISHA PATEL
Discipline: Henna

Anisha is a 2nd-year student at Rutgers University studying Public Health and Women & Gender Studies, following a pre-medical track. Though henna has always been a part of her culture, Anisha started doing henna for events and weddings two years ago. Her work is inspired by both traditional Indian designs and modern styles. Henna is made from a Lawsonia inermis plant; its leaves are ground into a powder, then mixed with water, sugar, and essential oil. The resulting paste leaves a reddish-brown stain on the skin.

LAUREN RABINOWITZ
Discipline: Painting

Lauren the Cartoon Goddess received her BFA from Parsons School of Design and MA from Syracuse University. She has been working professionally as an illustrator and designer for over 25 years, specializing in web design and digital media. She continues to paint and draw with traditional media, while simultaneously creating digital and motion graphics. Lauren creates mixed media compositions featuring whimsical characters. Some include recycled materials, some are combined with polymer clay to form unique wearable art. A graphic arts educator, Lauren has lectured, taught classes, given workshops, presentations and seminars for illustrators, cartoonists, animators and designers at various universities and institutions of higher education, including Middlesex County College, Mercer County Community College, duCret School of Art, Parsons School of Design and Syracuse University. She is a member of the Graphic Artists Guild and AIGA. In her spare time, Lauren can be found hiking the swamps of New Jersey or exploring the world on her bicycle. http://cartoongoddess.com

WILLIAM SELLECK
Discipline: Photography

William feels it is important for all of us to be surrounded by images that make us feel, whether it is at home or the workplace. He creates meaningful and affordable images that can be enjoyed by a diversity of viewers. He uses a DSLR camera to capture his subject matter, which ranges from nature to cityscapes. He does not modify the images with editing software, which allows him to maintain an authentic capture of the subject. He believes nature, like each of us, is flawed but it is still beautiful and worth celebrating. https://www.etsy.com/shop/ElLeonAzulPhoto

THAIS SHERELL
Discipline: Jewelry

Thaïs Sherell is an artist, entertainer, licensed educator, motivational speaker and author who is passionate about community transformation and conflict resolution. Her latest literary art projects, “Between the Pages: Where Trials Become Triumph!” and “One Awesome School”, are available on Amazon. com. Thais creates one of a kind, handmade jewelry crafted with exotic beads, stones, shells, and/or ceramic pendants, strung on silver-plated wire, copper wire, and/or leather cord.

MECHELE SHONEMAN
Discipline: Jewelry

Mechele Shoneman is a self-taught painter and jewelry maker who has been crafting art-inspired, silver designs for three years. Every piece in her collection is meticulously handcrafted to be “perfectly imperfect.” She loves unusual, unexpected curves and textures, and this aesthetic is reflected in all her work. She crafts jewelry using fine silver and semi-precious gemstones like garnets, tanzanite, citrine and also uses rubies and sapphires in her rings. https://mecheleanna.com/

ANGEL SOTO
Discipline: Jewelry

Angel Soto has been attending the duCret School of Art for the past five years, majoring in acrylic painting, silver-smithing and sculpting. His art consists of custom jewelry, silver jewelry made by hand, pyrography jewelry boxes, and paintings. Angel has particpated in the Metuchen ArtFest for the past six years.

ELISE STULTZ
Discipline: Jewelry

Pins & Beetles was born out of jewelry designer Elise Stultz’s passion for insects and eye for accessories. A lifelong local, she remembers as a little girl trying to catch lightning bugs in her backyard in Hazlet. When her husband got her a pinning kit in late 2014, she knew she had found her calling. This led to her desire to create butterfly jewelry, however the lack of information available on creating butterfly jewelry meant she had to find her own way of fashioning a product that would show the true brilliance of her favorite creatures without tarnishing their natural beauty. All of the insects used in her work are ethically sourced from sanctuaries, butterfly farms or found in nature locally after dying naturally. The use of butterfly farms contributes to the preservation of the natural habits of these insects and helps curb deforestation by requiring intact forest to be maintained. The designer hopes her collection opens you up to the spectacular possibilities that nature provides in even the smallest creatures. PinsNBeetles.etsy.com

CAROL TAGGART
Discipline: Painting

Carol has always enjoyed working with her hands and is the creator of gourd birdhouses. She takes large gourds (the size of basketballs) and completely cleans them inside and out. Then, they are drilled, base painted and painted with birds, flowers and other outdoor scenes. Lastly, they are coated with polyurethane.

ANDUIN VAID
Discipline: Painting

Originally from New York City and currently living in Brooklyn, Vaid continues to be influenced by the city’s color and movement. He has more than ten years professional experience in the arts, including painting, graphic novels/mixed media, illustration, and various forms of design. Vaid’s work has been featured across America in galleries and homes alike; abroad in Canada, England, France, and Italy; and for such notable brands as Gucci, H&M, Calvin Klein, Kettle One, Jaguar Land Rover, Cartier, and Crown Royal. Vaid uses efficiency of vibrant colors, displayed in an organic movement-inspired technique on canvas. anduinvaid.com

AKSHITA VASHISHT
Discipline: Painting

Akshita Vashisht is a nine-year-old artist and student of the Art Academy of Highland Park since she was four years old. She is a third grade student at St. Helena School in Edison, New Jersey. Over these five years, she has experimented with Western art as well as Indian traditional art, which includes embossed paintings and craft work. She has applied her knowledge of Western and Indian traditional art to create fusion art in the field of glass painting. She is passionate about her work and enjoys multiple forms of art.

LINDA VONDERSCHMIDT-LASTELLA
Discipline: Ceramics

Earthsongs is a fine art ceramic studio creating custom tiles, sculpture and murals for residential and commercial spaces. A resident of Metuchen for 25 years, Linda has worked as a full-time artist for most of that time. Most locals are familiar with Earthsongs and at least know her location because of its ceramic sign and fountain. Over the past ten years, she has begun to experiment with incorporating found objects and fused glass with the ceramic components. Additionally, she works to create a sense of motion in the sculpture; her current work is much about the interaction of living forces. For Linda, clay is never merely “the material that she uses,” but a genuine co-creator of the objects. Working with clay is a relational experience that is extremely important to what she does and how she creates. She stands as creature with creature in this making process in a very collaborative and feminine approach. The sculpture, tiles and jewelry in this exhibit reflect a tiny fraction of what she have been about for the past quarter century. Enjoy them and pick up an “Earthsongs Map” and visit all of the places in Metuchen where her installed ceramic work is part of the landscape. www.CLAYSONGS.com

KATHY WALLACE
Discipline: Jewelry

Kathy has been a local crafter for more than 30 years. She makes jewelry because she love wearing and seeing others wear her “Kreations.” She creates watches using crystals and leather. She also mixes antique beads found in her travels with glass and crystal beads. Kathy is from Lawrenceville, NJ.

MARNIE WIELAGE
Discipline: Jewelry

Marnie Wielage began making antique-inspired jewelry as holiday gifts for friends. When many who received one of her pendants asked to purchase more to give as gifts to their friends, Marnie decided to make more and sell them as a way to raise funds for Scatter Sunshine (a non-profit organization that helps make horse-assisted therapy accessible to kids with special needs). Since then, hundreds of pieces have been created and thousands of dollars have been raised to help Scatter Sunshine. Her pieces are crafted from old keys and broken, vintage costume jewelry.

LYNDA WOODWORTH
Discipline: Painting

Lynda Woodworth is an accomplished painter specializing in oil, watercolor and liquid color inks. She practices out of the Academy of Art of Highland Park and has worked with studio director and owner Ana Eloisa Soto-Canino on a range of unique and challenging projects for the past 12 years, exploring new media, pushing herself out of her comfort zone, and blazing new artistic trails. Lynda hails from a multi-generational family of artists: her father and son are regular practitioners, and her great-grandfather was a watercolorist. www.costwoodstudio.com and www.etsy.com/shop/CostwoodStudio

ENRIQUE ZALDIVAR
Discipline: Painting

Enrique Zaldivar is a Cuban painter based in the United States and a graduate of the Professional Academy of Fine Arts “El Alba” in Holguin, Cuba. He has done several solo and group shows. His works appear in several private collections, institutions and corporations throughout the United States and also countries like Canada, Mexico, France, Dominican Republic, Peru and Cuba. Zaldivar’s paintings are characterized by the presence of nature in general, from which he takes his main inspiration, not to copy it, but to transform it through his eyes and his mind, to give us a unique and unrepeatable creation. Acrylic, watercolor, drawing, collage, art print and photogra- phy are the techniques that Enrique employs without preference. We see in his works an intense and particular use of color, with a conscious use of complementary colors to create harmony and balance. There are vibrant colors with few mixtures that give way to illuminate the canvas, a mixture of the tropical light of Cuba and the explosion of autumn colors in the United States. For Zaldivar, each stroke is a way of reflecting life in its wide spectrum of situations, showing us its inner world and philosophy of life. His influences are very diverse, including Impressionism, Cubism, Abstraction, Surrealism and Pop Art. enriquezaldivars.blogspot.com