My artistic practice consists of the distillation of various source material that I find compelling. Working cross-media, I make art in an instinctual fashion. I like to bring an element of play into my practice and make artistic decisions based on gut feelings. I follow these intuitions from one source material to another. Working from images that I find or that have occurred to me in a dream, I pull elements from my sources that are compelling to me and re-produce them stripped down and layered with elements of other sources or mark making. Over the course of the last 17 years, I have been working on different bodies of work that involve the investigation of images that I find to be powerful, mysterious, mythic, or haunting. Looking for a language of significance in images of palaces, cathedrals, portraiture, and fashion imagery. Some of the shapes and elements from previous bodies of work often get carried over in new pieces.

https://www.instagram.com/adamhayesart

Alex Maxwell is a local artist who works in a multitude of mediums. He has studied at New York's School of Visual Arts as well as recently obtaining his MFA in design at Marywood University. Besides working in his Main Street studio, Alex is an educator of digital media at North Hunterdon High School. For more of his work please visit his website www.theaxmax.com or look for him on tiktok or instagram at @theaxmax

The Carpenter's Lady is a local business rooted in Lebanon Township, NJ, with a unique journey. My diverse creative background, from knitting to painting, expanded when I met my carpenter husband, igniting a passion for woodworking. I craft captivating pieces using recycled materials with a scroll saw, which demands precision and care. My artistic techniques include fretworking, carefully removing wood for negative space images, and segmentation, assembling cut wood for intricate designs. Despite the challenges of working with temperamental wood, the process is therapeutic and allows complete focus. Nature and animals inspire most of my work, reflecting my deep admiration for their beauty.

https://www.instagram.com/carpenterladycraft/

https://www.facebook.com/thecarpenterslady

https://www.carpenterladycrafts.com/#/

Ana Pagelos is a multi media artist with a focus on the strange and unusual. You can find more of her art on her instagram @dearpar4site

“The Arc of Hunterdon County supports and empowers individuals experiencing intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. The agency enables those it supports to live and work in the community on their own terms as proud, vital members of society.”

https://www.archunterdon.org/

My name is Art Hoffman, I am 74 years old, I live with my wife Susan in Somerset New Jersey.

I am a retired IT manager and have been doing minor wood projects as a hobby for years.

My daughter, Michelle is one of the craftspeople display on the “Fence”. She told me about the Grounds for Art and I thought that I could be of some help. I enjoyed working on cutting out the silhouettes for the upcoming opening.

Ava and Liz are a student/teacher duo who are putting their creative talents in collaboration for the High Bridge Wall Installation. Ava and Liz have worked side by side since 2021 when Ava entered Morristown High School as a freshman. As time has moved on, Ava has become a talented artist that inspires Liz just as much as Liz has inspired her. This dynamic duo has created an installation that combines both of their love of nature and also playing with various glaze combinations.

Cara Copeland is a Visual Arts Major at Raritan Valley Community College from Pittstown, NJ.

Prior to attending RVCC, she attended a gap-year residency at The Art Academy in Somerset, where she had been studying oil painting and charcoal drawing for seven years. It was there that she developed a love for oil painting and passion for Neoclassicism and Romanticism art, drawing inspiration from artists like John William Waterhouse and William A. Bouguereau. During the residency, she worked on building photography and Photoshop skills, conducting photo shoots and working with models for larger projects.

Over the years, Cara has taken on multiple personal commissions, including portraiture and tattoo designs, as well as designing artwork for multiple musical projects, including Phil Laeger’s 2023 EP “kohelet”.

https://www.instagram.com/ccopeland_art/

Long time High Bridge residents, the Bolasci family has always been strong supporters of art and creativity in the community. Each of them artists, with their hands in many mediums - from music to jewelry making, photography to makeup arts, pottery to graphic arts - they are almost always creating something. Scott, Cheryn, Layna, Naia, and Serene's art contribution to the grounds is a collaborative work, with symbolic meaning and using repurposed materials.

Cole is a sophomore at Voorhees High School who has had a passion for art since he was young. He has taken classes both in school and at the Art Academy of Hunterdon. Notable achievements for Cole include participating in the High Bridge Paint Out, having his artwork featured in the Middle School Yearbook, and receiving an art achievement award from the High Bridge PTO. He’s very excited to share his fence line artwork at this event.

Darren has always loved comics, cartoons and other pop culture. He started creating comics at five years old and self published comics in high school. After graduating from The Joe Kubert School in 1983 he did a range of professional work including writing and drawing comics, production, graphic design and caricature. Darren worked for Marvel Comics for ten years, serving as a Bullpen letterer, logo artist, writer, artist and Art Director. Joe invited him to teach at The Joe Kubert School in 2000 and he served there as an instructor for nineteen years. Other clients include, Nickelodeon (Ren & Stimpy and Rocko's Modern Life comics), DC Comics, the rock band AC/DC and various trading card companies. Darren is currently working on creator owned projects, JERSEY DEVIL VS BIGFOOT, UNCLE SAMSON AND SON and private art commissions.

Our library fence line artist entry will be a fiber art cascading "fantasy garden", which will be constructed on site through various interactive elements. For example, people can simply attach pre-made leaves and flowers to the base sculpture, or they can get more involved and learn how to create their own elements to attach using simple fiber arts techniques that we will provide on-site instruction for.

https://www.facebook.com/HunterdonCountyLibrary/

https://www.instagram.com/hclibrarynj/

Right next to the Hunterdon County Library’s “fantasy garden,” artist Kaitlyn Correia has expanded it further. Creating more yarn sculptures of flowers and vinework to the once empty fence frame.

Gina moved to High Bridge with her husband in 2020 and loves the community feel of this small town. She's a part time creative who enjoys woodburning, painting, and writing in her free time.

Youth members of the North County 4H Club created this panel displaying the stages of the Monarch Butterfly’s Life Cycle. If you or someone you know in grades K-12 is interested in becoming a Citizen Scientist and learning more about the Monarch Butterfly, please reach out to the below email address.

ncmonarchclub@gmail.com

“Our Heart is in Hunterdon County”

Joe Waks is a Bayonne, New Jersey painter, muralist, and printmaker. His creations underscore his passion for politics and popular culture. Waks has had numerous solo and group exhibitions in New Jersey, New York City and Philadelphia. He was a visiting artist at Lafayette College’s Experimental Printmaking Institute and a New Jersey Print and Paper Fellow at Rutgers University’s Brodsky Center. Joe Waks’ works are in the permanent collections of several corporations, museums, and colleges. You can see his large-scale public murals in Jersey City and North Bergen, Hudson County.

Welcome to OurNaturalState. We are dedicated to inspiring people to stay creative for the sheer joy of it and to remind them that life is a celebration. Through art and play, we foster self-discovery and personal growth, helping individuals reconnect with their true selves. Our mission is to encourage you to embrace creativity as a pathway to understanding and expressing your authentic identity. Join us in celebrating the beauty of creating art without constraints.

https://www.instagram.com/ournaturalstateofbeing/

www.ournaturalstatofbeing.com

Kirsten Norberg is an eclectic artist who explores both visual and auditory art forms, including ceramics, fiber arts, beadwork, sculpture, classical soprano singing, and acting. Her current passion is creating spaces for local artists to explore and thrive through her involvement in the High Bridge Creative Team.

Sticking with the reduce, reuse and recycle message....an installation of plastic bottle flowers in every spectrum of the rainbow will be installed. these will be able to stand all weather elements and they kind of last forever...or until you take them all down : ) it will be a wonderful contemporary POP of many colors in front of the perfectly weathered SHOP E.

Rachel Magee was also the artist who created our Postcard Maps.

https://www.instagram.com/rascalsalvagevintage

https://www.instagram.com/yardsalesatsun

I am a local, self-taught ceramic artist, who specializes in hand-building work. My designs are whimsical scenes incorporating sweet and dreamy animals and characters, which are then placed on a functional piece of pottery. My work includes a lot of Halloween influences, as I have 3 black cats that inspire me. I hope my work makes you smile!

https://www.facebook.com/wayofthebutterfly

https://www.instagram.com/wayofthebutterfly/

https://wayofthebutterfly.weebly.com/

https://www.etsy.com/shop/wayofthebutterflyart/?etsrc=sdt&dd_referrer=

Rachel is the Creative Marketing Brand Manager for the Hudson County Cultural & Heritage Affairs | Tourism Development offices. In her down time she can be found drawing and painting, illustrating chalkboards, thrifting local markets and hauling to her antique booth in Point Pleasant Pavilion and exploring street art in the local NJ area. Other mediums of interest consist of decorating, merchandising, floral design, sewing, sculpting, and garden design along with many others. Fun Fact! She is also the illustrator of our festival activities map. 

www.yardsalesatsun.com

Rob Borkowski worked as a Custodian of High Bridge Middle School and generously donated his time and talent to create this mural portraying the iconic High Bridge Arches and the Middle School building.

DescriptiSam Matthews is an “artrepreneur” located in Phillipsburg, NJ. She has traveled all over the world seeking beauty and it was overseas where she discovered her passion for developing creative outlets for others. This has taken shape in the form of her business That’s So Sam through which she uses her mobile art studio, the 1971 VW transporter “Frankie”. She has also opened a second business called Propagate Studio through which she hosts workshops, events, and an art supply thrift store in Stewartsville, NJ. She believes that the process of art making opens up doors that can truly change a person’s life, no matter their age or skill or ability. She has painted over 20 murals that can be found throughout the state!

Propagatestudionj.com

IG: @thatssosam.art @propagatestudionj

My Name is Sarah Switlyk and I am an Illustrator based in New Jersey. I have a BFA in Illustration from the School of Visual Arts in NYC. I specialize in literary illustration, but also have interests beyond, including other story telling avenues, murals, and fine art. My art entails an interest in capturing human emotion, creating memorable characters, and adding humor or absurdity to my work.

Susan Haake graduated from Washington University School of Fine Arts many years ago majoring in painting and graphic design and then spent 20 years as an Art Director in various ad agencies in NY and NJ. But in 2009, she got out of the dog eat dog world and moved into the sunny world of horticulture. Starting as a Master Gardener she completed over 2,500 hours of service and then combined her love for art, design and plants by studying landscape design. Mentored by two NJ Landscape Architects she learned how to design and draw landscape plans while merging her knowledge of plants. In 2016 she became a Chapter Leader in the Native Plant Society of NJ and started to focus her attention on native plants.

Her painting for the Grounds for Art Fence-line shows 6 Native plants from NJ and under the flap is the butterfly that relies on that plant for nectar and food for its caterpillar.

Tiffany Jarrett is an abstract artist from New Jersey. She has studied art at the San Francisco Art Institute and has shown her work in San Francisco, New York and New Jersey.Fascinated by nature and inspired by spiritual transformation, Tiffany is compelled to create art to inspire all who seek beauty, reflection and a deeper connection to the world around them by painting a variety of subjective imagery.

Tiffany is currently going through a creative transition period. Rather than focusing on creating a cohesive body of work, her new creations are focused on skill building using a variety of media. The skills learned on this part of her artistic journey will be infused into future works and subject matter which are in progress.

https://www.instagram.com/tiffanyjarretart/

The Work-Family Connection “programs, operated on school grounds for the convenience of families, include Before and After School Programs, Extended Day Pre-K & Kindergarten, School Holidays, and Summer Camps. Our programs are licensed and nationally accredited with qualified, nurturing staff. Programs are educational and recreational in nature, providing extended learning opportunities while the students are having FUN!”

The work on display was created by the kids from a local Hunterdon County Chapter.

Moving to High Bridge was unexpected for me, but I immediately fell in love with its wild spaces. High Bridge open spaces feed my insatiable need to connect with nature as well as my passion for using my hands. The Monarch Butterfly’s presence in High Bridge has provided the opportunity to create wildlife habitat and now the opportunity to create art. My GFA piece honoring the iconic Monarch Butterfly will hopefully provide a moment of peace and happiness to all viewers, just as Monarch butterflies have provided my forever racing mind many moments of peace and harmony.

https://www.facebook.com/wildhighbridge