BY SUSAN MCTIGUE
CORRESPONDENT
CLOSTER, N.J.—The imagination and talent of Closter resident Andrew Weatherly is on full display in the Closter Public Library on the 50-foot Belskie Art Wall.
“The Art Beyond A Syndrome” exhibition includes paintings, photographs and poetry that blend together to illustrate his joyful spirit. He captures the world through his camera lens, his paintbrush and his pen on paper, while using art as a tool for personal and social growth.
As a recent inductee of the Closter Hall of Fame, housed at the library, Weatherly has shown his work in Europe, at the Smithsonian Institution, and throughout the northeastern United States.
The Belskie Wall show includes some of his new work created in 2018–2019 and reflects his ongoing development as a serious artist.
Weatherly’s color palette in these 18 paintings on display is consistently rich and vibrant, whether the subject matter is a landscape, a floral still life or an abstract design.
In “Freedom Land,” the artist combines the imagery of a pulsating sun with a lavish foreground of tree-covered mountains floating in a sea of contrasting blues and greens. Hanging near the painting is one of his poems titled “Sunshine” in which he writes, “Come, Imagine colorful skies where troubles and dark clouds aren’t in your way; Come a little while, you’ll be rising like the burning ball of early morning.”
Weatherly’s resolve has allowed him to overcome many obstacles, including living with Down Syndrome, while his insightfulness has remained one of his greatest gifts of all.
Recently, Weatherly was invited as one of nine participants throughout the country to design a logo for the 2022 USA Games as part of the Special Olympics International. He traveled to Orlando, Florida, and worked with other artists/athletes on the project. His area of expertise in the athletic arena is in tennis and as an equestrian. In three years when the Olympics is held in Orlando, he plans on being an active participant.
When not creating his own artwork, Andrew teaches a watercolor class to seniors in Englewood and coaches basketball in Closter’s Challenger program.
In November, he was honored with the Inspiration to Youth Award by the YMCA of Bergen County. Represented by two galleries, Art Lifting based in Boston, and Arts Unbound in Orange, NJ, Andrew also has produced a line of fashion scarves based on his colorful paintings and currently is designing art tiles that will reflect his own creations.
For further information, visit his website at www.andrewweatherly.com.