BY HILLARY VIDERS
SPECIAL TO NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
ENGLEWOOD, N.J.—The Englewood Chamber of Commerce recently hosted a gala ribbon cutting for the Build A Village Art Project in Englewood.
On display at the Palisades Court intersection of North Van Brunt Street and Daisy Place visitors can now view five panels of colorful and creative collages, all of which were made by seniors at SESCIL (South East Center for Independent Living) and the Bergen Family Center. The theme is “Ideal Community Life,” which is vividly captured by the collages’ bright colors that depict a multitude of activities.
The project, which is one of the first outdoor art exhibits in Englewood, was spearheaded by the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation (NNJCF), a nonprofit organization founded by Michael Shannon, who also serves as its president. Several months ago, NNJCF presented the project to SESIL and the Bergen Family Center and invited them to participate, which they did with great enthusiasm.
The seniors worked on the project for five weeks, assisted by professional artist Dan Fenelon, who is known for his murals throughout New Jersey.
Danielle DeLaurentis from NNJCF thanked the people and organizations that have helped make the Build A Village project a success, including Fred Fish and Albert Krull from Treeco, who own the property where the artwork is on display.
“It is known from the medical literature that art is important for the health and wellbeing of seniors,” said Shannon. “It engages them and lets them express their creative spirit. It also gives them a sense of belonging to the community. This artwork also beautifies the city.”
Scott Reddin, president of SESCIL, said “You can see that the work is tremendous and this is a great location for it!”
—Photo by Hillary Viders