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BY HILLARY VIDERS
SPECIAL TO NORTHERN VALLEY PRESS
ENGLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY —— Now through Feb. 28, The Community Chest, a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization that helps people in need in eastern Bergen County, will be celebrating its 85th anniversary with an art exhibition at the Bergen Performing Arts Center (bergenPAC) at 30 N. Van Brunt St. in Englewood.
The exhibition, “Celebrate with The Chest,” is sponsored in collaboration with Apostrophe NYC, bergenPAC, the Northern New Jersey Community Foundation and Westy Self Storage. According to The Community Chest director, Shelly Wimpfheimer, 15 percent of the proceeds of the work exhibited will be contributed to The Chest and another 15 percent to the Sandy Bennett Gallery at bergenPAC.
The art exhibition introduces the first project of The Chest’s initiative, “Art for the People,” a new collaborative effort to bring art to the community to observe the organization’s milestone anniversary.
The exhibition was launched in the Sandy Bennett Gallery at the bergenPAC on Feb. 8 with a festive reception that was free and open to the public. Attendees were able to meet two of the artists, Charlie Hudson and Caslon Bevington, whose work was displayed along with that of four other artists – Lindsea Bevington, Julia Powers, Jay Gittens and Calypso Vaga.
A crowd of over 50 people gathered in the gallery to view the artwork and enjoy cocktails and hors d’oeuvres.
Ki Smith, co-founder and curator of Apostrophe NYC, was on hand to discuss the artists and their work, and Westy Storage staff members John Young and Shannon Daly greeted guests at a decorative Westy display table which had literature and gift bags for all of the evening’s guests.
The Bennett Gallery was decorated with 19 of the artists’ works, all one-of-a-kind modern pieces encompassing several genres – acrylics, sketches, multi-dimensional wood paintings, glazed photo collages, and print and textile transfers. Catalogues and price lists that were neatly stacked on tables in the center of the room described each piece of work, with prices that ranged from $400 to $1,800.
Smith explained how the show came together. His studio, Apostrophe NYC, sponsors upcoming artists in various galleries and innovative pop up shows throughout the New England area in a wide a variety of venues, from the Whitney Museum in New York City to subway stations.
Wimpfheimer had previously met Charlie Hudson and admired his work at a gallery in Vermont. When he told her that he was moving to New Jersey, Wimpfheimer went to one of his local shows and she got the idea to feature his work in an art themed fundraiser for The Chest. She then networked with Smith, who represents some of Hudson’s work in New York City, and Smith proceeded to recruit five other artists for the “Stills From Life” exhibit at the Sandy Bennett Gallery.
They also set up a tutorial program for neighborhood youth, “Art for the People,” taught by the exhibit’s artists. The program will offer four one-hour group classes for students from area schools in Bergen County. A second class will provide two one-hour group classes for senior citizens.
One of the exhibitors at the opening reception, New Jersey based artist Charlie Hudson, is an Australian-American painter living and working in Jersey City and New York City. He is a member of Apostrophe NYC Gallery’s Base 12 collective. Currently, Hudson is part of a yearlong Mana BSMT residency at Mana Contemporary.
His work, which he says “is inspired by the intersection of industry, art and nature,” has been exhibited in several locations, including Brooklyn Wayfarer’s Gallery, Juxtapose Clubhouse during Miami Art Week, and Skinny Pancake in Burlington, Vermont.
The other artist who attended the reception on Feb. 8 was Caslon Bevington. She studied at Parsons and the Art Students League. Bevington described her experimental art as “a desire to communicate something incomplete and unformed through paint, pixel, word and fabric.” Her eight-photo transfer, “Translation Series Nos. 1-8,” was a center of much attention at the show’s opening night. Bevington took some of the black and white photos in the piece herself, mounted them on wood squares and coated them with acrylic.
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The Community Chest celebrates its 85th anniversary
Now in its 85th year, The Community Chest has been identifying and addressing emerging needs, leading initiatives, and supporting nonprofits to make local communities stronger and benefit people in the area.
“The Chest is proud to follow and continue the founders’ work to help neighbors in need in difficult times,” said Richard Kennedy, president of The Community Chest’s board of managers.
Since its founding, The Chest has raised $2 million, the equivalent of $62 million when adjusted for inflation, and served 89 nonprofit organizations. The Chest supports area nonprofits addressing a range of issues, including health and mental health, hunger, arts programming, the environment, and volunteerism for approximately 50,000 people annually. Twenty-three agencies providing social, cultural, recreational and educational services to local residents in need of all ages received grant awards in 2017. Wimpfheimer said that last year, The Community Chest gave out $200,000 to worthy non-profit organizations and they hope to do the same this year.
On April 18, The Community Chest will continue celebrating its 85th anniversary with a gala at the Montammy Country Club in Alpine.
Photos by Hillary Viders
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