On March 10, authors, crafters, musicians and more will gather at Stockton University.
By Melissa Riker
The Sun
“How could we bring like-minded people together to celebrate and maintain the cultural richness of the New Jersey Pine Barrens?”
This was the question posed by Linda Stanton that started the annual “Lines on the Pines” 14 years ago.
The event was originally formed as a way to bring local authors of the Pine Barrens together to discuss history and folktales of the area.
Over the years, “Lines on the Pines” has evolved into an event that features not only authors, but crafters, photographers, musicians, historians and more, with the common goal of celebrating the unique culture of the Pine Barrens.
This year’s event will be held on Sunday, March 10, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Stockton University’s Campus Center, located at 101 Vera King Farris Drive in Galloway.
This event features a new program for kids called “The PB & Js” which stands for the Pine Barrens and Juniors.
This program will give children the opportunity to learn about the Pine Barrens through a booklet developed by Mike McCormick. This booklet presents various activities for young explorers to complete throughout the entire event. Once they complete these missions, they will earn a “Lines on the Pines” explorer patch.
The theme of this program is “paws and claws,” allowing children to learn about animal tracks through James Pullaro’s collection of drawings of tracks commonly found throughout the Pine Barrens.
Stanton said the idea originally began with the thought it would be a one-time gathering, however, she keeps bringing it back year after year to spread knowledge and to honor the culture she adores.
“Education should never stop. Even the experts continue learning and researching day after day — this is how we grow as individuals,” Stanton said. “It is our job to educate our community, colleagues, friends, family and children, about the arts and humanities and the history of the Pines Barrens so they can pass it on.”
She said her favorite aspect of the event stems from the admiration of seeing artisans share their knowledge with others.
“The people that are involved, not only are they extremely talented and knowledgeable, they want to share what they know,” Stanton said. “It’s not about ownership as much as it is sharing their knowledge and telling stories.”
Fine and unusual artist Molly Sanger Carpenter will be participating in the event for the first time this year, showcasing her work of nature icons as a way to pay homage to the world of nature.
She said she is living her dream by being an artist, and she looks forward to sharing a common “amazement” of the Pine Barrens with others at the event.
“Any event that celebrates the Pine Barrens is something that I’m interested in,” Carpenter said. “It is an important event that brings the focus onto the Pine Barrens. It is really important for people to know about all the things that go on there and the importance of the environment.”
Stanton anticipates a crowd of more than 1,000 people at this year’s event.
“I enjoy seeing people who have become good friends. I may only see them once a year but I know I’ll see them again the second Sunday in March next year,” Stanton said.
