The Medford Arts Center will display its inaugural “Just Paintings” juried exhibit in the facility’s gallery and online through May 12.
The exhibit celebrates art created with oil, acrylic, watercolor, pastel and ink, and like other arts center shows, was introduced by exhibit chairs Susan Barnes and Diane Emerson.
“It is quite a collection of works,” MAC Executive Director Lesha Moore said. “There’s a little bit of everything in this show; there’s absolutely something for everyone.”
The exhibition was juried by James Toogood, a painter who works primarily in watercolor. A member of the American Watercolor Society and other arts organizations, he studied painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia, where he teaches, and is the author of the book “Incredible Light and Texture in Watercolor.”
Exhibit awards included first place to Richard Hoffman for his watercolor work, “Springtime Across the Delaware”; second place to Christopher MacKinnon for his acrylic work, “Off the Hook”; and third place to Micael Scherfen for his watercolor, “Rainy Day in Rouen France.” There were five honorable mentions.
“They’re all available for sale for anyone who would like to add to their home decor,” Moore noted. “There are some stunning pieces in this collection. As a matter of fact, there are quite a few pieces that depict local scenes in the South Jersey area.”
The arts center also has a current veterans exhibit, “HeArt of a Veteran,” in the Warden’s House Gallery, a space associated with the Burlington County Parks System. The gallery house was completed in 1888 and is attached to the historic prison museum in Mt. Holly. The veterans display will continue through May 8.
“The works that are in there from our veteran artists,” Moore said. “They are so impressive. It is a real showcase of the talent that this group has. We are so proud of them.”
The “Just Paintings” exhibit is not the only new event at the arts center: On April 30, it will host the first annual Juried Fine Art and Craft Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is expected to feature about eight fine artists inside the gallery and 12 surrounding the grounds and in the gazebo.
“We look forward to this growing each and every year,” Moore noted. “I hope that this is going to be a great event for the community and the surrounding communities.”
For more information on upcoming events at the center, visit medfordarts.com
