Perkins Center for the Arts in Moorestown will open its United States Veterans and Active Duty Military Exhibition on Wednesday, Nov. 1.
The exhibit is an open show for all veterans and active duty military artists in the U.S. whom Perkins encourages to enter.
“ … All the exhibitions are so different, and I schedule them so that subject matter is very different with each exhibition,” said Sharon Kiefer, curator of exhibits at Perkins. “We’re excited about this veterans show, because it is actually the first time that we are featuring this type of show.”
The exhibit will continue run through Tuesday, Nov. 14, with an artist’s reception on Saturday, Nov. 4, from 5 to 8 p.m. The show coincides with Veterans Day in November and Perkins wants it to preserve the historical significance of that holiday and honor vets and military members for their patriotism.
“Art Smith is a teaching artist at Perkins and he conducts a painting class for veterans at the Perkins Moorestown location, and so we are encouraging his class to participate in the show,” Kiefer noted.
Artists are invited to submit one piece of work in any medium. Kiefer sees the exhibit as a forum for all participants to share their pieces with the community.
“We’re looking forward to exhibiting the artist’s work, which does not necessarily have to be military based, although it can be,” she explained. “And (it’s) just meeting and greeting the artists and providing a forum for them to be recognized.”
Kiefer wants exhibit attendees to take away the feeling of significance for Veterans Day.
“We’re hoping that other community members and veterans or active duty military in our community will come and enjoy this exhibition as part of a celebration for Veterans Day, to show that we appreciate their duty and what they sacrificed for all of us for the common good,” she said.
“ … It’s important to get their (veterans and active duty military artists) work out there and to have others acknowledge the significance of what they’re doing.”
Other ongoing and future exhibits and events at Perkins in Moorestown include its fall annual juried exhibition through Friday, Oct. 27; Kumiko wood designs by David Gootnick, Tuesday, Nov. 14, through December; Coffee and Classics, featuring Nathaniel Aguilar, on Thursday, Oct. 19; and the Perkins House concert on Friday, Nov. 10.
To buy tickets for these events or for more information, visit https://perkinsarts.org.
“… We have exhibitions, we have education, we have music lessons, we have a Folklife Center, and the offerings are so vast that there is something truly for everyone,” Kiefer emphasized of Perkins.
“If you happen to wander into Perkins to sign up for a class or to sign up for a music lesson or to check out a dance that the Folklife Center is sponsoring … you will see the exhibitions department’s work on the walls, because we always have an exhibition hanging even if it’s in the background…
“You will be able to see beautiful artwork.”
