The Medford Arts Center is helping to ring in the 350th birthday of New Jersey with an open art exhibit this summer.
The MAC will be accepting pieces for a special exhibit called “Happy 350th Birthday, New Jersey.” The exhibit will open on June 6 and run through Aug. 10. Works will be accepted during the weekend of May 17.
Exhibitions Coordinator Tracey Femiano said the exhibit will not only be unique, but much more open than others. Artists are asked to submit a work with some portrayal of the Garden State.
“All of the works have to revolve around the theme of New Jersey,” she said.
The Medford Arts Center is not the only place hosting a 350th birthday art exhibit. Femiano said many art houses across the state are having similar exhibits. She was one of the first to bring attention to the state’s 350th birthday late last year.
“I began to plan this last fall before some people were aware of what it was,” Femiano said.
As 2014 crept closer, the idea of having art exhibits celebrating New Jersey’s 350th birthday gained a lot of traction throughout the state. Themed exhibits are something the MAC doesn’t normally host, but Femiano said she was willing to make an exception because of the uniqueness of the event as well as the endless possibilities for artists. She felt an exhibit would be a great way to get the Medford community involved with the state’s milestone.
Any type of art, from watercolors to drawings, photography and sculptures will be accepted. With the art revolving around a New Jersey theme, there are a ton of possibilities for unique works, according to Femiano.
“As creative as artists are, you never know what you’re going to get,” she said.
There will be an awards presentation on the opening night of the exhibit. Phillip Carroll from Perkins Center for the Arts was chosen as the judge. He will announce the winners of the exhibit during a reception on June 6.
Unlike other shows, where only a limited number of works make it on the walls of the arts center, all of the works will be accepted into the show.
“It’s a theme show that all of the works will be accepted,” Femiano said. “The only requirement is that it has to fit the theme of the exhibit.”
As with most of the center’s exhibits, any submitted artwork will be available for sale. The center is open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. for any patrons who wish to browse the exhibit this summer.
The arts center’s celebration of New Jersey’s 350th birthday is not just limited to the exhibit. As part of the MAC’s involvement with the Art, Music and Wine Festival on June 1, the center held a t-shirt design contest ending on April 25.
For the contest, members of the MAC were invited to submit t-shirt designs for the festival. The winner of the contest will receive a cash award of $200 and their design will be part of the festival t-shirt. The winner will be revealed around May 15 and their t-shirt will be available for purchase at the festival.
