CURRENT & UPCOMING EVENTS

rock paper scissors!

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Rock Paper Scissors: A Neighborhood Craft Store is a great new shop in Montclair where you will find some Plum Artists showing their work, teaching workshops, and, of course, shopping! The store’s owner, Beth Rowan, has put together a wonderful selection of fabrics, decorative papers, beads, and supplies. The store also has a dedicated workshop space, with sewing machines and other equipment. The shop is currently featuring Anne’s jewelry and Stefanie’s artwork and handmade cards, and in the near future, Miram, Anne, and Maria will be teaching workshops.

The store is having its Grand Opening party on Saturday, June 12, from 10:00 am to 6:00 pm, with cherry pie, raffles, hand-on activities, and more. Sounds like fun! Hope to see you there.

Rock Paper Scissors: A neighborhood craft store is located at 15 Bloomfield Ave., #5 (near Panera and Smashburger). Phone: 973-337-6759 More info here.

Forest Street Festival

(L-R) Keira, Miriam, Stefanie, and Maria spent a very hot day at the Montclair Coop for the Forest Street Festival June 5. (At least it didn’t rain!) Thanks to everyone who stopped by to say hello!

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Studio Montclair 2010 Members’ Exhibition

Miriam Jacobs, Stefanie Silverman, and Susan van Inwegen have artwork in Studio Montclair’s Summer Salon members’ exhibition at the Montclair Public Library. The show can be viewed during regular library hours (Tues-Thurs 10-8, Fri-Sat 10-6, Sun 12-6) through the end of the month. You are invited to attend the reception on Thursday, June 10, from 6 to 9 pm. At 7 pm Studio Montclair will hold its annual meeting, which you can attend to learn about SMI’s past and future activities, and to welcome the new slate of officers (including Stefanie as Membership Coordinator).

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News from Miriam Jacobs, aka Mertel the Turtle Fabric Arts.com

Cover of my book105 (2)Lots of things happening:  First, I will be joining Maria and Stefanie and Keira at the Forest Street Festival scheduled for June 5, 2010 on the grounds of the Montclair Cooperative School. It is getting good publicity and will be a day that harkens back to the kind of festival that the Coop put on many, many years ago – that is, lots of good art, good food, good music, and a general sense of community.  Please come and visit all of us at the Plum artists tent!!!

Next I will be joining a few Plum artists as well for the annual Studio Montclair art show at the library in town.  The opening reception is June 10, 2010 from 6-9 pm. If you want to mingle with the artists, come between 6 and 7 pm, though, as there is a Studio Montclair members’ meeting at 7 pm.   I have two pieces on exhibit, both textile pieces.

I am also planning to have a booth at the Montclair Music and Arts Festival in Anderson Park on July 24, 2010, from noon till 8 pm. This is being run by the same group of people who do the craft show at Lincoln Center in New York City, so it should bring some great crafts – and music – to Montclair!

I will be teaching at the great new store called Rock, Paper, Scissors!  This will be on June 19, 2010, from 2 – 4 pm, and I will be teaching people how to carve your own stamps – great for both casual and fine art work.

Some student disperse dye workSome student disperse dye work
I will be doing a one-day workshop at the Newark Art Museum on August 6, 2010. I will be teaching disperse dye sublimation transfer printing, which is essentially a kind of monoprinting/collage on fabric.  Contact the museum arts workshop to sign up!
I will also be teaching this disperse dye in my home this summer.  Classes are forming now, so if you know anyone who might be interested in learning how to do this, please contact me on my web site, Mertel the Turtle Fabric Arts.com, or via e-mail, veggiemert@verizon.net

Finally, my book is out!!! (Check out the cover of it at the top of this entry.)  I did a book-signing, talk and demonstration at Watchung Booksellers on May 20, 2010, and hope to do more of the same at more bookstores.  Watch out for future announcements!

That’s it for now.

Miriam

Montclair Coop’s Forest Street Festival June 5

You’ll find Plum Artists Keira Boertzel-Smith, Miriam Jacobs, Maria Papale, and Stefanie Silverman at a booth at the Montclair Cooperative School’s Forest Street Festival on Saturday, June 5, from 9 to 6. The festival will be located on the corner of Forest and Chestnut Streets, around the block from the Farmer’s Market. In addition to our fine art, note cards, wallpaper creations, neckties, and other goods, you’ll find flea market and craft vendors, food and beverages, and live music. Raindate is June 12. More info here. Hope to see you there!forestfestlogo-1

Paintings in Pastel at The Peck School

An exhibit of pastel paintings featuring still lifes and landscapes by Maria Papale and Stefanie Silverman is on display at The Peck School in Morristown throughout the month of April. Maria and Stefanie are excited to have their artwork grace the walls of the beautiful Lindenwold Mansion of the private school and to share their artwork with the staff, parents, and students there. (Image: “Still Life with Hull Pottery” by Maria Papale)
"Still Life with Hull Pottery," pastel on paper, by Maria Papale

Silverman’s Work in Group Landscape Show at Gallery MacEgan

Gallery MacEgan in Morristown, New Jersey, will be showing new mixed media landscapes by Stefanie Silverman in its upcoming group landscape exhibition. The show runs from March 28 through April 9; a reception will be held April 2 from 7 to 9 pm. Stefanie’s paintings are simple compositions that communicate the essence of landscapes.

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Stefanie Silverman now a PSNJ Signature Member

Stefanie Silverman is honored to now be a signature member of the Pastel Society of New Jersey. Her painting “Forest Morning” will be in PSNJ’s first Signature Members Exhibition at the Design Domaine Gallery in Bernardsville, March 5 through 31. The opening reception takes place Friday, March 5, from 7 to 9 pm. A special open house on March 6 from 1 to 5 pm will feature a demonstration by renowned pastel artist Christina Debarry.

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Small Works for a Big Cause

Miriam Jacobs and Stefanie Siverman are two of the many local artists who are joining together for a fundraiser in support of Haiti earthquake relief. Small Works for a Big Cause will take place on Sunday, January 31, from 2 to 5 pm at Brassworks, 105 Grove Street in Montclair (between Walnut Street and Willard Place, behind Town Auto Body). Over 100 artworks, 12 x 12 inches or smaller, will be sold for a minimum $50 contribution each. All proceeds will be given to the Haiti earthquake relief organizations Partners in Health, Doctors Without Borders, and the Red Cross. More info about Brassworks is here.

Update: The event was a huge success, with hundreds of people attending, and $35,000 raised!

Jacobs’s work included in Book on Fabric Art

Miriam Jacobs will soon be a published artist, as two of her pieces were selected for publication in a book on fabric art.  The name of the book is 1000 Artisan Textiles, Creative fiber works in detail, and was edited by Sandra Salamony and Gina M. Brown;  it is expected to be in bookstores in May 2010.  The book is intended for the general public and for design professionals.