"Maypole" by: Unknown

Photo taken by: Scott Douglas

This 18X24 watercolor is something I proudly went "dumpster diving" for. The artists name is illegible. This piece now is displayed in my home. I enjoy this piece because of the children involved with it. One can see the action of the children as they weave in and out of one another, the ground is worn where they skip and sing. There is no major emphasis on any part of the painting and the artist was able to set the depth by creating the line of tall grass in the background. The artist captured the simple things in life that kids enjoy. I can hear them laughing as play.

"Eternal Light" by: Diane Romanello

Photo taken by: Menseh Jones

24 x 35 x 28 x 38

Giclee on Canvas

A giclee is accepted as Museum Quality printed on canvas with archival inks and an expected life-span of 120 years.

Diane Romanello was born in 1944 in New York City. Romanello is a self-taught artist. Romenallo's scenic paintings are characterized by sense of beauty and romance, inviting the viewer into a serene natural world. Romanello's images always suggest the memory of treasured place. Her paintings blend luxurious, soothing color with sumptuous texture. Romanello's brushstrokes evident every image, and her luminous beach scenes, landscapes, gardens and country retreats merge elements of fantasy with realism, accomplished by Romanello's keen sense of light, texture and composition. Romanello savors the intensity of color and calming energy inherent in nature.

I see the above painting of Diane Romanello at work on a daily basis. It is hung on the wall in the hallway leading to the cafeteria in the building. Because of the nature of Romanello's work as a self-taught artist, I am very impressed and admire what she does.

"Depression Bread Line", 1999 by: George Segal Cast Bronz 2/7 108" x 148" x 36"

Photo taken by: Patrice Rine

My husband and I had nothing to do and we decided to take a ride on Saturday to Hamilton, New Jersey to the Grounds for Sculpture where we observed magnificent pieces of art. It was George Segal's the Depression Bread Line, that I absolutely loved. This is a cast bronze, larger than life, sculpture that was done in 1999 and depicts five male figures in line against a wall during the Great Depression, a period of economic hardship during which many people were in need of government assistance for survival. The original sculpture was made in 1991 from plaster, wood, metal, and acrylic paint. It was from this original sculpture that a mold was made for casting. Segal was born in New York to a Jewish couple who emigrated from Eastern Europe. He later moved to New Jersey and helped his family throughout difficult times by working on a poultry farm. He attended Cooper Union and finally New York University where he furthered his art education.
http://www.groundsforsculpture.org/c_gsegal.htm

"Hope" by: Dan Campanelli

Photo Taken by: Patrice Rine

Hope, (34 x 21) Watercolor on Canvas Dan Campanelli has been true to his original vision when it pertains to his art. He is a watercolorist and has painted Northwest New Jersey's landscapes for over a quarter of a century. He is an American Realist artist who has had enormous success in the United States and abroad with his paintings. Being a resident of northwest, New Jersey we have grown to love his simplistic American aesthetic expressed in his paintings. His paintings are able to convey the simple luminous beauty of their subjects. I think what drew us to his work was the composition that he chose were places and landscapes that we are familiar with and recognize. He painted scenes from Jockey Hollow, Phillipsburg and from the villages in Pohatcong Hills where he lived with his wife, Pauline. Dan Campanelli print sales have grown to approximately 1.2 million which is why many people can clearly recognize his work. http://www.njskylands.com/clartist3.htm

"Flower Note Cards" by: Lauren Magenta

Photo taken by: Susan Magenta

This picture includes some of the note cards that my 16 year old daughter, Lauren, makes. Lauren was diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes four years ago. During her first week with diabetes she came up with this idea to raise money for research. Lauren takes pictures of flowers in our garden and creates note cards which she sells. The three flowers that are shown here are Lilly of the Valley, Hydrangea, and a Sunflower. Lauren has fun capturing flowers at the perfect moment. Her technique is very original and other photographers are amazed when she describes the process. Lauren uses a standard digital camera with no additional zoom lens. She only shoots with direct sunlight. There are times when her camera is as close as two inches from the flower. Her framing style is also unique. Though many of her pictures show a full flower in bloom there are often petals that are cut off giving the feeling that there is more outside of the frame. Many times she will shoot only petals and not take a full view of the flower. The viewer is left to imagine what the "Big Picture" looks like.

"Hand Made Greeting Card"

Photo taken by: Sean Thoman

This hand made greeting card was sent by a relative to one of my friends for her 16th birthday. It is three and a half inches by five and a half inches and made of wicker or straw pasted onto black felt and then pasted onto a piece of thick folded paper. The artist is unknown and the cuts are uneven, yet I find it quaint and sincere.