Highlands Coalition to showcase farming-themed art exhibits in Boonton and Basking Ridge
NEW JERSEY — The New Jersey Highlands Coalition will present two simultaneous art exhibitions celebrating the region’s agricultural heritage, with displays opening in Boonton and Basking Ridge in August.
The exhibits, “Farming: An Essential Character of the Highlands,” will feature fine art and photography highlighting farming in the four-state Highlands region, with an emphasis on New Jersey’s Highlands.
The first exhibit will be on display at the Maxfield Gallery at the Historic Maxfield Engine House, 713 Main St. in Boonton, from Aug. 7-30, with an opening reception scheduled for 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7.
A second exhibit will be displayed at the Farmstead Arts Center, 450 King George Road in Basking Ridge, from Aug. 8 through Sept. 6, with an opening reception from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8.
“We are featuring Highlands agriculture this month because farming has always been vital to the Highlands economy, intrinsic to the Highlands culture and identity and a defining feature of the Highlands landscape,” said Elliott Ruga, Policy and Communications Director at the New Jersey Highlands Coalition, which sponsors art and photography exhibits throughout the year, including the Annual Highlands Juried Art Exhibit, which for its 13th year will be held at the Atrium Gallery at the Morris County Administration Building in October. Ruga added, “The Highlands Regional Master Plan has programs to retain farmland, to protect important farmland soils and to discourage to conversion of farms to development. This is in addition to state, county and municipal programs to purchase development rights from willing farmers so the land will remain in agricultural uses in perpetuity.”
The invitational exhibitions feature different works of art and photography by artists who have participated in one or more of the coalition’s previous Highlands juried art exhibits.
“These two exhibits will each feature different works of fine art and photography depicting aspects of farming in the four-state Highlands region with an emphasis on the Highlands region in New Jersey. This is an invitational show. These are artists have exhibited in one or more of the past twelve annual juried art exhibits, and we have a combination of new works and works previously exhibited here. We are excited to partner with the Farmstead Arts Center because it is a restored historic farm complex continuously farmed since 1762, and today it is a vital center for cultural and arts programs in Somerset County. The Farmstead is a perfect partner to help celebrate the Highlands’ agricultural heritage through art,” said Donna Compton, the Highlands Coalition’s Arts Program Director and curator.
Thirty New Jersey-area artists are participating, including Alexandra Jurchescu of Hackettstown, Denise Cocchiaro of Sparta, Barbara Campbell of Highland Lakes, Jeremy Travers of Lake Hopatcong, Brian Satch of Hopatcong, Janet Cunniffe-Chieffo and June Filipski of Denville, Tricia Goginsky of Randolph, Laurie Harden and Martha Romano of Boonton, Peter and Linda Aldrich of Boonton Township, Doris Ettlinger and Michael McFadden of Hampton, Lisa Madson and Judith Lieberman of White House Station, Michael Martin of Chatham Township, Nancy Nicolescu and Susan Roth of Morristown, Jack Quinn of Morris Plains, Betty Ann Guarino of Florham Park, Gina L. Pierson of Riverdale, Kimberly Bollard of Hoboken, Yogamy Ferreras-Farley of Wood Ridge, Justine Réneau Perdunn Kovacs of Green Village, June Filipski of Basking Ridge, and Seth Ruggles Hiler of Atlantic Highlands. Four New York artists also are featured.
The New Jersey Highlands Coalition said the exhibits are intended to raise awareness of the Highlands’ agricultural heritage, natural beauty and environmental importance. The Highlands region spans 88 municipalities across Bergen, Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex and Warren counties and provides drinking water for approximately 6.2 million New Jersey residents.
A portion of proceeds from artwork sales will support the coalition’s conservation and advocacy efforts. The Farmstead Arts Center exhibit is supported in part by the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission.
More information and a gallery of the artwork are available at highlandsart.org.
