It was serendipitous to have attended the 60th Annual Boardwalk Art Show in Ocean City, New Jersey. It’s an annual summer event and has been going on for six decades. We met so many talented artists who showcased their creative art forms right on the boardwalk. Dozens of artists shared their fine artwork with the community over the course of three days and were seen on the Ocean City Boardwalk between Eighth Street and 13th Street.
Being community arts volunteers ourselves and recognizing the time and effort a successful show like this involves, we were honored to have made contact with Ms. Chase Jackson. Ms. Jackson is the Executive Director of the Ocean City Arts Council and we met her at the tent representing the Arts Council which is the organization responsible for this wonderful boardwalk art show.
Executive Director of the Ocean City Arts Council for the last past 3 years, Ms. Chase Jackson shared that in addition to this show, the Ocean City Arts Council also presents a new art exhibit each month at the art gallery at the Ocean City Arts Center, part of a modern, spacious, community center complex on 16th Street that also includes the Ocean City Public Library, Ocean City Community Center, and Ocean City Senior Center.
CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM LAUREN ROSENBLUM’S SOLO ART SHOW IN OCEAN CITY, NJ
Without pause she invited us to a not-to-be-missed art reception the following Friday at the Ocean City Arts Center’s August solo exhibit showcasing the work of New Jersey/New York based artist Lauren Rosenblum. Ms. Chase Jackson, the Executive Director of the Ocean City Arts Council said that Lauren Rosenblum’s pieces were stunningly beautiful, and we would be amazed, and she was 100% accurate in her description.
The current exhibit at the Ocean City Arts Center represents Lauren Rosenblum’s recent body of work; oil paintings on wooden panels. This solo show includes her botanical paintings, culinary and figurative work. The paintings filled the room with oil paintings large in scale and beauty.
We were indeed astonished by the size and scale of some of the initial art pieces we saw, and not to mention the accuracy of the proportion and vivid color representing the subject matter. Each piece was interesting to analyze. When viewing up-close, the colors of the brushstrokes appear to be very coarse and granular, yet upon further study from 5 feet or more, a distinct, clear, soulful image of the artist’s subject emerged as remarkably visible.
Lauren Rosenblum shared that she is currently gravitating towards painting faces. “Some people I know, others are chosen as I encounter them, and I’m struck by something that is drawing me in,” Rosenblum said. During her character studies, she is drawn deeper and often a more personal aspect of each subject, where aspects of their individual personalities is allowed to be revealed.
“My works’ extreme close-up encourages curiosity. It gives permission to be intrusive and inquisitive. I am getting to the core of the subject, dismissing all of the inconsequential details.” After studying classical techniques, Lauren Rosenblum was able to be free to express herself in her work in a very personal way, both in style and subject matter.
Ms. Chase Jackson was right, there was jaw-dropping art pieces that we saw as part of this art show. Ms. Jackson has been an arts administrator for several decades and her experience is evident. We enjoyed our encounter as Ms. Jackson was gregarious and informative, and the discussion about art and arts projects was lively and fun.
Her personal invitation encouraged us to attend a wonderful art reception we were not aware of prior.
The Ocean City Arts Center was a warm and inviting space, mainly due to the multifaceted, vibrant, and intriguing work in the show. The congeniality of Ms. Chase Jackson was appreciated as she welcomed and introduced us to the President of the Ocean City Arts Council, Dr. Jack Devine. We were very fortunate to be able to have the opportunity to personally meet the oil painter artist, Lauren Rosenblum. It was a tremendous honor to share this experience and be able to ask inquisitive questions about her individual art pieces and the thought process that went into the creation of her art.
If you or someone you know is interested in procuring any of the artwork in this show, contact John or Patricia by emailing them here.