Studio Montclair marked its 25th anniversary as a thriving regional arts organization with its fourth annual Affair of the Art on November 19th at the Women’s Club of Glen Ridge in Glen Ridge, NJ. This spectacular and joyful event featured themed cocktails, beer, wine, and delectable hors d’oeuvres by the exceptional Tia’s Food of Love along with music by the internationally known electric violin impresario Sarah Charness. The highlight of the night was a Silent Art Auction with paintings, drawings, sculpture, printmaking, photography, and mixed media created by more than 100 talented and accomplished Studio Montclair members.
The Affair of the Art also honored the vigorous contributions of Executive Director Susanna Baker, who retired this year. During her 13-year tenure Studio Montclair has grown from a local arts organization with 250 local members to a 550-member organization with countrywide participation. Susanna oversaw Studio Montclair’s evolution from its early status as a modest “homeless” organization to a regionally known institution with two professional galleries hosting multiple exhibits each year, a robust website, the ongoing support of public funding, and an Art Academy devoted to instruction for adults with disabilities.
Says committee co-chairs Stephanie Hutton and Judy Typaldos, “We are so excited to be back as co-chairs of the Affair of the Art in 2022! This year’s event is especially important to us because the dollars we raise will help to expand Studio Montclair’s art education program, an initiative we are very passionate about. Once again, we are so impressed by the quality and diversity of the art submitted for our event. The talent of our local artists is truly extraordinary! We are especially thankful for our 2022 Presenting Sponsors, BDP Holdings, LLC and Crow Holdings Development, whose generous contributions will allow us to continue to bring art into the everyday lives of our community.”
In 2022, Studio Montclair exhibited more than 570 works of art and interacted with over 1,000 artists. Our themes have ranged from exploring the process of making art to probing the compulsion to make art. We opened a second gallery and strengthened our many partnerships, especially our collaborations with the JSDD Wae Center, the Montclair Art Museum, and the Montclair Center Bid. With your help, we’ll continue to bring exciting and innovative exhibits to the Montclair area.
