Painter Draws Inspiration Close to Home, and 'Down the Shore'

Kenneth Burde has been painting ever since he can remember. His mother used to keep his earlier drawings, which he says weren't very good at the time. Then he became a follower of Jon Gnagy's Learn to Draw TV program on Saturday mornings and started learning proper techniques. "I use the same method to teach my college students," says Burde.

He is an adjunct professor of fine arts at Essex County College, but has taught at Belleville elementary schools for nineteen years, and for the last fourteen years has been teaching art classes at Belleville High School.

"What really got me into painting was my ninth-grade art teacher, Mr. Christiano. I admired him so much I said that's who I want to be when I grow up," enthuses Burde. "He inspired me the most. Until he retired, we used to team-teach, and just enjoy it every day. We're still very good friends."

Burde studied at The Art Students League and Parsons New School of Design, both in New York City. He is a graduate of the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Art, which he speaks highly of, and holds graduate and post-graduate Degrees from New Jersey City University and Montclair State University, in fine arts and education.

His website  showcases his works, which include landscapes, downscapes, people and wildlife, still life and interiors, drawings and what he calls "down the Shore"-- as people in northern New Jersey refer to the beach. 

 His landscapes are renditions of sceneries in Belleville, the neighboring towns and just about anywhere the muse strikes him. Downscapes, on the other hand, are aerial perspectives of certain locations (like a bird's-eye view or satellite images of coastal areas). These creative downscapes usually make it to juried shows, much to Burde's surprise. For the portraits, he makes it a point to know each person so the painting will reflect his or her character.

Burde's down the Shore collection include paintings of docks, boats, sailboats and shorelines, inspired by views of Barnegat Bay from his own porch. He and his wife bought a bungalow by the bay, which serves as his quiet retreat. "That's how I get away from the dogs, the cats, everything. It's always very sunny down there. I just sit on the front porch and start painting. I like to paint mostly down the shore. It's just an enjoyable thing to do," he adds.

Burde was joined recently by another artist, John Richter, also a former Belleville resident, in a show entitled "Oil and Water Do Mix" at the Bernardsville Public Library in Bernardsville. The show, held in August, featured oil paintings by Richter and watercolor paintings by Burde.

The artist also has several works in public display all over town. He painted the "Flag Drop Box" in front of Belleville Town Hall, the "Belleville Buccaneer" at Belleville Municipal Stadium, and the "Millenimum Doors" of the Christ Episcopal Church.

One of his most memorable public works, however, was an airbrushed mural at Belleville High School. According to Burde, the mural was inspired by the 9/11 events. "After not being able to join a friend in the recovery operations in New York, I wasn't able to sleep. I thought of the kids in school with their different cliques, and I just started drawing." The school superintendent then gave him permission to use a wall to paint his mural. The result was a 9-by-30 foot-painting of an eagle, with the American flag as backdrop, and the words "One Nation United." 

"It's mostly a silent reminder to the kids that walk by to stop fighting over nothing," says Burde.

Together with the other art teachers, Burde has also developed a college-type curriculum where the students could branch out into computer graphics, photography, sculpture or ceramics after the intro art classes. He encourages his students to learn and experience art, as "It reinforces what is taught in the other classes." He also makes it a point to share their resources with the elementary schools, as the latter have smaller budgets for their art classes.

"Pretty soon we're going to start the 'fire poster contest' in conjunction with the fire department. We try to get the kids involved through youth art programs, poster design contests and school decorations."

Burde, a lifelong resident of Belleville, has taught in the township school system for 33 years.  Burde says he still maintains contact with his former students (even through Facebook). He even knows what careers they're into and who some of them went on to marry.

"I miss them and I miss the time when they would just run up to me in the hallway to give me a big hug," reminisces Burde.