Great Art Draw for Township Show

With paintings, drawings, charcoal prints and photographs decking the Hillsborough Municipal Complex’s Walls, on thing was clear at the Hillsborough Township Cultural Art Commission’s annual show.

“There’s so much good art,” Pat Fritz, whose daughter, Kathleen, presented her portrait of Doris Duke later that evening, said.  “It’s great to see so much talent.”

“I’m really excited about the talent of our teenagers,” Doreen Lorenzetti, a local artist and Cultural Arts Commission member, said.  “There are a lot of complicated pieces that show a lot of ability.”

The show featured works from both Hillsborough residents and, for the student portion of the show, works by artists from Somerset County High Schools, including Ridge, Somerville, Bridgewater-Raritan, Montgomery and Hillsborough.

The show featured categories for artwork and for photography, with honorable mentions, judge’s choice awards and first, second and third place awards for adults and students. 

 “It really gives people a chance to be judged professionally,” Nancy Edwards, one of the event chairs, said.  “The most important thing is we bring in professional judges, national judges.”

“The number one thing it brings is an opportunity for students to display their work,” Jim Roselli, one of the photography judges and co-owner of Artistic Efex in Hillsborough, said.  “We’re constantly looking at the ages, saying that’s incredible for that age.”

The adult and student winners have the opportunity to win gift certificates to art and photography supply stores, with a student also receiving a yearlong apprenticeship with a local artist.

 “It’s a lot of work, but I love doing it for the kids,” Edwards added. “All communities need to take this more seriously, for the outlet it gives them. “

The show culminated with the awards ceremony and the unveiling of Kathleen Fritz’s Doris Duke portrait

“It was a little bit crazy with all the people here and I was a little bit nervous about having to go up and speak,” she said after the unveiling.  “The hardest thing about the painting was probably the hands.  The photo was black and white and kind of grainy so it was hard to get the form right.”

“I think I did a pretty good job,” she added.  “It’s been a long road and I’m happy with it.  I don’t think I would have been able to do it without Kevin (Murphy, owner of Art Academy of Hillsborough) there.”

Honorable Mentions in the student photography category include Frank Yan, of Montgomery High School, Chris DeLorenzo, of Ridge High School, Brianne Bishop, of Somerville High School, Paul Padian, of Ridge High School and Lucas Esposito, of Montgomery High School.  Judges’ Choice awards in the student photography category include Ben Rapkin, of Hillsborough High School, Juhl Kapadia, of Montgomery High School and Paul Padian, of Ridge High School.

Devin Carmen, of Somerville High School, Megan Kouril, of Hillsborough High School and Elisa Chadet, of Somerville High School, took third, second and first place in the student photography category.

In the adult photography category, Eric Lips, John Krasnansky, Faith White, and George Dousis received Honorable Mentions and Tom Harkins and Jim Mills received Judges’ Choice awards.  Danielle Austen received first and second place awards while Fafal Goraczniak placed third.

Art award winners were not available by Patch’s deadline.