Union County Senior Art Exhibit Featuring 180 Works Now On View

UNION COUNTY, NJ — More than 180 original artworks created by Union County residents age 60 and older are now on display in Scotch Plains as part of the 2026 Union County Senior Art Exhibit.

The public can view the show through May 27 in the Conference Center of UCNJ Union College of Union County, NJ, at 1776 Raritan Road.

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The annual exhibit features work by professional and non-professional artists who live in Union County.

Categories include drawing, pastel, watercolor, oil painting, acrylics, photography, digital art, mixed media, printmaking, craft and sculpture.

"The high level of talent and broad range of artworks entered this year are both powerful and inspiring," said Union County Commissioner Chairman Joseph C. Bodek. "Our senior community has continuously proven that natural talent and a creative eye transcend age. Visitors of the exhibit can look forward to a spectacular experience."

According to the county, awards for outstanding entries in each media category were selected by independent professional artists Michael Donato, Richard Russo and Barbara Wallace.

Best in Show by a Professional Artist went to Mary Ann Imbriaco of Hillside for her pastel work, "Prayer Warrior." Best in Show by a Non-Professional Artist went to Chas Bernstein of Mountainside for his craft work, "Leafspring End Table."

First-place artworks will advance to the state level and will be exhibited in the fall at the 2026 New Jersey Senior Citizens’ Art Show in East Windsor.

The exhibit is open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, with Tuesday evening hours until 8 p.m. The venue is about a quarter-mile from Martine Avenue. Visitors entering the campus from Raritan Road should go to the third building on the right, where parking is available on site.

The exhibit is supported by funds from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, which the county described as a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts. It is coordinated each year by the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, a division of the Department of Parks and Recreation.

For more information, residents can email msturm@ucnj.org or call 908-558-2550 on weekdays. More information about county cultural programs is available at www.ucnj.org/cultural.

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