Ellen Martin, Independent Curator

08/22/2026

From seeing the list of artists, I think this will be a "must-see". Sixteen were chosen from a field of over 800. Congratulations to all of them.
From the Zimmerli website:
New Brunswick, N.J. (August 13, 2026)—The Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University—New Brunswick is delighted to announce 16 New Jersey artists who will be featured in Hank Willis Thomas Selects the NJ Arts Annual. This prominent exhibition celebrates contemporary art from across the Garden State. More than 800 artists living or working in New Jersey submitted artworks to the juried process, which was led by celebrated artist Hank Willis Thomas, a native of Plainfield, N.J.

The New Jersey Arts Annual showcases works from the following artists: Lavett Ballard (Willingboro); Ana Benaroya (Jersey City); Aaron Boucher (Jersey City); Storm Cuff (East Orange); Christina Freeman (Lawrence Township); Sylvan Hamburger (Highland Park); Donté K. Hayes (Cliffwood); Caren King Choi (Fair Lawn); jc lenochan (South Orange); Jackie Neale (Collingswood); Chelsea Odufu (Newark); Miguel Romero-Trejos (New Brunswick); Jesse Satterfield (Point Pleasant); Sasha Stiles (Milford); Kimisha Turner (Turnersville); Roberto Visani (North Bergen).

The New Jersey Arts Annual has long offered a view of the art being made across the state. The sixty-second edition at the Zimmerli brings together sixteen artists, each represented by a significant installation or multiple works. Juror Hank Willis Thomas (born in Plainfield, NJ, in 1976) selected a...

08/19/2026

Inaugural critique in Long Branch.

07/21/2026

Using just two colors, William Zimmerman expresses his life with Parkinson’s.

07/12/2026

To focus on form, William uses only two colors, red oxide and buff titanium. We are showing his paintings - both on canvas and paper - and poems. Please join us during the exhibit's open hours. Note the live poetry readings.

The Art Pod is in the Hamilton Building, a two-story yellow-brick building opposite the entrance to Riverside Gardens Park. We have a street-level entrance in the back, next to the Red Bank River Center.

You'd be wise to leave extra time to navigate through Red Bank traffic and parking, which is free on Sundays.

06/25/2026

Be sure to catch these two great exhibits in Red Bank, NJ happening tonight: June 25, 2026.

06/07/2026

Another museum call. I was there recently, and it's a sweet venue.

This annual exhibition showcases the diverse talents of the members of the Hunterdon Art Museum. The artists work in an array of media, including photography, sculpture, fiber, glass, printmaking, oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastel, pencil, and collage.

05/14/2026

AN INVITATION
"The New Botanical", my latest curation, opens tonight, Thursday, May 14, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at The Branchport Galleries located inside the Long Branch Arts and Cultural Center.
Artists:
Suzan Globus
Kevin Hinkle/Ellen Martin
Daniel Sroka
Gao Yuan
We would love to see you.

I was so impressed with the new spaces at the Long Branch Arts and Cultural Center that when I started thinking about doing this exhibit, I knew I wanted to do it there. I thought I would do it in 2027. But when I asked Maggie Fischer, the Arts Director of the LB Arts, she replied, "May's open." And just like that, I was up and running.

These spaces are among the most elegant we have in New Jersey, period.
Long Branch Office of the Mayor

05/08/2026

Many thanks to NJ Stage for all the work they do to promote the arts. Outlets like this are so important for all of us.

(RED BANK, NJ) -- There are over 50 works by 31 artists in the Jersey Artist Registry art exhibition at The Oyster Point Hotel. The exhibit runs from May 8 through June 29, 2026, and includes a wide range of styles and media, from Brian Hallas' surreal photography to Gary Steven Groves' hard-edged g...

05/08/2026

Thanks to Heidi Thompson for this article.

A 31-artist exhibition opens May 8, 2026, at The Oyster Point Hotel in Red Bank, NJ. Presented by the Jersey Artist Registry, the show features more than 50 works and runs through June 29. It highlights contemporary New Jersey artists working in photography, painting, and mixed media, including Bria...

05/02/2026

I had seen Christie Scheele’s paintings before, but not with the right eyes. The work really brought me in this time with its deep expression of serenity and calm. Christie’s brushwork is impeccable, and her mastery of tonality and light impressive. The work is up at Gallery Jupiter in Little Silver. June 11th is the final day.