Summer Thinking

So, I have a day off.  How do I make the most of it?  I have to go to Costco to put food in the fridge and some supplies for the store.  So, I did something free and close by.  I went to Toms River where they are displaying some sculptures from Grounds for Sculptures from Seward Johnson.  I have been to  Grounds for Sculpture a couple of times and highly recommend it.  But, the installation in Toms River is a temporary exhibit and free.  I wanted to be sure to get there and post some pictures.  It ended up being an historical day and was glad to be home afterwards to watch a history making day unfold.  Then I ended my day at the shop.  My daughter and I rode to Asbury Park together and I have to say I really appreciated any time we get to spend together.   Here is a link to a map and the pictures I took.  It is a nice little walking tour.

On a side note.  I LOVE that something like this is happening in the summer of 2015.  But, it is scary.  The streets and shops were deserted.  I went to costco after and there were lines 10 deep for everything. It leads to the question of Curious again for the state of Main Street America.  Are we all asleep at the wheel.  Yes, the downtown area buildings are kept up beautifully along with landscaping.  But, the businesses were open and EMPTY!  What is happening  and at what is our future like?  It is obvious this art installment was used to help this situation, but it is also obvious people have to stop and smell the roses too!  It is a busy and fast paced world right now, I hope if you have the time to read this you too can take advantage of something that is free and close to home.   STOP and smell the roses,  PLEASE!

Art All Night Trenton

I like to share Art experiences throughout the state of New Jersey.  This one I heard about for the first time about five years ago.  It is a Art Show and Music Event that runs for 24 hours straight.  I have wanted to attend, but never had the chance.  I needed to pick up my son for Father's Day at the train station.  Since, it was only a few miles away, I left early and was able to spend a little time there and take some pictures.  I definitely am drawn to the projects using recycled, repurposed or upcycled products in their Art form.  Enjoy some pictures from Art All Night Trenton 2015:

 Love this one painted during the night.......what is the future like for  New Jersey?

Favorite of the show was the iris made from buttons

 The long painting the outfits were made from bottle caps

I also love the Roebling buildings which housed the event.  About 25 years ago Glen worked for about two years on restoring the factories into the markets.  We both have a passion for historical buildings and their significance to our past and future.  The building are from the 1800's and were used to build wires for bridges.  The Brooklyn Bridge would be most well know bridge to use Roebling wires.

From small things, Big things one day come!

So this picture deserves a whole blog post.  Because, it involves one of the biggest parts of the romance of Asbury Park to me.  This is Carrie Potter-Devening.  She is the author of a book called For Music's Sake Scrapbook  Asbury Park' Upstage Club and Green Mermaid Cafe-The Untold Stories.  Her grandparents owned and operated the Upstage Club.  It is a building still standing on Cookman Avenue.  It is where Thom McCann shoes were located on the corner.  The back of the building still has a ghost painting of the Thom McCann sign facing Lake Avenue.  The book unfolds a magical place opened during the late sixties for only a few years.  Not only is it a time capsule of that time during a very artistic period during American Art History........the murals painted in neon paint on black walls after ALL these years are still there!  I will share more pictures from when I bought the book a few years back and hope to meet up with Carrie again this week.