On Friday, Jan. 14, Pro Arts, the non-profit organization promoting art and culture in Jersey City, will hold its third annual “Art Eat Up” from 7 to 10 p.m. at Grace Van Vorst Church, 39 Erie St., Jersey City.
“Art Eat Up” is a food, drink and entertainment event with a twist; for a small donation, guests eat a delicious meal, enjoy good company, musical entertainment, receive a ballot, and vote for the most worthy art proposal presented that night. “Art Eat Up” provides an opportunity for up to ten artists to showcase their artwork, and build awareness of their vision, while vying for the “Art Eat Up” grant.
For $20, guests will enjoy a delicious meal, beverage and ballot. For $10, they receive beverage and ballot, and for $5 guests can simply cast a ballot.
Following a presentation by the artists of their proposals, diners cast their ballots and the art proposal receiving the most votes will be awarded the money raised that evening (minus expenses). Finalized projects will be on display at the following “Art Eat Up” and on the website.
The “Art Eat Up” grants process gives an artist or artist group an unrestricted financial resource to realize a visual arts proposal, whether it is for one piece or an entire body of work. The grant may be used for materials, equipment or even living expenses while the project is completed. The process is purposely simple: submit a proposal to “Art Eat Up.” Community participation in the grant selection process is the key to stimulate and support experimental, critical and imaginative projects that may not be eligible for formal funding.
Any artist can submit a proposal to the “Art Eat Up” event which is due by Jan. 1, 2011. Only the best 10 proposals will be presented at the event. The prospectus is available at http://home.earthlink.net/~proartsjerseycity/proartsjerseycity/index.html
Accepted proposals are free to Pro Arts members. Nonmembers whose proposals are accepted must pay a $25 fee, which entitles them to a one-year membership in Pro Arts Jersey City, a ballot and a beverage cup. For information on the benefits of Pro Arts membership please visit our website www.proartsjerseycity.org
Applications are available at the Art Eat Up Website. Further information is available by writing to arteatup@gmail.com or calling (201)-736-7057.
Upcoming and ongoing Pro Arts events
The Pura Cuba Presents: Una Sola Isla, group exhibition, until Dec. 14. Qbava Gallery, 508 42nd St., Union City. For more information, call (201) 325-0197.
LANGUAGE(S), mixed-media oil paintings by Greg Letson, will be on view at Windows On Columbus, located at Columbus Drive between Washington and Greene streets, and at the Lobby on Greene Street, located at 135 Greene St. off Columbus Drive in Jersey City. The exhibit is free and open to the public 24/7 through Feb. 18, 2011.
Greg Letson is an artist, film-maker and musician. His works have included painting, sculpture, sound installation, musical composition and performance. Greg earned a B.S. in film from Boston University, and has performed with musical ensembles including Hugo Largo and The Glenn Branca Ensemble.
Additionally, Greg is a professional, award-winning film and video editor, based in New York City. The work selected for this installation spans seven years of Letson’s exploration of the aesthetic vocabulary representing various juxtaposed systems of signs, codes and thought systems. The exhibition is curated by Jaz Graf. For information contact mail@gregletson.com
Nuradeen Gallery Presents: Changing Hands – Diverse Traditions, through Dec. 31, at 483 Jersey Avenue Loft No. 1 Jersey City. Gallery hours are Saturday and Sunday, 12 noon to 5 p.m. For information, call (201) 978-8074. Showcasing works of art that meet practical needs and those that address more intangible emotional and spiritual issues. Each work of art functions as an expression of an individual worldview, but also conveys overarching cultural and social contexts in which the work was conceived, created, and collected. Ideas and images, content and purposes are interwoven in every one of them.
BrassWorks presents: “Structural Harmonies: Two Artists Interpret the Nature and Beauty of Man Made Structures.” Ongoing until Dec. 31 at 105 Grove St., Montclair, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday – Friday or by appointment. This two-person exhibition will feature painters Allan Gorman of Monclair and Pro-Arts member Lynda D’Amico of Jersey City. Complementing each other will be Amico’s lyrical cityscapes largely based on scenes from Jersey City and Brooklyn neighborhoods and Gorman’s bold and graphically dramatic paintings of big rig trucks and industrial structures. 20 percent of the proceeds from the sales will be donated to help fundraising efforts of Children’s Hospital of New Jersey at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center.
For More Information, contact Hillary Jaffe Reimnitz, (973) 744-5100, at Hillary@jrapc.com ort visit www.brassworksongrove.com.