Geri Fallo has seemingly always been part of the Hoboken Studio Arts tour in some capacity. When the tour was in its fledgling stages, Fallo worked at a local newspaper covering the event, and she saw something she liked. Now, as the city of Hoboken prepares for its 30th tour on Nov. 6 and 7, Fallo finds herself in the mix once again as Hoboken’s Cultural Arts director.
The tour, sponsored by The Hudson Reporter, is a self-guided walk through the Mile Square City to various art studios, homes, and city landmarks. Guests are invited to travel throughout the city to take in the art around the city from noon to 6 p.m. Over the years, Fallo said the tour has kept to its original form.
“It’s the same concept,” Fallo said. “It’s a great walking tour. Only the names, faces, and art have changed.”
Fallo said the tour is one of the bigger events presented by the city of Hoboken.
The nice thing about the tour is in some cases you’re actually going into the workspace of the artist, which is where their work happens – Geri Fallo, director of Cultural Affairs
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See the workspace of the artist
The self-guided tour brings residents from uptown to downtown, and from the Hudson River to the western edge. A map, which can be found in next week’s Hoboken Reporter, will provide the locations of artists and galleries that have opened their doors to exhibit a wide variety of art and music performances. Maps are also available at City Hall the day of the tour.
“The nice thing about the tour is in some cases you’re actually going into the workspace of the artist, which is where their work happens,” Fallo said. “You can see what their influences were.”
Fallo said the response from the community over the years has been great.
“Everybody is always very excited,” Fallo said. “As an artist, you want to show off your work. It’s a fun event…the artists and visitors get to meet other artists, and sometimes it winds up that they work together in the future.”
A sample of the art on display
One artist who will display his work at one of the over 41 stops along the tour is Adam Saynuk, of Hoboken.
Saynuk is a photographer, but this year chose a creative way to display his work to the visitors.
“I took my photographs in a standard way,” Saynuk said “But this time I’m binding them into a giant book, which will be 5 feet wide when it opens. The intention is that when people come up, they touch the art, open and close the pages, and leaf through it.”
Saynuk said he specializes in “macro/micro photography.”
“I photograph things that are very tiny,” Saynuk said. “The incredible thing is that you get a new view of an object. If you blow something up, you see it in a much different way.”
One of Saynuk’s recent projects included a partnership with the Hoboken Taco Truck, and he photographed some of their very tiny ingredients.
Saynuk said he doesn’t attend many art events, but makes sure to take part in the Hoboken Arts Studio tour.
“I live in Hoboken so it’s very convenient for me,” Saynuk said. “I don’t like to participate in too many shows or exhibitions. I have a day job so I have to pick things carefully to make sure I get the right bang for my time. It’s well known, and is one of the premiere art events in the area.”
Saynuk feels a sense of gratification when he shows off his work.
“I love to speak to the people about the stuff I’m making,” Saynuk said. “Seeing people’s faces light up when I tell them what it is, and seeing that discovery with people is really enjoyable.”
Another artist is Ricardo Roig, of Union City.
Roig currently lives near the 14th Street viaduct with views of Manhattan, which inspires his work.
“I paint a lot of landscapes,” Roig said. “I have a lot of local work, including painting the New York skyline, local themes, and things around Hoboken.”
In addition to realistic paintings, like Times Square or city landscapes, he also paints surrealistic items.
“I also have prints,” Roig said. “It’s really intricate and time consuming but they do come out really well. They are worldly things.”
He paints images such as deserts, morphing clouds, and images that Roig says portray “a lot of emotion.”
In addition to showcasing photographs, Roig hopes to present an installation for the first time. His idea is a space where people will have a conversation, but won’t be able to see each other. Then, at the end, they can introduce themselves in person.
“I want to show that we’re all human beings,” Roig said. “The visual is the most important sense, and we have a visual language that we take for granted.”
“This will be my first time in the studio tour,” Roig said. He recently took part in the craft fair in Hoboken.
Roig says it’s not something that brings him to the fair, but rather someone.
“Geri Fallo lends herself out to be so personable,” Roig said. “She makes it feel like it’s your studio tour.”
Roig and Saynuk are just two of the many artists coming to showcase their work in Hoboken on the weekend of Nov. 6 and 7. Be sure to pick up next weekend’s Hoboken Reporter for a full supplement with details and a map of artist’s studios.
Ray Smith can be reached at RSmith@hudsonreporter.com.