duCret Spring Art Show Links Students, Artists & Musicians

duCret’s Annual Spring Art Show is on May 1, from 2PM – 4PM. Five awards to duCret students will be presented, with the winners being featured at Swain’s Art Gallery in Plainfield, NJ. There will be music provided by the Acoustic-in-the-Park guitar group, refreshments and fearured artwork is for sale. It’s a wonderful opportunity for families of the local area to step inside a local artist’s haven, most recently recognized for the portrayal of some of its students on the popular TV series “Cake Boss”.

Linking locally gifted students such as Sara Alkhalili of the Wardlaw-Hartridge School to notable professional artists in the art world is part of duCret’s legendary 85 year history. A South Plainfield resident and artist at heart, Sara thought she’d be just putting in some volunteer hours at a local art school to fulfill a class requirement. Little did she know she’d be thrust into NJ’s best kept secret, a non-profit art school that holds an 85 year history of launching some of NJ’s most prominent artists.

For instance, Sara was invited to participate in one of duCret's Open Studio nights, which are held on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings. At Open Studio, the general public is invited to paint or draw alongside of professional artists in NJ.  One never knows who's going to be on the floor on any given night. Nor does anyone of know where another artist may be coming in from or how in meeting them, it may open up our lives in some way. To intern Sara Alkhalili, Open Studio night was an opportunity to sketch alongside of several highly regarded artists from several different states, including Clinton T. Hobart, who’d been mentored by Milt Neil, Disney’s “Duck Man”, and Garin Baker, owner of Carriage House Art Studios in New Windsor, NY and recognized for his mural work in the tri-state area, which includes “This is How We Live” LeDroit Park Community Mural Project in Washington DC.

For an intern who's just begun to seek out career opportunities for herself in the art world, duCret has offered Sara the opportunity to see the fine art world as it more truly exists. Surrounded by a field of professional artists on Open Studio night enables anyone to truly feel the rich vibe of the lifestyle of those who have made art a 24/7 living reality.

In rubbing shoulders with several professional artists who surrounded her one evening, it was made crystal clear to Sara that a profession in the fine art field can and does indeed exist, for anyone who desires it to be so! Sometimes a helpful hint from a few seasoned professionals is all it takes to give an emerging artist the inspiration to take the plunge into a lifelong dream!

duCret's annual Spring Art Show features the completed works of duCret students, some of who will be graduating this year. The show enables students to mingle with the general public and share their insiration, which in turn helps young adults to see that the art world is a rich one, continually bursting with opportunity.

This year duCret has invited local musicians from Acoustic-in-the-Park, (a NJ based meetup group) onto the Fine Arts Floor. The experiment of mixing musicians and artists has been a smash hit, as the artists now have the opportunity to paint and draw to live music, and the musicians are offered the opportunity to be appreciated by those who well understand the life path of artistry.

duCret is NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS for it's SUMMER ART WORKSHOPS PROGRAM for adults and children. Visit duCret School of Art for more information, or call 908-757-7171.

For more info on Open Studios - open to the general public, visit our OPEN STUDIO BLOG.