Senior citizens’ artwork displayed at MCC gallery

Visitors to the Studio Art Gallery in the Performing Arts Center at Middlesex County College, Edison, look at some the works entered in a county-wide contest by professional and non-professional artists over the age of 60. EDISON — The artwork of Middlesex County artists over age 60 who participated in the Middlesex County Department of Senior Services Senior Art Contest is on display at Middlesex County College.

The artists’ works are on exhibit in the Studio Art Gallery at the college’s Performing Arts Center through Aug. 6.

Works were entered in nine media categories. Firstplace winners in the county contest will compete in the New Jersey Senior Citizens Art Show this fall.

The contest was judged by Anna Aschkenes, executive director of the Middlesex County Cultural and Heritage Commission, Margaret M. O’Reilly, curator of fine art for the New Jersey State Museum, and Stacy Smith, manager of membership and publications for the Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum in New Brunswick.

Professional and non-professional entries were judged separately.

“We are lucky to have such a wealth of artistic talent in Middlesex County,” said Freeholder Blanquita B. Valenti, chairwoman of the county’s Human Services and Senior Services Committee. “I am proud of all our local artists and wish our winners luck as they compete in the state art show this fall.”

“I would like to congratulate all our senior artists,” said Freeholder Director Christopher D. Rafano. “Middlesex County is always well represented in the state contest, and I expect this year will follow in that tradition.”

Hours for the exhibit are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The show is free and open to the public.

The winners are:

Acrylic: first place professional, Maxwell Nimeck of South Brunswick; first place non-professional, Dorothy Elstein of East Brunswick; second place professional, Adele Riback of New Brunswick; second place non-professional, Roque Samaniego of Iselin.

Craft: (no professional entries) first place non-professional, Eva Hoefele of Colonia.

Drawing: (no professional entries) first place non-professional, Allie Skislak of East Brunswick; second place non-professional, Patricia Orzack of Colonia; honorable mention non-professional, Ann Russomano of Colonia.

Mixed Media: first place professional, Maxine King of Woodbridge; first place non-professional, Bhagwati Shukla of Monroe; second place professional, Stephanie Barbetti of Kendall Park; second place non-professional, Edward Kolwicz of Metuchen.

Oil: first place professional, Jules Weber of Port Reading; first place non-professional, Vimala Arunachalam of Plainsboro; second place professional, Roberta Neutuch of Monroe; second place non-professional, June Carroll of Edison; honorable mention professional, Don Bloom of East Brunswick.

Pastel: first place professional, Sandy Behrend of Kendall Park; first place non-professional, Leona Cheung of Iselin; second place professional, Edy Ottesen of Monroe; second place nonprofessional, Lloyd Vela of New Brunswick; honorable mention non-professional, Virginia Twyla Tanko of Sewaren.

Photography: first place professional, Edward Hughes of North Brunswick; first place non-professional, Claude Heller of Monroe; second place professional, Harvey Levine of Edison; second place non-professional, Richard Grossberg of Monroe; honorable mention non-professional, Vera Schwartz of Kendall Park

Sculpture: (no professional entries) first place non-professional, Julie Toigo of Piscataway; second place non-professional, Miriam Wolin of East Brunswick.

Watercolor: first place professional, Fran Nimeck of South Brunswick; first place non-professional, Grace Chiarella of Kendall Park; second place professional, Robert Heyer of Monroe; second place non-professional, Annette Newmark of Monroe; honorable mention non-professional, Linda Lai of Monmouth Junction; honorable mention non-professional, Mickey Seppi of Metuchen.