Montclair: A World of Art
Art captures moments, tells us stories, lifts the soul. Montclair is brimming with it.
In the words of Lora Urbanelli, Montclair Art Museum Director Emerita, “Art is everywhere, as much in nature and industrial design as at the tip of a painter’s brush. It enriches our lives.” In Montclair, this is not only true in a poetic sense. It is explicit and factual. The Montclair Master Plan, which guides decisions about growth and conservation, requires art to be included in all new development. This could be anything from public art, indoor or outdoor, to art space. In the walkable city of Montclair, visitors and residents alike encounter art in public places – in the landscape of their daily lives.
The indoor experience of art is also in great abundance, beginning with the world-renowned Montclair Art Museum. Current Executive Director Ira Wagner notes that the museum was among the first to collect American Art. Founded in 1914, it is home to more than 12,000 objects, including the works of Montclair artist George Inness who lived in the town in the 1880’s; the museum has his landscapes on permanent display. It is one example of how the museum looks across time that it houses ancient Native American artifacts as well as the work of contemporary Native American artists. Visitors are invited to schedule museum tours. “The museum is here to spark creativity,” says Executive Director Wagner. “We believe art is for everyone who wants to pursue it. The museum’s Yard School of Art conducts classes for people of all ages, beginning with children as young as six years old. The museum is a community center – centered around art.”
Directly across the street from the museum you will find The Gallery at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Fox & Roach, one of many galleries in town. Curator Lynne Oliver puts on six shows every year. “Our pleasure is in creating a space where we can show members of the community stunning work by their neighbors. Just as we want people to imagine themselves in beautiful homes, we want them to experience the beauty art can put on the walls of those homes.”
Hidden Treasures
There are four Montclair galleries in office buildings that make up the Bravitas Group. Each one displays art during weekday business hours. Academy Square is an incubator program for Studio Montclair; Brassworks Gallery; Gallery491; and Hillside Square Gallery.
Montclair has a long history of supporting the arts. It has been home to many artists and writers, both past and present, contributing to a strong artistic tradition.
PUBLIC DISPLAYS
Commuters to and from Bay Street Station are met by a stellar embodiment of the public art mandate in a piece created by sculptor Tom Nussbaum.
Charlie Spademan is the artist behind the remarkable ironwork on the stairway railings and door of the building at 23 South Fullerton Street where Bangz Salon conducts business.
Moviegoers and pedestrians passing through the Seymour Street Plaza, across from the Wellmont Theater, exchange glances with the arresting work of Stephen Moore.
Postal Love” is a grand mural project spanning over 500 square feet, created with the theme “Love Montclair” in mind. It was conceived to evoke the warm, affectionate feelings associated with Montclair for both residents and visitors as they enter or depart the town. The mural is a visual love letter to Montclair, encapsulating the town’s spirit and charm.
Hidden Treasures: Framing is an Art
Ria X Gallery is a framing business and one of the newest galleries in town located on Bellevue Avenue in Upper Montclair. The focus is contemporary art and framing with style. Art is all about discovery, and Montclair is full of discoveries. MSC Custom Framing is located in Watchung Plaza. It has a gallery but also displays one painting in its window. Passersby this month will see this painting by local artist, Linda Ippolito who happens to have an exhibit currently on display through October at The Gallery at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach at 695 Bloomfield Avenue. Art is everywhere in Montclair.
