Barbara Prestridge, a Scotch Plains resident and art teacher at Park Middle School, is exhibiting 15 of her paintings in an exhibition at Kean University. “Emergence; MA Studio Thesis Exhibition, featuring Barbara Prestridge and George Rateau,” This culminating exhibition for the graduating Master’s degree candidates is open to the public April 20 through May 14, 2017. The opening reception will be held Sunday, April 23, 1:00-3:00 with comments by the exhibiting artists at 2 pm. The exhibition and reception/talk is in the James Howe Gallery in the Vaughn-Eames building on the Union campus.
Prestridge’s art addresses the unique and magical qualities of the watercolor medium combined with charcoal. As a longtime realistic portrait artist, these new paintings reflect her journey to abstract expressionism through botanical landscapes that are filled with trails, elusive labyrinths and architectural suggestions. These are studies of contrasts; loose flow and control, clear and obscure, ethereal and earthy. Her love of music and her fascination with the vibrancy and fluidity of watercolors join together in her reflective and mystical expressions.
Along with Prestridge, George Rateau will be exhibiting his graphic novel, where he uses text as well as visuals to bring us a fantastical work of grit, the surreal and mystery.
The James Howe Gallery, Vaughn-Eames Fine Arts Building, Kean University is located at 1000 Morris Avenue, Union, NJ.
(above) Barbara Prestridge, a Scotch Plains resident and art teacher at Park Middle School, is exhibiting 15 of her paintings in an exhibition at Kean University April 20 through May 14, 2017.
