Culture&Heritage Volume 3 | Number 4 | Fall 2017 News Update Visit the Spirits of Hopewell Valley on October 15 CALENDAR OF EVENTS Check out the many things to see and do in Mercer County. Pages 4-6 COUNTY EXECUTIVE A letter from Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes. Page 3 MERCER'S HISTORY United Methodist Church's Burial Ground, Pennington. Learn about local people Photo Credit: Cheryl Jackson, 2014. and places. Come and hear voices from the past with brary, the Hopewell Valley Historical Soci- Page 7 a historical reenactment featuring eight ety and the United Methodist Church of local figures buried at the Methodist Ceme- Pennington. Rain date is set for October 22, OPPORTUNITIES tery on Pennington-Titusville Road and the at 2pm. Pennington African Cemetery on South For artists, historians, and For more information or directions please Main Street, Sunday, October 15 at 2pm. related organizations. visit peningtonlibrary.org or hopewellval- These idyllic burying grounds contain the leyhistory.org. Page 6 remains of some of Hopewell Valley’s first settlers, dating back to the early 18th and st 19th centuries. The 51 Annual New Jersey "Spirits of Hopewell Valley", recounts their lives and deaths, the historical times, and State Senior Citizen Art Show Is the joys and hardships they shared. Period music will be performed by the Hopewell on Display Until October 20! Hall, a small a cappella ensemble specializ- The New Jersey State Senior Citizen Art lery hours or directions, ing in 18th and 19th century repertoire. Show is now on display at the Meadow please contact Meadow History is more than dates and times. It is Lakes Gallery in East Windsor. The exhibit Lakes directly at meadow- people: stories of their lives, hopes, joys and is open until October 20 and includes artists lakesonline.org or call 609- sorrow. Come and listen to how life was from all over New Jersey. It features origi- 448-4100. lived in Hopewell Township in its earliest nal artworks created within the past three The New Jersey Senior Art years. Post-performance reception with years, from drawings to paintings to crafts, Show is a project of the light refreshments to be held at the Pen- by New Jersey residents ages 60 or older. New Jersey State Council nington Public Library, featuring photogra- A huge thank you to all of the counties as on the Arts and the Mercer phy by Cheryl Jackson. well as our seniors that participated and County Division of Culture Sponsored by the Pennington Public Li- congratulations to all our winners! For gal- & Heritage. attempted to embrace or in the Advertising Hall of Newest D&R Greenway further explore her talent. Fame from the Taiwan Exhibition Shows He knew that he had to Advertising Society that create not only for himself, he finally had the chance International Views of but also for his late mother, to pursue his passion. In and for generations that 2011, his beloved wife of Nature follow. Since discovering more than 60 years passed his passion, Lewis has had a away unexpectedly. With D&R Greenway Land belongs to all of us." prolific output. the sudden loss of his Trust’s newest exhibition, "The artists in this exhibit Fascinated with Chinese life partner, painting has “Same Moon: Diverse evoke nature in three very painting and calligraphy, helped him to cope with the Voices of Nature,” shows different styles, showing Chih Yu Fan was not able emptiness, and has been his how artists, whether in how a common love of to practice art as a poor boy outlet for healing. China, Africa or the United land can be celebrated in States, view nature through myriad ways, from Chinese living in a small village in the Fan is inspired by nature’s divergent lenses. Artists calligraphy to photorealistic northeastern part of China. beauty and tranquility and Kenneth J. Lewis Sr., Nancie painting to large-scale It was not until he retired as memories of his village. Gunkelman, and Chih Yu abstracts," says Curator a well published professor of Fan are unified in theirDiana Moore. advertising and an inductee Article Continued on Page 3 appreciation for nature. Some of the artwork for this Kenneth J. Lewis Sr. is a exhibition has been shipped self-instructed artist who from China. began painting on canvas at the unusual age of 47 "In today's world where years. On New Year’s Day global information and 2008, Lewis painted his issues are in front of us every very first piece; he called day, it's important that we it “Contemplation.” He learn to look for the common quickly learned he had a values we share rather than very raw and latent gift our differences,” says D&R that he had seen more as a Greenway President & hobby from 2008 until the CEO Linda Mead. “These death of his mother in 2012. three very different artists His mother’s departure from diverse parts of the from earth ignited the artist globe remind us that caring flow in him. Lewis’s mother about nature is a value that could draw, yet she never "Water Sharing" by Nancie Gunkelman Mercer County Photography Exhibit is Taking Entries The Pennington School, Mentions and Mercer Coun- an interdisciplinary artist will be on display from ty Purchase Awards. whose works combine pho- October 26 — December 8, tography, video, animation Entries must be hand-deliv- and will feature photogra- and print. ered to the Silva Gallery of phy from residents of Mer- Art, 112 West Delaware Av- For gallery hours, direc- cer County, 18 or older. All enue, Pennington, on Sat- tions or more information, works featured will have urday, October 21, between contact Dolores Eaton, Gal- been created within the lery Director at The Pen- past three years and utilize 9:30 am and 12pm. Accept- nington School, deaton@ such processes as: black and ed works will be posted the pennington.org. / (609) Mercer County Photography 2015, white photography, color same day by 3:45pm and Best in Show, "Precious" by Andrew 737-4133 / mercercoun- photography, non-silver works not accepted for the Wilkinson, 35 mm film. ty.org for the prospectus. processes, book art, and exhibit must be picked up This exhibit is made possi- computer processed pho- by 5pm. The Mercer County Photog- ble, by Mercer County Divi- tography. raphy exhibit is seeking en- The juror for this exhibit sion of Culture & Heritage, tries for its 2017 show. The Monetary and merit awards will be Anita Allyn, Associ- through a grant from the exhibit, which will be held will include Best in Show, ate Professor of Art at The New Jersey State Council on at the Silva Gallery of Art, Juror’s Choice, Honorable College of New Jersey and the Arts. - 2 - D&R Greenway Dear Friends, (continued) I hope you all enjoyed a safe, healthy and fun-filled summer. As the seasons change, we can all look forward to the rich assortment of cultural activities Following the civil war in that autumn brings to Mercer County. China during the 1940s, This edition of our Culture & Heritage News Update takes a look at some Fan lost contact with his events taking place throughout the fall, including “Spirits of Hopewell family and could not return Valley,” a historical re-enactment featuring eight local figures buried at the to his village. However, he Methodist and African cemeteries in Pennington; “Same Moon: Diverse Voic- es of Nature,” a D&R Greenway Land Trust exhibition that shows how artists has never stopped thinking from around the world view nature through divergent lenses; and “Joy to about his hometown: the World: A Christmas Suite,” which the Princeton Pro Musica Chorus and especially the freezing river Orchestra will present at the Trenton War Memorial. Also featured is a story that he had to wade through about the Johnson Ferry House, the only existing structure in Washington in the winter as a child to get Crossing Park that was there when Continental troops crossed the Delaware to school. During that time on Christmas night in 1776. he always wondered what Abundant opportunities to enrich our lives through history, arts and culture the rest of the world looked can be found in this newsletter, from choral concerts to theatrical produc- like beyond the mountains. tions to art exhibits and more. I encourage you to explore all that Mercer County has to offer this season. During his visit back home in 2000, he realized that his Sincerely, village people still needed Brian M. Hughes to wade across the river. He County Executive decided to have a bridge constructed so that the children could chase their dreams beyond the river as he did 70 years ago. Princeton Pro Musica Presents "Joy to the Nancie Gunkelman has lived and worked in World" with Special Guests from Trenton Africa, first as a Peace Corps volunteer doing Children's Chorus medical illustration for the Nairobi Medical Training This December, Princeton Center, and later working Pro Musica Chorus and Or- chestra will present “Joy for non-profits in health to the World: A Christmas education. She has based Suite” with special guests her "Africa Nostalgia Series" from the Trenton Children’s on experiences abroad. Chorus, Sunday, December During her son’s recent 10, at 4 pm, at the Patriots Peace Corps service in West Theater at the Trenton War Africa, she was reignited Memorial in Trenton. Princ- with the desire to depict eton Pro Musica Director scenes from the developing Ryan Brandau has written world, albeit in an abstract a full-length stirring suite way. “I hope that through of carols, holiday songs, and this exhibition, people will the dazzling choruses by Jo- be encouraged to consider hann Sebastian Bach and the opportunities and George Federic Handel.