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Culture&Heritage Volume 3 | Number 1 | Winter 2017 News Update Local Artists Wanted for 'Mercer County Artists 2017' that are not accepted for CALENDAR OF EVENTS the show should be picked up between 3:30 and 5 pm. Check out the many things The exhibit is open to the to see and do in Mercer public beginning Febru- County. ary 20 and runs through to Pages 4-6 March 23, 2017. The community is invit- COUNTY EXECUTIVE ed to an Opening Recep- tion on Wednesday, Feb- A letter from Mercer ruary 22 from 5 to 7 pm. County Executive Brian Representatives from the M. Hughes. college, the Mercer Coun- Page 3 ty Cultural and Heritage Commission, and the West MERCER'S HISTORY 2016 Best In Show Winner Janis Purcell - wood and mixed media Windsor Arts Council sculpture "Diva." Left to Right ; Janis Purcesll, Arlene Milgram, another featured artist, and Kelsey Theatre Artistic Director Kitty Getlik. will be on hand to make Learn about local people presentations. More than and places. Calling local artists! Artists am to 5 pm. The MCCC $1,500 in prizes will be Page 7 aged 18 or older who live, Gallery is located on the announced, including the work, or attend school in college’s West Windsor "Blick Art Supplies Best in OPPORTUNITIES Mercer County. You are campus, 1200 Old Trenton Show" award, plus multi- Road. ple Purchase Awards from invited to submit art for For artists, historians, and the Mercer County Cultur- consideration for the “Mer- Artists may enter up to two related organizations. cer County Artists 2017 al and Heritage Commis- original works completed Page 6 Exhibition" at The Mercer since February of 2016 in sion. Artwork selected for County Community Col- any media except photogra- Purchase Awards will be- lege Gallery. Submission phy. They are asked to drop come part of the county's full prospectus visit mccc. and jurying takes place on off their work between permanent collection. edu/gallery or call the gal- Saturday, February 11, 9:30 9:30 am and noon. Works For more information or a lery at 609-570-3589. The Dryden Ensemble's 2017 Winter Concerts This winter the Dryden French Baroque, includ- 26 at 3 pm. Ensemble, who perform ing Marais's depiction of Both performances will Baroque chamber music, a bladder stone operation, take place at Miller Chap- will delight fans young and narrated by Paul Hecht. el, Princeton Theologi- old with their 2017 winter The second concert, Bach's cal Seminary, 64 Mercer concerts. Birthday, will celebrate Street, Princeton. Tickets Their winter performances 332 years of the genius of are $25 and free to stu- begin with Le Médicin & La Johann Sebastian Bach. It dents with an ID. For Musique. This concert will will be conducted with ex- more information about be held on Sunday, Feb- quisite chamber music by The Dryden Ensemble or ruary 12 at 3 pm and will Bach, Buxtehude, Handel to purchase tickets visit The Dryden Ensemble (left to right): Webb Wiggins, Lisa Terry, feature medical and mu- & Weiss. This concert will drydenensemble.org or Jane McKinley, and Vita Wallace. sical curiosities from the be held on Sunday, March call 609-466-8541. Photo: Lee Whiteman ningham published his Mark Your seminal text on the state’s industrial history, he in- Calendar cluded an entire chapter Mercer Teen just on toys. Toy World, a new exhibi- Arts Festival tion at the New Jersey State Museum, explores New set for May 5 Jersey’s important role in The 2017 Mercer County the American toy indus- Teen Arts Festival is slated for try. Focusing on the period Friday, May 5 from 8 am to from 1880 through 1970, 2:30 pm at the Mercer Coun- this family-friendly exhib- ty Community College. it features more than 100 Tinplate Toys made in New Jersey in the TOY WORLD exhibition, New toys made by 50 different This festival allows teenage Jersey State Museum. New Jersey-based compa- middle and high school stu- nies. These include nation- dents in Mercer County's Toy Exhibit Opens at the ally-known toys such as public, private, parochial model trains by Lionel and and home-schooling en- New Jersey State Museum Tyco, space toys by Remco, vironments. the ability to plastic playsets by Color- display artistry in the fields Although nicknamed the for electrical goods and forms, and the popular hol- of dance, literature, media, Garden State, New Jersey plastics. iday toy trucks marketed by music, theater and visual also has represented the One industry, however, has Hess. arts. It also allows the teens pinnacle of American in- largely been forgotten in the abilty to get critiqued Also included in the exhi- dustry. The Roebling fam- the history of New Jersey’s by professionals, and at- bition are dolls made by ily, makers of wire rope industrial might – toys. In tend workshops as well be Regal and Horsman com- and builders of the Brook- 1950, one-tenth of all of the be selected to advance to panies at a factory in Tren- lyn Bridge, called Trenton nation’s toys and dolls were the State Teen Arts Festival, ton, and a rare tinplate toy home. So too did Lenox made in New Jersey. Only which will be held May 31 carousel made by Hoproco and hundreds of other pot- four states contributed of Hopewell. -June 2 . tery firms. Camden made more to the country’s annu- For more info on how to radios and canned soup. al production of more than The exhibit runs from now get your child or school in- Paterson, the “Silk City,” $450 million in toys, games, until April 30. For hours, di- volved, e-mail teenarts@ was a well-known producer and childhood playthings. rections or more informa- mercercounty.org or call of textiles and diners. And When the renowned New tion, visit state.nj.us/state/ 609-989-6060. Newark had a reputation Jersey historian John Cun- museum Hidden Mercer: Cotsen Library at Princeton University The Cotsen Children's Li- a giant blue book and a Cotsen offers a variety of brary is a very special li- garden of charming topi- programs for children, in- brary tucked away in the ary animals. From there, cluding weekly story times, Department of Rare Books the room unfolds in a suc- Saturday art events/work- and Special Collections at cession of reading areas shops, online author inter- Princeton University's Fire- stocked with books. One views, an annual writing stone Library. can stop and rest on a com- contest, a teen writing re- Not only does this library fortable leather chair by source, and a literary soci- serve as a resource for the “Hearth of Darkness” ety for kids. children, families, educa- fireplace or continue onto Bookscape is open to the tors, and book lovers but a koi pond, a wishing well, public and free of charge. it also houses a hidden a playful puppet theater, Check it out today! or a towering bonsai. The gem known as Bookscape. For more information on Bookscape, is a sculptural bonsai, which is hollowed Bookscape's hollowed-out bonsai - out, can be used for the ul- the ultimate reading nook. library hours, or their pro- yet whimsical reading gal- grams visit princeton.edu/ timate reading experience. houses space for workshops lery designed specifically cotsen or call 609-258-4820. for children. It begins with The rear of the library and special programs. - 2 - The Annual New Jersey Dear Friends, Winter is upon us, and here in Mercer County we have an exciting array of Senior Citizen cultural experiences to carry us through the season. Artist Show In this edition of our Culture & Heritage newsletter, you’ll find a rich as- sortment of cultural events, displays, tours and crafts happening across the Celebrates Its County this winter. Did you know that toys once were among New Jersey’s 50th Year biggest industries? A new family-friendly exhibit that runs through April at the State Museum in Trenton spotlights more than 100 toys made by 50 different New Jersey-based companies from 1880 through 1970. Also featured is a story about a special children’s library tucked away in the Department of Rare Books and Special Collections at Princeton University’s Firestone Library. And not to be missed is the annual Mercer County Artist Exhibit at The Gallery at Mercer County Community College. Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season and for a winter filled with new experiences. Sincerely, NJSAS - Celebrating 50 Art Filled Years! Meadow Lakes, East Windsor Brian M. Hughes County Executive The 2016 New Jersey Se- nior Citizen Art Show, which opened September 23 at Meadow Lakes Senior Living Community, East Arts both turn 50 this year. Windsor, was on display Though we're celebrating and open to the public, our Golden Anniversaries, through Friday, October just remember that fifty 28. This was the 50th An- is the new thirty, and so nual State Senior Art show, perhaps the best is yet to and comprised more than come!" 260 works created by art- ists from all 21 New Jersey With that said, we are very counties. The artists ranged much looking foward to from 60 to 95 years of age. next year's show and see- The artwork, featured was ing more of New Jersey's by both professional and amazing talented seniors. 2016 best in Show Professional 2016 Best in Show Non- Thanks again to all who non-professional artists in went to Hudson County's Jim professional went to Martin 11 categories -- acrylic, craft, Fallon for his print on handmade Hitzig of Bergen County for his oil particpated and congratu- paper, "Orphans' Opus '68." painting, "Blue Pitcher." digital imagery, mixed lations to all of this year's media, oil, pastels, pho- winners! This year's Best in Show er." tography, print, sculpture, This program was made Professional went to Hud- watercolor, and works on This year's Senior Art Show possible, in part, by funds son County's Jim Fallon for paper and was reviewed is proof that creativity does from the NJ State Council his print on handmade pa- by a three-person panel of not diminish with age and on the Arts, with addition- per, "Orphans' Opus '68." professional artists who as Nick Paleolgos of the NJ al support from the County selected first, second and The Best in Show Non-pro- State Council on the Arts of Mercer, Meadow Lakes third-place winners and fessional went to Martin put it, "The NJ Senior Cit- and the NJ Association of honorable mentions in Hitzig of Bergen County for izen Art Exhibit and The Area Agencies on Aging.