Voyo Woo

Showing Montclair Cactus in Window 2

This colorful installation takes on a primitive form that almost resembles children’s art. I want to make something that my toddlers can enjoy while telling the stories of how resilient Montclair people are in fighting Covid and overcoming the challenges of the new lifestyle that resulted from quarantine. As resilient as the desert cactus, the Montclair people did well to not only protect themselves and others, but also in maintaining their principles and upholding their beliefs. The messages on the cactus are just some of the many examples of what we believe in here in Montclair to make the world a better place for everyone. 

About the Artist:

Voyo Woo is an artist based in the New York area. Born in a coastal city in Southeast China, she was inspired by the fifteen hundred year old Chinese paper cutting tradition and primarily uses paper as the main medium in her art practice. Woo moved to the United States in 2008, and in 2017 obtained a master's degree in Contemporary Art from Sotheby's Institute of Art New York and London. Her practice has since evolved to include video production and mixed media while investigating the following contemporary issues of the day: immigration, cultural invasion, globalization, minority cultural heritage, technology and modernization. 

To learn more about Woo’s art, please visit her website at www.voyowoo.com

GlassRoots

Showing GlassRoots Installation in Window 3

This installation represents GlassRoots as a youth serving arts education organization. For 20 years, the transformative power of the glass arts experience has changed lives and reshaped the Newark community.  Each of these plates was produced during a demonstration for approximately 20 young people during various school or community partner visits.  The 25 hanging plates then show just a fraction (500) of the thousands of young people GlassRoots has educated throughout its time.  GlassRoots will continue to share the magic of glass and its ability to provide opportunities for achievement to young people and the broader community as long as possible.

About GlassRoots

Since its founding in 2001, GlassRoots has engaged tens of thousands Greater Newark-area youth with its services, including its core Youth Entrepreneurship programs, student field trips and “art-for-art’s sake” classes for the public. 

We harness the fire and danger of glassmaking to engage area youth. Our students develop patience, teamwork, creative problem-solving, plus the discipline and resilience they need to safely work with 2200 degree fire and molten glass. They gain hands-on experience in chemistry, physics, and math. They become young entrepreneurs as they develop and market their products. They join a vibrant community in which all learn from each other. Our young artists grow stronger each time they forge glass, and experience the power of their own creativity.

To learn more about GlassRoots and its mission please visit www.glassroots.org.

Marguerite Kaufer

Showing Visions in Window 4

While trying to establish my own creative style, I found myself researching artists who inspire me. It is hard to pinpoint exactly where I fit in the world of abstract art, but I correlate my work most with artists working in abstraction both in painting and mixed media. The 36 pieces exhibited represent the methods and ideas of 36 different artists.

The 36 artists are the following: Mark Bradford, Fritz Bultman, Michael Carini, Lisa Corinne Davis, Tomm El-Saieh, Joanne Greenbaum, Arturo Herrera, Charline von Heyl, Osamu Kobayashi, Lee Krasner, Yayoi Kusama, Dan Lam, Chris Martin, Yutaka Matsuzawa, Julie Mehretu, Antony Micallef, Beatriz Milhazes, Joan Mitchell, Kenneth Noland, Minoru Onoda, Sigmar Polke, Larry Poons, Gerhard Richter, Curtis Ripley, Ad Reinhardt, Mark Rothko, Salventius, James Siena, Amy Sillman, Kazuo Shiraga, Jen Stark, Jess Swan, Atsuko Tanaka, Francine Tint, Terry Winters, and Elizabeth Zvonar.

 About the Artist:

Marguerite Kaufer is an alumnus from Montclair State University. Her work explores the relationship between art and emotional experience. Her work focuses on acrylic painting and collage making. As abstractions, they are open to interpretation by the viewer; however, the work is a physical representation of the emotion Kaufer was feeling at the time she created the piece. For her final project titled “Visions”, her creation process embodied the practice of 36 of her favorite artists. Studying these abstract artists and recreating from them allowed her to incorporate their ideas with her own, creating an entirely new piece which is a mix of various concepts. Her main influences are abstract action painters and collage artists. Utilizing their methods and incorporating them into her practice allowed Kaufer to create a body of work that is a resemblance to other artists yet also a combination of styles and ideas.