The 5th Annual Warren Court Art Walk
Warren Court, South Orange
Saturday, May 17 & Sunday, May 18
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
New York City may have famed art streets. In spring, the Oranges have Warren Court. Plus, its annual Art Walk has something as fabulous as the art—a community party.
“It’s a favorite because of its intimate nature–off the beaten path, but a path filled with unexpected explosions of artistry and inspiration,” said Maplewood artist-around-town Ken Stanek, returning for his second year.
The community and the artists come largely from the Oranges and Maplewood. Some are from neighboring Newark and Montclair. People come out in force. “Bring your kids, bring your parent,” said painter, organizer and Warren Court resident Leslie Goldman.
Goldman supplies one third of the energy, passion, long hours and out and out joy of the trio making Warren Court Art Walk happen. Goldman is also a musician, fronting her high-octane rock band, Leslie and the Love Drops, which have been performing at Tierney’s Tavern in Montclair. Her recently released album is Glitter and Grit.
Warren Court resident Sybil Archibald and Maplewood’s Wendy Bellermann complete the trio, long-time friends all. Extensively exhibited and admired, they all are also volunteer board members for the Studio Tour SOMA. In addition, Archibald and Bellermann are active at Manufacturers Village in East Orange and veterans of MV’s twice yearly open studios.
Full Confession: I love their art. I love their collective vibe. I love their community commitment.
Arts Beat: How did the Warren Court Art Walk start?
Leslie Goldman: It started during the pandemic, so this is our 5th year. We were locked in. We were creating all this work in our studios. It needed to be seen. We asked neighbors to donate their front lawns to artists. The response was wonderful.
Sybil Archibald: It was also important just to see others, to connect in person with others.
Wendy Bellermann: We all needed joy in our lives. As artists it was important to get out and communicate. And, we’re working artists. We needed art lovers to buy our art. Being full time in their homes, people saw a need to buy new art. Or to buy art for the first time.
Arts Beat: Talk more about the importance of WCAW to the artists.
LG: As artists, our work and lives are solitary. When we get involved with a community of artists, we realize we don’t need do everything alone. Figuring things out together makes being an artist easier. It’s time with one another away from studio. When one of us succeeds we all celebrate.
Arts Beat: How do neighbors on Warren Court respond?
LG: The neighborhood is really enthusiastic. About 85 percent of the neighbors offer their lawns. Others would like to, but there’s too much slope. The first year we had 18 lawns, 18 artists. Then, additional neighbors came to us. Ones we hadn’t initially asked, asked us: ‘We’d love to have an artist on our lawn.’ So now we are 25. The neighbors feel part of it. It’s pretty cool.
WB: It’s pretty amazing.
SA: Both neighbors and visitors say, ‘Thank you so much for doing this. We love it.’
Arts Beat: Talk more about what visitors should expect.
WB: There is so much viewing in such a small space and a wide variety of art. You don’t have to walk and walk and walk. And, you get food and music.
SA: Visitors can learn about the artists, talk one-on-one with the artists, talk about the artist’s process. Everyone is really friendly. Expect to see neighbors, run into friends — sit, talk, take a break. It’s a relaxing way to see art. And Leslie found Jus’ Tacos, South Orange, making tacos on the spot – delicious. We have Café by Us coming from East Orange with coffee and treats.
LG: We have veteran singer-songwriter-guitarist Pete Scott coming in Saturday afternoon with his trio. Sunday is the band Besides. I’ll have an acoustic guitar on the porch and will probably sing some of my originals.
WB & SA: Sing your “Grass.”
LG: It’s not about pot. It’s about celebrating being alive, celebrating all the possibilities while you’re on this side of the grass.
Arts Beat: Kid-Friendly?
Trio: Very kid-friendly.
WB: There was a six-year-old boy who fell in love with one of my photographs—an empire tamarin monkey. He loved it so much that he wouldn’t let me wrap it. He just held it to his chest.
SA: A middle schooler bought one of Leslie’s Cherries. We’re starting kids out loving art, making art available to them, having art that’s their own.
AB: Rain or Shine?
SA: Yes, it’s rain or shine.
WB: Or extreme heat. One year the temperature was in the 90s. But it’s always a great crowd, even on rainy days. Take an umbrella.
SA: In rain or extreme heat, and still great.
AB: How many come?
Trio: (Laughing) We’re artists. We don’t have clickers.
SA: There’s always a steady stream of visitors.
Trio: (Discussion) Probably 800, maybe up to a thousand. Maybe this year we’ll get a clicker.
PREVIEW
The art walk offers great variety – photography, painting, prints, collage, mixed media, sculpture, jewelry, fabric art, wood, ceramics. Even a homegrown comic book. Here are a few highlights.
Do you need more color in your life? Color abounds from Leslie Goldman’s signature piece for her Wild Cherry Art to Aimee Mower Lally’s gorgeously glazed, jewel-toned ceramics. There is wearable art, home decor and jewelry from Josephine Dakers-Brathwaite, a fashion-forward fabric artists who comes from generations of quilters.
There’s an aviary of intriguing birds: Manufacturers Village’s Yvonne Duck’s powerful Egret, Wendy Bellermann’s confident, maybe a bit offbeat Rooster King and Ken Stanek’s genial, wised-up Owl. All these birds just might be saying something about the artists themselves. Note, Stanek will be doing his ever-popular pop-up portraits, too.
A bonus delight of the WCAW is discovering that neighbors you know in one context have a whole other dimension. Dentists are craftsman in composites, but often follow other crafts in their non-working hours. My late dentist crafted impressive furniture. My current one made his own guitar. Add Maplewood’s Justin Fried and his graceful, serene bowls in sustainable woods to the list of dentist-craftsmen. In my West Orange neighborhood, humans and canines love Fred Zorn, trainer and dog-whisperer. By night, Zorn transforms into super-artist, creating in a variety of medium, including comic books…I see a super-hero pooch.
Maplewood’s acclaimed metal artist Aron Lifshultz brings his cuffs, earrings, and pendant necklaces with precious and semi-precious gems. They’re exquisite–superbly designed and executed. You can upgrade your look or enhance your sofa with Denise Toney’s lovely wearable art and home designs using African, Aboriginal, Dutch and Asian textiles. Toney is also the founder of “Newark Lifts, Newark Lights Through the Arts,” helping community members suffering from loss. And Sybil Archibald will show both her haunting monotypes (see in cover photo) and her large format book of works and selected poetry, The Inner Life of the Artist, 900 Monotypes in 900 Days. It’s sublime.
CODA
All works are for sale ranging from about $20 to investment pieces. Most sell at the more affordable price points. Zelle and cash are welcome. Most artists accept Venmo and credit cards. No checks.
THE ARTISTS
Aimee Mower Lally
Aron Lifschultz
Ben Salmon
Chase Cantwell
Chrissy McIntyre
Cynthia Vaughn
Denise Toney
Erin Pickering
Fred Courts
Fred Zorn
Gina Rivas Velasquez
Gwen Verner
Iram Yeates
Jeremy Moss
Josephine Dakers-Brathwaite
Justin Fried
Ken Stanek
Kennedy DuBose
Leslie Goldman
Ridley McIntyre
Sybil Archibald
Wendy Bellermann
Will Pew
Yvonne Duck
Yvonne Onque
