Because Saturday June 14 is predicted to be rainy, the Arts Center has decided to invoke their rain date: Sunday June 15.
This is from an email sent to participants today, Friday at 5:30 pm:
Hello All,
We have made the difficult decision to move Art on the Porch to Sunday, June 15th.
As we get closer to the weekend, the forecast for Saturday is becoming more clear—and unfortunately, it’s looking like a miserable, wet, and soggy day. While Sunday’s weather isn’t perfect, it is expected to be a bit better.
This decision isn’t just about protecting the artwork—we also want to ensure that patrons feel comfortable coming out to browse and shop.
Jeanne Power-Galli of the JSAC mentioned that she wanted to protect the artwork, and that is of vital importance. If an artist has been working with materials that could be damaged by rain, but also by heat and humidity, there has to be great care to protect the art. In the case of photographs, most of the images that I planned to exhibit are being protected by plastic envelopes, but even with that, I am not sure that I want to bring my work outdoors on Sunday.
We will have to see how conditions are on Sunday which also is threatened by rain.
Another option might have been to set up the exhibits inside the arts center. Why exactly was this event turned over to the Arts Center? What do they bring to the table besides some parking and toilets?
I hope that the sponsors and artists get lucky on Sunday, but maybe they could re-schedule for another summer weekend, even another summer Sunday. I don’t know if the sponsors of “Art On the Porch” have to get permission from the CMA or Neptune to do that, but the CMA should have no say since our porches are our private property.
Ocean Grove has a history of art shows and sales on the boardwalk and in parks such as Founder’s Park or Heroes Park. (My nickname for Firemen’s Park). Such venues are much better for exhibiting art than setting up on porches—a gimmick that is not very conducive to showing and purchasing serious art. And if the “Arts Center” is running the show, then why didn’t they switch to a juried theme. 80 artists are too much and lends itself to mediocrity.
At Blogfinger we have long complained that events in town should be mostly for the residents of the Grove and not to satisfy some outside entities such as the Chamber of Commercials or even the Arts Center which has different priorities than creating events to satisfy “We the People” of the Grove whose lifestyles are at stake and who need to be in charge of such events.
Take Bradley Beach for example. Below is a photo of a recent live concert this past May planned for the Bradsters.
Don’t you think that events for residents, families and guests like this one in BB are a good idea? They don’t need guidance as we do from the Chamber of Confusion which brings tourists, street closures and money instead of good will and improved quality of life for our citizens. What are their motives?
And do we need more events where buying and selling is a featured goal? Notice that the JSAC email above mentions “browsing and shopping.” The ads for the “Art on the Porch” don’t mention that art will be for sale, and no one ever mentioned that goal during the first two “Art on the Porch” events. Did the original Grovers who first came up with this fine idea envision a marketplace for art? If so, it was never mentioned to me, but some artists did that anyhow.
I guess buying and selling art is definitely a feature now. My photographs will be for sale, because people evidently expect that, but just a defined gallery theme would have been better. Is this commercial feature understood by everyone involved? I enjoyed the social side of the first two porch events and I got to talk to photographers. Making money was not on my mind. I sold one photo last year as a favor.
Here is a photo and a link about this subject. from Ocean Grove 2008.
This 2008 art show was held in Founders’ Park, and it was lovely. Paul Goldfinger photo. See the link below:
And in 2020 I attended a jazz concert held in Asbury Park, and it was wonderful and was designed for the Asburians to enjoy live local musicians in one of their parks. No mommy or daddy to make arrangements for them to enjoy their town. It was a fundraiser for a local charity.
Asbury jazz in the park for their citizens
OG needs an organization which should be for the people and by the people. What we have now is off the mark.
Paul Goldfinger, MD. Editor Blogfinger.net
THE DUM DUM GIRLS: