Here in NJ, it’s officially the “dog days” of summer. While most Morris County residents are looking forward to going to the beach or their local lake club, here at the NJ Foundation for the Blind we are doing what we love most – planning an Art Show!
The Jury Committee for upcoming art exhibition "All About Color". Left to right: Iris Torres, Kadie Dempsey, Joseph Jaworek, and Julian Hibbard
“All About Color” will be an art exhibition where both the juried artists from the American Society of Contemporary Artists (ASCA) and artists who are severely visually impaired will display their work alongside each other. The art exhibition will run from September 14, 2010 to October 27, 2010. On Saturday, October 17, 2010 NJFFB will be hosting a formal reception and sale. More information will be posted on our website soon.
Recently a jury committee met at NJFFB to judge the work of the visually impaired artists. I think the committee was expecting to see interesting work, but not the very sophisticated pieces they ultimately evaluated. They were clearly impressed by the variety and originality of much of the work. Read about Julian Hibbard’s experience below:
I was honored to spend the afternoon of Thursday, July 1 as part of the judging panel at NJFFB selecting artwork for the forthcoming ASCA exhibition: “All About Color.”
The committee convened and after deliberation agreed upon a number of criteria that would, as far as possible, accurately and fairly address the range of artwork presented.
For me it was important that my evaluation took into consideration, not only the quality of mark making and aesthetic merits for each piece, but also the inner journey of where that piece took me. That a visually impaired artist can give someone of sight perspective into something they themselves cannot see or experience is precisely the type of conceptual quality I wished to consider and acknowledge.
I was extremely impressed and inspired by the artwork presented and it is a testament to the role of NJFFB and the commitment of Joseph Jaworek (NJFFB Art Therapist) that the level of work was, in my opinion, so high. Several pieces stood out for their depth of self-expression and only heightened my sense that this was an occasion to celebrate the way every student had been encouraged to develop a platform from which to explore and share their ideas and emotions.
I would like to extend my congratulations to all the artists who participated, my appreciation for the observations of fellow judge Kadie Dempsey and my sincere thanks to NJFFB’s Iris Torres, Laura Gardner-Lang and Joseph Jaworek for allowing me to join them in such a rewarding event.
Julian Hibbard
At the piano, Justin Kauflin has an improvisational zeal matched by a technique that is equal parts lyrical and emotional. His sound can be best described as dynamic and vibrant, with a genuine sense of feeling and appreciation for the soulful essence in jazz music. Although classically trained, Justin prefers the improvisational opportunity jazz provides. His musical style reflects his reliance and trust in God and day-to-day experiences, drawing influence from all forms of music. “Although completely blind, Mr. Kauflin plays the piano with gentle, playful and technical expertise and finesse that foretells with certainty that he is a master-in-the-making.” – Terry Miller. 
Rave Tesar, keyboardist, composer, producer and educator, 