West Windsor Arts Council’s Cabin Fever Cabaret kicked off its capital campaign big time on Saturday, February 23, at RMJM Hillier headquarters, 500 Alexander Park. Close to 200 people attended and more than $23,”000 was raised to benefit the renovation of the Princeton Junction firehouse into an arts center.##M:[more]##
The “Home is Where the Art Is” exhibit and sale featured more than 30 area artists, working in media including paintings, photography, ceramics, assemblage, bronze, and beyond. It raised $6,”345.
Cabaret music was presented by Beth Ertz on piano; with vocals by Carol Selick and Craig Rubano. Musicians included Dave Haneman on bass and John Bachalis on woodwinds.
Eduardo Garcia, the executive director of the arts council, gave a presentation on the status of the historic Princeton Junction firehouse as the arts center. Using a small model he demonstrated how the arts council could share the building with the first responders presently using the building.
Phase one includes three rooms. The large room will be a performing arts area seating 100 to 120 people with a movable stage. There will also be room for classes in visual and performing arts, and a community room for people to drop in and visit. The walls will be used for exhibits.
“This is the first step towards making my dream of an arts council a reality,” said West Windsor Township Mayor Shing-Fu Hsueh, who formed an arts center formation task force in 2001. “A true community has to have arts and culture.”
He plans town meetings during the next few months to see what residents want to have. Hsueh also thanked Robert Hillier for “showing community spirit to help the arts council.”
The arts council, established in 2002 as a non-profit, presents musical, literary, and visual arts programs. More than 20 events were presented in 2007.
Food was prepared by Beth Feehan, co-founder of the West Windsor Community Farmers Marker; Ina Brosseau Marx, West Windsor Arts Council board member, and Elizabeth Stelling, a private caterer and owner of CookAppeal Cafe. The menu featured mushrooms a la Grecque, goat cheese on sun-dried tomato toasts, asparagus frittata, bacon-wrapped scallops, Greek seasoned chicken, assorted cheeses, bananas in pie crust, strudel, Bent Spoon ice cream, and a dessert buffet.
Attendees, pictured in the print issue, included Dick Snedeker, a contributing artist and board member of WWAC; Ruth Kusner Potts, Arts Council president; Francois Guillemin, a contributing artist; Dave Haneman, emcee and musician at the event; Dan Zibman and Liz Madden-Zibman, former WWAC board members; Karin Maxim of West Windsor and her mother, Connie Dunn of Monroe, who were active bidders in the silent auction; and Paul Cerna, former president of WWAC. Major supporters include Hillier, Intercap Holdings, the Boyle Family Foundation, PNC Bank, the Dreher Group, and Mack-Cali.
“The outpouring of support from the community has been tremendous,” said Ruth Kusner Potts, president of the arts Council. “We are very thrilled with the enthusiasm everyone has shared with us about the work that we have done — and still have to do.”
For information or to make a donation call 609-919-1982 or visit www.westwindsorarts.org.
