Zakia Aziz Ahmed of West Windsor is one of the artists with works on view in West Windsor Arts Council’s exhibit, “In the Studio,” a collection of works by its teaching artists and faculty, an eclectic and sophisticated mix of art expressed through a variety of mediums. The exhibit is on view to August 31 with an opening reception on Sunday, July 22, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the West Windsor Arts Center Gallery, 952 Alexander Road, West Windsor.
“When I first entered the current art exhibit, the word that came to my mind was unity,” says Ahmed. “Even though the art work was done by different artists in different mediums, it is amazing how all the art works blend so nicely. The exhibit gives me a quiet and peaceful feeling.”
Her paintings feature vibrant colors and thick brushstrokes of various scenes and give the impression of fluidness and universality. Variations of color represent deep feelings in the artist, ones that may not be so apparent to the viewer upon first glance. Her most compelling painting is a deep retrospective of her Bangladesh childhood memories with her since-deceased sister. The hazy background of black, dark and light blue, pink and white, are all associated with certain memories from their sisterhood. A face — albeit faded –– represents the sister’s omnipresent companionship in Ahmed’s life.
Ahmed has a master’s of fine arts degree from Dhaka University, Bangladesh. She studied printmaking at Colorado State University and graphic printmaking at Shilpakala Academy. Solo exhibitions of her work have been viewed in Bangladesh, Austria, Pakistan, and New Jersey. Her art was also part of a group show in China.
Ahmed came to New Jersey in 1998 when her husband, Sayed Ahmed, was offered a job in West Windsor at American Cynamide. He is now an associate director at Pfizer. Their son, Rayyan, graduated from High School South in 2007, and is a student at Rutgers. Their daughter, Sabaha, graduated from South in 2008, and recently received a degree from Stevens Institute from Technology.
An art teacher at Bangladesh International Tutorial, Ahmed taught oil painting for 10 years at Mercer Community College, and currently teaches oil painting for adults at the arts council. She gives private art lessons to children ages 6 to 16.
“Teaching has always been my passion,” she says. “The classroom here is ideal for teaching art, with great lighting and all the necessary equipment in a large space. It is convenient for me and many of my students who live in the area, because it is only a couple minutes away from home.”
Ahmed also feels that she is close friends with the students and often takes trips outside of the classroom to art museums. They recently went to the Philadelphia Art Museum. “The art gallery next to art class is great, because we always get to see great art shows,” she says.
Other artists with works on view include sculptor Katie Truk, a resident of Hamilton, who uses pantyhose of all shapes and sizes as the muse for her compositions. She teaches multi-media classes for children and adults.
Sculptor and mixed media artist Donna Payton, a resident of Perrineville, creates art from wood scraps and china shards to flea market discoveries. Her works range from ridiculous to surreal and her paintings match childhood playland fantasies.
Photographer Sebastiano Stia of West Windsor presents works capturing nature during his more than 30 years of experience. He has taught photography for 19 years. “I try to interpret my surroundings in simplistic yet definitive images to express my personal vision encompassing conventional and conceptual reality,” he says. “These beliefs also strengthen my resolve of truth in images.”
Mickey Waring’s collection includes mask and puppet making, jewelry design, watercolor, and collage, which have been influenced by a lifetime of travel in Europe in the Middle East. A member of the Metuchen Cultural Arts Commission, she has been active in the Metuchen arts community for more than 22 years and works as a teacher and freelance illustrator.
Jeehee Pak’s artwork features a variety of different styles include sketches, watercolor, and self-portraits. Pak, the chief instructor of J Art Studio in San Jose, California, has more than 20 years of experience teaching art to children and high school students who want to apply to art college. She teaches figure drawing, watercolor painting, cartoon, and illustration at the West Windsor Arts Center.
Art Exhibit, West Windsor Arts Council, 952 Alexander Road, West Windsor. “In the Studio,” an eclectic exhibition featuring the works of the center’s teaching artists and faculty members. On view to August 31. Gallery hours are Wednesday to Friday, noon to 6 p.m. Reception is Sunday, July 22, 4 to 6 p.m. 609-716-1931. www.westwindsorarts.org.
