This article was originally published in the March 2018 Trenton Downtowner.
The Trenton Artists Workshop Association presents an artists’ talk on Saturday, March 10, at 2 p.m. at the gallery in the Trenton Free Public Library, where its exhibition “Persistence” is on view through April 6. The program is free.
“Persistence” features work by regional artists who demonstrate persistence despite what are commonly perceived as obstacles: age, illness, and physical and neurological problems.
Three Trenton artists are participating. Justin Jedryk uses friends as models in everyday settings and paints in acrylic on canvas. Over the past several years he has been dealing with a neurological problem that has affected his eyesight.
Ken Alexander is a self-taught painter who despite being visually impaired uses vivid colors and expressive abstraction to represent various ranges of the human experience. And nationally known artist Mel Leipzig, an octogenarian, is still experimenting with figurative art and is developing a series depicting students and artists, including one of Michael Austin, a young artist also participating in the exhibition.
Other artists include Priscilla Snow Algava, a cancer survivor from Princeton; Mark Wilkie, a Hamilton resident who creates detailed shapes despite his neurological classification; and Rio Felix Smith, a Lawrenceville artist who became a paraplegic after an accident.
The exhibition was organized by participating artist Byron Aubrey (son of Downtowner editor Dan Aubrey).
TAWA is a greater Trenton nonprofit organization and has a history of more than 30 years exhibiting in such venues as the New Jersey State Museum, Trenton City Museum, Artworks Trenton, Prince Street Gallery in New York City, and more.
The Trenton Free Public Library is located at 120 Academy Street in Trenton and is in the new Creek2Canal Trenton Arts District. Hours are Mondays through Thursdays, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Friday and Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 609-392-7188.
‘Persistence’ artist Ken Alexander, whose painting ‘Guitar Player #1’ is pictured on the cover of this issue.,
