West Windsor Arts Council showcases its teaching-artist faculty work in its summer exhibition. Selected faculty will present their two and three-dimensional works in paint, pen and ink, and multi-media. Participating artists include West Windsor residents Zakia Ahmed, Aparajita Sen, and Carmen Williams. The exhibit dates are Monday, July 13, through Saturday, September 12, with an opening reception on Sunday, July 19, from 4 to 6 p.m. and a gallery talk at 5 p.m.
Zakia Ahmed has been teaching for more than 25 years and has a loyal local following. A freelance painter, she teaches guided studio for oil painting for ages 16 and older. “Teaching at the center is wonderful,” she says. “I think it is important for students to be comfortable with their abilities, especially the beginners. I try to help them with their problems in art and encourage them to experiment with colors, shapes, and textures.”
An art teacher at Bangladesh International Tutorial, Ahmed taught oil painting for 10 years at Mercer Community College and gives private art lessons to children ages 6 to 16. She has been teaching some of her students for close to 14 years. Susan Fox, Evelyne Mirville, and Mary White from Mercer County Community College followed her to the center. Her newer students include Barbara Weinfield, Tammy Dawkins, and Rochelle Stern.
“Now, I see them every semester along with additional, new students,” she says. “I love to see how they grow in their artistic abilities. Many of them are participating in juried shows as well as individual shows.”
Her painting on view is “A Moment,” possibly a reflection of her sister when they were growing up. “This painting is showing two sisters. One sister is seated while the other is standing, fixing the younger sister’s hair. There is a feeling of love, care, and tenderness. Pastel colors are used to enhance the serenity and tranquility of the painting. The loose brush strokes give the painting a relaxed feeling.”
Ahmed has a master of fine arts degree from Dhaka University in 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.
Zakia accompanied her husband, Sayed Ahmed, when he came to the U.S. in 1987 for a PhD program at Colorado State University. After Sayed completed his PhD the family returned briefly to Bangladesh but moved to the U.S. permanently the next year. Sayed was a study director in Genesis Laboratories in Colorado and Zakia was an adjunct faculty member at Front Range Community College.
The family moved to West Windsor in 1998 when Sayed was offered a job at American Cyanamid Company. He is now an associate director of regulatory affairs at Pfizer/Zoetis.
Their son, Rayyan, graduated from High School South in 2007, and Rutgers University with a bachelor’s degree in economics and philosophy. He is exploring opportunities to become a software developer in San Francisco. Their daughter, Sabaha, graduated from South in 2008 and received a bachelor’s degree from Steven Institute of Technology. She works in finance in New York City.
“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.”
Aparajita (Pooja) Sen is originally from India, where she was inspired to begin drawing and sketching by her grandfather, also an artist. When her family immigrated to the U.S., she continued drawing through her school years, winning awards and recognition for her art projects. In college at St. John’s University she majored in computer science and finance, and did not have the opportunity to study art.
“I worked in the financial/banking field for several years and found myself with little or no time to devote to my artwork,” she says. “However, despite the time constraints I made every effort to pursue my artistic interests by continuing to draw and sketch whenever I had the time.”
After working in the financial/banking field for some years, her strong desire to study art led her to change careers and enroll in art classes at the Visual Arts Center in Summit. She has since completed years of training, had the opportunity to work with many award-winning artists, and has begun her own teaching practice in a variety of mediums.
She moved to West Windsor in 2010 with her husband, Asit, and their two children. Teaching at the arts center for three years, she teaches Pastels, Adventures in Art, and Art Styles for children from ages 6 to 13.
“My work reflects my background and my exposure to the influences of different cultures,” she says. “Intrigued by symbolism and imagery, I like to merge traditional symbols and thoughts, presenting them in a contemporary style. I enjoy evoking a sense of mystery by capturing and unifying visual ideas and subject matter with brilliant and vibrant colors. I also delight in exploring abstract compositional possibilities in everyday life. Working with oils and mixed media are most satisfying to me.”
Carmen Williams was born in Delft, Holland, and moved to the Princeton area when she was 15. “My interest in art began about the age of 10 when my parents gave me a painting kit,” she says. “I really began to enjoy art in high school. I had a wonderful art teacher who gave me an appreciation of art and guided me with my art.”
She majored in psychology and minored in art history at Hobart and William Smith. When she became interested in combining art and psychology she completed a master’s program at NYU for art therapy.
“After college I did not produce much art,” she says. “I reconnected with making my art again about seven years ago when I began meeting with a group of other artists.” They studied “The Artist’s Way,” a book by Julia Cameron. “This inspired us to meet regularly and create our own art.”
She worked as an art therapist in the Bronx before moving to West Windsor with her husband, Steve Williams, and their four children. Their children include Sam, a rising senior at High School South; Jake, a rising freshman at South; and Isabel and Olivia, rising eighth grade students at Grover Middle School.
She teaches art and yoga with Susan Egan for 4 to 6 year olds at the arts center. She also runs an art and yoga summer camp with Egan and teaches art to ages four and up. She has been teaching at Princeton Meadow Preschool for seven years.
Williams enjoys working with soft pastels. “Nature inspires me and most of my work depicts nature such as woods, butterflies, birds, farm fields, and flowers,” says Williams. “My love for flowers comes from my upbringing in Holland.”
Faculty Art Show Opening Reception, West Windsor Arts Council, 952 Alexander Road, West Windsor. Sunday, July 19, 4 to 6 p.m. Showcase of works of the organization’s teaching artists. Artists include Zakia Ahmed, Aparajita Sen, and Carmen Williams of West Windsor; Priscilla Algava and Meta Dunkly Arnold of Princeton; Katie Truk of Hamilton; Paul Mordetsky of Hightstown; Susan Mitrano of Titusville; and Judy Langille of Kendall Park. Gallery talk at 5 p.m. On view through September 12. 609-716-1931. www.westwindsorarts.org.
