Out of Darkness,” a collection of acrylic paintings by Bob Justin, is celebrated at Plainsboro Library with a reception on Sunday, May 18, from 2 to 4 p.m. The paintings, described as bold, colorful, and raw, express Justin’s emotional journey through illness —specifically, a heart attack that forced him to retire in 1991. Known for his intriguing and whimsical found-object sculptures, Justin is also a self-taught painter who describes himself as a “free spirit non-conformist.” His paintings are compelling and original.
“I find the pictures to be difficult to describe rationally, as they were done under the stress of emotions born of illness,” says Justin, a former Plainsboro resident. “The repeated episodes have always triggered renewed sessions of demons that are born of a dark-side beyond silence. I leave the public to interpret, accept, or reject the work as they wish.”
Justin has exhibited nationally and abroad, including the New Jersey State Museum, the Frank J. Miele Gallery in New York, the Eisenhower Hall Theater in West Point, New York, and as part of a global tour for USIA exhibit on American primitive artists. He maintains a studio in New Egypt. Visit www.bobjustin.com to view the artist at work.
Art Exhibit, Plainsboro Public Library, 9 Van Doren Street, Plainsboro. Sunday, May 18, 2 p.m. Reception. On view to May 28. 609-275-2897. www.lmxac.org/plainsboro.
