”One man’s lifes works featured on all 3 floors of the Old Neptune High School”
CONTACT EAST COAST:
Nichole Nappi – Executive Director, Jersey Shore Arts Center
732/ 502-0050
nnappi@jerseyshoreartscenter.org
Robert “Lil Bobby” Duncan - Resident Artist
(caption) Robert Duncan, artist painting in his studio space in the Jersey Shore Arts Center.
For Immediate Release
September 15, 2019
Jersey Shore Arts Center Whole Building Show!
Over 50 years of one artist’s works featured
Illustrations, custom portraits, lithographs and sculptures featured
Murals of local Ocean Grove sights on the newly renovated third floor
OCEAN GROVE, NEW JERSEY – September 27, 2019 – November 1, 2019: "Lil' Bobby Duncan's Retrospective Art Exhibit"
Artists Reception: Friday, September 27 • 6-9pm
Jersey Shore Arts Center
66 South Main Street • Ocean Grove, New Jersey 07756
"Lil' Bobby Duncan's Retrospective Art Exhibit" is a retrospective exhibit of Robert "Bobby" Duncan's lifelong creative works from as early as his elementary years in 1958 to his college years at Rice University, Texas, and graduate studies at Washington University in St. Louis, MO to his many adventures through the years. Bobby Duncan, a resident artist of the Jersey Shore Arts Center, has a unique and endless imagination and a creative spirit who's art speaks volumes about his experiences and perspective on life and the world around him. Dominating creative mediums such as illustration, painting, sculpture, printmaking and mixed media artworks, Bobby has amassed works to fill all 3 floors of the Jersey Shore Arts Center.
As part of the Jersey Shore Arts Center’s ongoing mission to support local arts and artist programs, this exhibit is a free sponsored event of the Jersey Shore Arts Center and is open to the public during the week, Monday through Friday, 9 am to 2 pm, and Saturdays, 9 am to 1 pm. Selected works are available for sale as designated and arts prints will be available. Handicap access via the paved North Parking Lot. September 27, an artist’s reception is scheduled for 6 pm to 9 pm in the upstairs Third Floor Cafe Space. The reception is free and open to the public.
(caption) Handrawn illustrated postcard by Lil' Bobby Duncan announcing “The Lil’ Bobby Duncan Retrospective Art Exhibit”.
The history of the Jersey Shore Arts Center. Originally built in 1897, the “old” Neptune High School was regarded in the 1906 World’s Fair as an “Architectural Splendor.” The building was abandoned in the early 1980’s, falling into disarray over the years from non-maintenance. In 1997, the Ocean Grove Historic Preservation Society, Inc. led by Herb Herbst and Senator Joseph Palaia, took over this Historic Site with a grand vision for the dilapidated structure: to renovate this historic gem and create a cultural arts center for the Jersey Shore. The restoration happened mostly by the help of volunteers scraping, painting, and doing most of the construction themselves. By 2000, the first floor opened with newly renovated rooms, studios, and a wonderful theater. Restoration efforts of the second and third floors followed allowing for additional studios, common areas, kitchen and dining room, and smaller theater.
Currently, the Jersey Shore Arts Center (JSAC) uses the “old” high school classrooms as studio space for artists and educators, boasting over 16 art studio residents, an in-house theater group, and many community groups that call our building home. Our goal is to provide affordable workspace for artists and educators and create a supportive community to cultivate their work and education efforts. The JSAC makes sure that all who apply for residence provide a unique art form, to ensure diversity; and most importantly, have an energy and spirit which will help nurture the community of which they are a part. At the moment, our resident's artistic offerings include the visual arts (painters, screen printers, woodcut, sculpture, photography and graphic design), music instruction and instrument repair, a dance company and yoga studio. All residents are arts-based small businesses renting space from the JSAC and have found success within our community to date. There's no doubt that increased building accessibility will help many of these businesses to flourish.
For more information on the Lil’ Bobby Duncan Retrospective Art Exhibit, please contact:
JSAC (732) 502-0050 • JerseyShoreArtsCenter.org • info@jerseyshoreartscenter.org
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