Draw the Shore Art Show sponsored by The Foundation to Save the Jersey Shore

On Sunday afternoon, April 21st, the Middletown Arts Center will play a key part in the Sandy recovery process when it hosts a one-day Art Expo entitled Draw the Shore. The family-friendly event will run from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and feature the work of young artists from area private schools, including Rumson Country Day, Ranney, Oak Hill Academy, Seashore, Holy Cross and Sisters Academy. Draw the Shore is a joint effort between the Foundation to Save the Jersey Shore, the Middletown Arts Center and art instructors at these area schools. 

The event is free, and features some of the best-known performers in the area. Mr. Ray will be appearing between 1:00 to 2:00, Miss Sherri of Honeychild Music will appear between 2:00 to 3:00, and between 3:00 and 4:00, The Doodle Dude will entertain children with his cartooning prowess. There will be a Zumba class for kids between 4:00 and 5:00.  The family fun day will also include temporary tattoos and refreshments. 

Besides celebrating the creativity and spirit of the young artists whose work will be on display, there is a therapeutic aspect to Draw the Shore. 

“For our children, an important part of the recovery process from Sandy is a sense of closure,” explains Jen Diehl of Save the Jersey Shore. “Creating art projects that depict how they remember the shore, and how they hope it will be, gives them a sense of control and a way of expressing their feelings about what happened.”

“My students dove into the recovery theme with great enthusiasm,” reports Melissa Petersen, head of the art department at Rumson Country Day. Three of her 3rd and 4th Grade classes are contributing work to Draw the Shore, along with a group of 8th Graders. “They’ve created beautiful and original works inspired by the beaches, the amusements and the wildlife we find at the Jersey shore—with pastel, acrylic monoprints and watercolors.” 

“This is another exciting aspect of Draw the Shore,” adds Maggie O’Brien, Director of the Middletown Arts Center. “Many of the schools’ beloved art teachers will be on hand. Kids always get a special thrill when they see their favorite teachers out in the ‘real world.’ We are so honored to have them here.”