The Riker Hill Art Park Assoc. Inc. was formed by a group of artists in 1988 to Interface with the county, and to promote community and collaboration.
Riker Hill Art Park Association Inc.
284 Beaufort Avenue
Livingston, New Jersey. 07039
Association Board Members
Sandra Anton – President
Sue Sachs – Vice President
Carla Horowitz – Treasurer/Secretary
Cindy Rubino – Board Member
Ellen Hanauer – Board Member
Onnie Strother - Board Member
PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION'S FORMATION:
The association was formed in 1988 for the dual purposes of:
•. Having a single unified entity to interface with the county on issues of maintenance, publicity and marketing for the Riker Hill Art Park
•. Promoting an atmosphere of community and creative collaboration amongst the tenant artists at the Riker Hill Art Park in Livingston New Jersey.
BEGINNINGS:
The first building to be open in the Riker Hill Art Park was Building 509 and was fully occupied by 15 artists. Over the past 30 years four other buildings on the site have been opened to Artist Studios, and the current number of residents usually around thirty.
HISTORY OF THE PARK:
Essex County Riker Hill Art Park is a former United States Army Nike Missile Tracking Base in Livingston, NJ. The 42-acre complex was purchased from the federal government for one dollar in 1974. The buildings, which once housed army facilities, have been transformed into artist studios. Artists-in-residence work in various disciplines such as painting, fine metal jewelry, ceramics, pottery, glass-blowing, fine prints, photography, and sculpture
LEGACY OF TEACHING AND PRACTICE:
There is a long history of the Artists teaching classes at the Riker Hill Art Park. Larry Umbreit, a stone sculptor, taught for many years to a devoted group of students. Today Ivan Bratko is the current instructor for stone sculpture as well as children’s art classes and other private instruction. Sue Sachs, a fine art jeweler and metal object designer, and Carla Horowitz, a master potter, both long time residents, have a devoted following of students as well.
Both Sue and Carla teach classes in the broader community outside of Riker Hill Art Park at the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey and the Montclair Art Museum / Yard School of Art.
Another group of artists – The Art Center at Riker Hill, has been in residence at the Riker Hill Art Park for the past twenty years. The Art Center caters to those engaged mostly in improving their skills through “open studio” practice. “
EVENTS
Over a decade ago the artists started having craft shows. These craft shows have morphed into semi annual Open Studio Weekends in the Spring and Fall when the general community is invited to visit the artists at work in their studios the first weekend of June and November.
HONORS AND AWARDS
Many resident artists of Riker Hill have won awards, grants, and have been featured in published in books and periodicals. The artists may be contacted for more information regarding their individual accolades.
WORKING ARTISTS - MAKING A LIVING AT ART
Many of the artists spend a great deal of time throughout the year in their studios because they make a living from their art and their teaching. Among those who do so are; Sue Sachs, Ivan Bratko, Tim Rosman, Lenny DiNardo, and Catherine Kinkade.
CURRENT LIST OF RIKER HILL ARTIST ASSOCIATION MEMBERS
Sandra Anton
Mixedmedia 2D and 3D art
Gerard Amsellem
Sculpture / Painting
http://www.visualpassion.net
The Art Center at Riker Hill
https://www.facebook.com/TheArtCenteratRikerHill/
Drawing/Painting
Mara Berger
Painter
Marsha Blank
Sculpture
Shoshana Blum
Sculpture
Ivan Bratko
Sculpture / Painting
Larry Dell
Sculpture
http://www.larrydellart.com
Liz Demaree
Illustration / Painting / Book Arts / Multimedia
http://www.lizdemaree.com
Louis and Lorraine DeSmet
Painting
Leonard DiNardo
Glass
http://mostlyglass.com
Anne Dushanko Dobek
Multi-Disciplinary Installation Artist
http://www.dushankodobek.com
Asha Ganpat
Sculpture
http://www.ashaganpat.com
Freya Gervasi
Sculptor
http://www.freyasculpt.com
Peppi Glass
Sculpture
Ellen Hanauer
Sculptor, Installation Artist
http://www.ellenhanauer.com
Ellen Hess
Weaving/Textile Arts
Carla Horowitz
Functional Stoneware
http://www.theclaycellarpottery.com
Catherine Kinkade
Fine Prints, Painting, Pastel
http://www.viridianfineart.com
Emil Lansky
Photography, Oil, Graphics
Building 501, Studio 6
http://www.emillanskyphoto.com
Wendy Lewis
Sculpture / Painter Fountains and Kinetic Works
Johanna Karpf
Jewelry
https://www.facebook.com/Johanna-Karpf-Jewelry-Design-
Harriet Leff
Sculpture
Tim Maher
Painter
Maureen Renner
Sculptor
Tim Rosman
Painting
http://www.timrosmanart.com
Cindy Rubino
Mixed Media / Ceramic / Sculpture / Graphic Design / Photography
http://www.cindyrubino.com
Sue Sachs
Silver, brass, copper jewelry, serving pieces, and tabletop ware
http://www.suesachs.com
Susan Small
Sculpture
Barbara Soloman
Sculptor
Viridian Print Studio
Printmaking
http://www.viridianfineart.com
Virginia Zohn
Ceramics
