Photographers win for stunning depictions of the Highlands
Boonton, N.J. Artists from throughout the Northeast, regardless of experience, were invited to submit work featuring the landscapes, flora, fauna, natural, cultural and/or historic resources of the Highlands of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut.
Boonton /
| 12 Nov 2019 | 01:02
First Place: “Passaic River Through Great Swamp" (infrared print), George Aronson
Second Place: “Waxwing, 2007" (watercolor), Ewa Pokora
Third Place: “Where the Beavers Used to Be" (oil), Ry An
Grand Prize Youth: "Barn Owl on Scratch Board" (Ande Wittenmeier)
Second place, Youth Category: “Starry Forest" (acrylic painting) Paulina Zamora
Honorable Mention: “Dusky Light of the Forest" (watercolor), Christine Seo
Honorable Mention: “Marsh Log" (ceramic sculpture), Jane Biron
Jurors Award: "Walking with Monet" (photograph), Vrzala Miroslav
The New Jersey Highlands Coalition has announced the winners of the sixth annual Highlands Juried Art Exhibit, which features an impressive mix of paintings, drawings, photographs and sculpture, focuses on the landscapes, flora, fauna and historic and cultural resources of the Four State Highlands Region, with particular emphasis on the New Jersey Highlands.
Morristown photographer George Aronson won first place for his “Passaic River Through Great Swamp,” a 24-by-30 black and white, infrared print showing the intersection of two of New Jersey’s most well-known natural features. He received a $500 award for his piece.
Ewa Pokora of Stockholm, N.J., received second place for “Waxwing, 2007,” a watercolor of a cedar waxwing, a species native to the Highlands. She received a $250 award for her painting.
Third place went to Ry An of Blairstown, N.J., for his oil painting, “Where the Beavers Used to Be,” a colorful and boldly expressive piece depicting a Highlands pond bathed in autumn color. He received a $150 award for his painting
Honorable Mentions were awarded to Jane Biron of Chester for her “Marsh Log,” a ceramic sculpture which was among several submitted for the 3-D category, new for this year’s exhibit, and Christine Seo of Columbus, N.J., for her watercolor, “Dusky Light of the Forest”
This year’s exhibit also included a new Youth Category for artists 18 and under. The grand prize went to Ande Wittenmeier of Sparta, N.J., for her "Barn Owl on Scratch Board." Ande received a $150 award for her painting. Second place for the Youth Category went to Paulina Zamora of Ledgewood, N.J., for her acrylic painting “Starry Forest.”
Artists from throughout the Northeast, regardless of experience, were invited to submit work featuring the landscapes, flora, fauna, natural, cultural and/or historic resources of the Highlands of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. Depictions of flora and fauna outside of the Highlands region were accepted if those species are typically found in the Highlands.
About the NJ Highlands Coalition:
Through events such as the Highlands Art Exhibit, the New Jersey Highlands Coalition promotes awareness about the beauty, and cultural and natural resources of the Highlands region. As a nonprofit organization in Boonton, N.J., the coalition works to protect, restore, and enhance the water and other natural and cultural resources of New Jersey’s Highlands, now and for the future. The Coalition serves eighty-eight municipalities in Bergen, Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren counties that are protected under the New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act in addition to the 6.2 million state residents who depend on the Highlands for drinking water. For more information or to become a member, visit njhighlandscoalition.org.