‘Local Treasures: Images of Sandy Hook” at the Center for the Visual Arts gallery celebrates Brookdale Community College’s new painting classes offered at Sandy Hook.

“Late Afternoon, Sandy Hook” by Sid Godwin The exhibition includes recent “Hook” paintings by Brookdale faculty and students. In addition, local artist — and local treasure — Santo Pezzuti is lending two paintings of Sandy Hook’s environs to the show.

On view are paintings created during the summer and fall terms in Watercolor and Landscape Painting at Sandy Hook. David Dziemian and Corey Antis, adjunct faculty who taught those classes, also have paintings in the exhibit.

Amy Faris, who is offering a class in acrylic painting at Sandy Hook during the Summer I session, May 27 through June 28, is exhibiting as well.

“Local Treasures” is the title of the show for reasons that are both obvious to some and perhaps hidden to others. Bob Macaluso, director of the Sandy Hook Field Station, is always available to explain the natural assets we might take for granted at Sandy Hook.

“Old Dune Trail” by Dave Dziemian “Besides the ocean and beaches, there are other important environmental zones at Sandy Hook,” he recently said. “There is a maritime forest, a bay environment and a salt marsh here. If it wasn’t for the salt marshes along our coast, 80 percent of the organisms that live in the sea would not exist,” he said. “The salt marshes are spawning, nursery and feeding grounds for marine life. For example, you see bluefish spawn and grow here. As they grow larger, they move out into the ocean and become food for tuna or shark, among other fish.”

For those who travel to Sandy Hook to study biological sciences, there are as many others now following in their snow tracks to witness

“Nine Gun” by Katerina Vanovskaya the rare and important resources at Sandy Hook and translate those phenomena to canvas.

“Where else can you go in New Jersey to see the sunset over water?” Macaluso asked. “There is nothing like a sunset over Sandy Hook Bay.”
If you go
“Local Treasures:
Images of Sandy Hook”
BCC’s CVA gallery
through Feb. 28
Opening reception,
meet the artists,
Feb. 18, 4:30-6 p.m.
CVA hours:
9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Monday-Friday
Brookdale Community
College,
765 Newman Springs Road
Park in lots 1 or 2

“Tidal Pool” by Amy Faris
“Officers Row” by Amy Faris