Art Teachers In The Fellowship Spotlight

North Branch, NJ.- Raritan Valley Community College are the teaching grounds to several esteemed recent recipients of the N.J. State Council of the Arts grant, honoring choreographers, painters, composers, and artists alike.

Two painters, Robert Di Matteo and Darren McManus, received perfect scores from the council and were awarded $9,500 for their submitted artwork. Among the other award winners whom also teach at R.V.C.C. are Loretta Fois for her choreography, James Wesley Sherman for painting, and Jeffery Mason and Samantha Palmeri for drawing.

Many of the artists who submitted their applications (some even applied as early as 2009) were overcome with complete surprise when told about their accomplishment, after hearing the council decided to cancel the program due to state funding being cut by 25%.

“I was surprised to hear that I was awarded this grant. I had completely forgotten about it for over a year and at first thought it was a joke when I was told”, McManus, head of the graphic design department at R.V.C.C., said after he found out from a journalist that emailed him who was covering the event.

McManus has been studying art since grade school, and after completing high school, was awarded a full scholarship at Hartford Art School in Connecticut. While in his junior year, he studied abroad at the Glasgow School of Art in Glasgow, Scotland, and completed with a double Bachelors Degree in Graphic Design and Experimental Studio. McManus then attended Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, where he received his Masters in Painting.

This is not the first grant McManus has earned. He recently was awarded the August 2011 residency in the Salzburg Kunstlerhaus, in Salzburg, Austria. McManus has also received grants and residences from places such as Chashama North in Pine Planes, New York, the Virginia Center for Creative Arts, The Artists’ Enclave at I-Park, and the Cooper Union School of Art: Drawing and Painting Residency Program.

One of the other painters in the awarded group is Robert Di Matteo. Di Matteo has been studying painting for over 20 years, studying at Pratt for his undergraduate work, and then earning his M.F.A. in Painting from Yale. He was influenced by his brothers who were also involved in art and at age 10, visited Italy and saw a lot of Renaissance art which impacted him as well.

He has also received a fellowship from the Brodsky Center at Rutgers and a residency at the MacDowell Colony in New Hampshire, where Di Matteo went through a huge artistic transition. Upon starting the residency, Di Matteo was a realistic-type painter, and upon completion 2 months later, he was painting completely abstract and has never looked back.

“Time is the most valuable commodity to an artist- it is artistic wealth,” says Di Matteo.

For Loretta Fois, head of the dance department at R.V.C.C., this award came as a shock as well. She also states that this award is an affirmation of her work as a choreographer.

“It is also very important for artists to find funding, especially when you work with a (dance) group,” Fois says. “I had a dance company for a number of years and just to pay the dancers is quite an expense. Renting a theatre, paying crew, etc….audience members don’t realize how expensive it is for companies to show work!”

Fois’ starting point in dance choreography was in college, attending Holy Cross College in Worcester, Massachusetts, earning her B.F.A. in Chemistry and Theatre. Fois had amazing support from her biology and dance professor, encouraging Fois to find her artistic voice and create dances. Eventually, Fois enjoyed the challenge of creating dances enough that she chose to make it her career and went to Ohio State where she earned her M.F.A. in Dance.

James Sherman’s approach to art started just as a hobby while majoring in Biology & Physiology, and working in the Physics department as a lab assistant at Texas A&M University. “I had always drawn growing up, but never thought of myself as an artist,” Sherman says. “When I started painting though, I could only see myself in the light of being an artist. It fit like a good shoe and science part of my life all of a sudden felt like a cheap suit.”

Sherman attended Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University for his graduate work and also to study under Thomas Nozkowsi. “It was an important move for me. My wife and I were living in Tennessee when we decided to move to New Jersey for me to go back to school. Studying with Nozkowski, being closer to New York City’s art world, seeing paintings in person I had only previously seen in books; all of it had a major impact on my work.” Shortly after completing his graduate work, Sherman began adjunct teaching at R.V.C.C.

R.V.C.C. continues to offer affordable accredited college courses to students, and has an easy transfer credit program for many 4-year institutions within New Jersey, while maintaining its versatility for out of state transfers. Earning an Associate’s Degree at a community college to then continue an education further is becoming a more popular route within the state, due to rising tuition costs of 4-year schools and the state of the economy as a whole.

A Bit About Michael Ambrose

BRANCHBURG, N.J.- There are some people in this world who go to great lengths to live for their passion. They sleep in basements on top of amps after late-night gigs, live on ramen and Pabst Blue Ribbon, and squat from house to house, like aprotagonist on the big screen.

For Michael Ambrose, his life has been filled with the same kinds of moments and hardships that many a great musician, artist, inventor, or writer has gone through to become something he knew he had to be. Ambrose, 29, has always been into music.

At age six, he received his first keyboard (which he

still has today). "I took to it like a fish to water," says Ambrose. "I don't know how or why, but I always knew this was something I had to do. When it feels so right and so good, how can you do anything else?"

Ambrose currently has a band called Les` Trois Chaud (The Hot Three). He sings, plays guitar and piano, and is joined by drummer Colleen Crowley, his fiancé, and a mutual friend who plays bass. They can be described as having a Folk-Pop sound with a twist of Americana.

"Playing my favorite instrument with Mike is great," Crowley says. "I've always loved playing drums and having Mike coach me through new lessons is amazing. Playing what makes me happy with the person that I love is such an amazing feeling."

When he's not making music with his band, Ambrose runs the sound at The Stanhope House in Stanhope, NJ. Ambrose is the stage manager, running sound, repairing audio equipment; generally making sure everything runs smoothly.

"This venue is steeped with rich history and culture. Etta James, John Lee Hooker, Stevie Ray Vaugh, and Johnny Winter all have passed through here. When you go to the Stanhope House, you're in the presence of greatness, and that's something you can't find anywhere else," Ambrose says.

The Specials and having a mentor like Lynval Golding (lead vocalist for The Specials) produce his first record, Ambrose has been blessed with many fortunate opportunities that have helped him shape and mold his craft to what it is today.

"Mike doesn't act like a "big fish in a small pond" like other musicians can get," says Crowley, Ambrose’s' fiancé. "He's not about the autographs and the small-town fame; he's in it for the music, he's the real deal."

One of Ambrose's oldest friends, Adam T., also an avid music lover, has noticed the dedication Ambrose has to his music. "On stage, he's a true professional. When he gets up there, he's cool, calm, and collected," says Adam. "He's a leader without ove

r-shadowing any of the other musicians, while at the same time, totally strutting his stuff."

Not only has Ambrose been into music his entire life, he also has an interest in graphic design, which followed him through his life as well. Ambrose took a few design classes in high school and would regularly make band posters.

This side skill helped him out in certain instances, where he was commissioned to create album covers and website design for musicians; he fancied being able to make some extra cash to pay bills and support his musical passion. In the spring of 2009, he interned at a branding and marketing agency, where his taste for design grew to new heights.

Eventually the agency went belly up, so Ambrose took it upon himself to continue learning not only about design, but printmaking, typesetting, and photography, which led him to enroll at Raritan Valley Community College. By the end of the spring 2011 semester, Ambrose will have an Associate’s degree in Fine Arts and Graphic Design.

"I want to be able to find the right way to blend my biggest passion with my love and appreciation for art & design," says Ambrose. "I've been into letterpress lately. Ebay has been my source for vintage letterpress machines, where I've purchased a couple (along with boxes of type) with the hopes of somehow incorporating that with my artistic view and music."

Since he learned to walk, Toby Ray Loyd has been performing in one way or another. Even at age five when he and his friends would play faux rock shows, Loyd and his music could always draw a crowd.

Over the course of the 40+ years he has been active as a musician, Loyd, 53, has played thousands of shows as well as released multiple records.

Today, Loyd performs with the very same people he played with in high school. Although not a touring rockstar, he still plays with several bands, writing and recording original material.

Raritan Valley Community College student Rick Weigle has seen several of Loyd's performances and cites Loyd as a major influence.

Weigle says, “the

music [Loyd] writes seems to open up doors to creativity and new ideas. I feel like grabbing my guitar no matter where I am and writing songs.”

One of Loyd's bands, The Country Westernaires, performs shows and large festivals several times a year. They are recognized and renowned locally in New Jersey and Pennsylvania in their modern country/bluegrass genre.

Another side project of his, The Electrosonix Trio, also performs locally regularly in Hunterdon County. Loyd has become well known and respected among local musicians.

Tyler Brungardt, one of Loyd's longtime friends, said, “I've never been so inspired by a musician. His passion for performing is just palpable. I want to be right on stage with him.”

In addition to his musical career, Loyd has spent the past 35 years in education. For the last 26 years, Loyd has been teaching at Hunterdon Learning Center, relying on music to form bonds that facilitate education with special needs.

Toby Ray Loyd always felt a strong pull towards music.

“I remember watching The Beatles debut when I was five on the Ed Sullivan Show. I could barely hear the music over all the girls screaming. That's when I knew I wanted to do this”, Loyd says.

Drawn especially to the rhythm of the drums, Loyd imitated playing by crafting a drum set of his own. Using Lincoln Logs as drum sticks, he would bang on wooden crates for drums and use the tops of tin cans for symbols. He along with friends would hold neighborhood shows in which they imitated playing popular songs.

After getting his first drum set, Loyd would practice drumming for hours each day after school. “My goal was to become the world's greatest drummer”, Loyd says.

In middle school, Loyd began to be recruited by high school bands. They began playing local dances and recitals where Loyd's passion for performing grew. His band would also play every Battle of the Bands, winning all but once.

In his senior year of high school, Loyd opted into an independent study program in lieu of the no

rmal curriculum. His individualized program allowed him to write, record and market his own LP record. Loyd would spend over six hours each day alone in a practice room.

After months of writing and recording, he released his own record at 17. Although originally only 120 copies were made, he sold all of them and was able to completely finance the project himself in addition to playing small concerts in support of the release.

Later studying at Bloomsburg State College to get a musical degree, he dedicated his life to performing. Becoming somewhat of a campus rockstar, he continued to play shows almost nightly, even taking on a manager.

Although he originally planned on getting a degree in music, he was persuaded to pursue a teaching degree by his mother.

For many years after college, Loyd attempted to make a living solely off of playing original music. He would play solo shows in addition to shows with his many bands but was unable at the time to reproduce the success he found earlier.

Falling back on his teaching degree, he went on to teach at an alternative school for children with special needs.

Using his musical talents, he connected with students who had extreme difficulties. These bonds allowed Loyd to reach children who had otherwise been abandoned. He was able to teach students who had normally been resistant to traditional forms of education.

Even though his focus turned to education, Loyd continues to live a double life as a rockstar undaunted. Music is still a major part of his life.

RVCC Music Faculty Recital Awes Audience

Roaring applause concluded Raritan Valley Community College's annual music faculty recital on February 27^th.

About 50 people filled the Welpe Theatre as most of the music faculty performed live for the community.

The Visual and Performing Arts Department hosts several performances each semester. Most feature student performances. But according to Tony Strong, organizer of most events, it is important for the instructors to perform to establish and keep an intimate relationship with students and the community.

Strong said that RVCC students should know, “our programs are very rigorous and they can have confidence to study with great faculty and probably get a very good foundation for continuing education at conservatories or four year schools.”

The performers played music styles from classical to jazz and incorporated many instruments. Though most pieces were improvisations, it seemed as if everyone on stage had been playing together for years.

Strong opened the concert with a prelude by Bach. John Schiel followed playing a solo piano sonata by the Romantic era composer Franz Schubert.

Larry Barbee, John Loehrke, and Steve Hudson then took the stage for an ensemble performance of an original piece by Barbee. The former laid out a warming progression on guitar. Loehrke and Hudson joined in with bass and piano, respectively.

Barbee began a round of improvisations with a flurry of notes from his guitar. Hudson took over with a melodic solo of his own. Everyone in the audience responded with cheers.

All remained on the stage to play a piece written by Hudson. His song blended multiple music styles.

Margaret Nelson then played into the intermission with “Toccata” by the Russian composer Khachaturian.

Michael Eckhart performed a solo after the intermission. His original composition consisted of the use of synthesizers to create the semblance of a multi-instrument piece.

To honor the 200^th anniversary of German composer Robert Schumann, Strong played two of his pieces. The solo piano performance left the audience in awe.

Loehrke, Barbee, and Hudson took the stage together again to end the concert with an ensemble act. The group performed “Alone Together”, a song from a 1930's broadway play and a staple of jazz. All of the audience was standing and applauding the musicians at the end.

VAPA hopes to encourage more students to become both aware and involved with the arts program at RVCC.

Those interested in seeing hosted events should visit the Visual and Performing Arts page on the RVCC website.

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