We went to the ARTYARD and almost didn't come back!

On Friday Mr. Ruppert and I paid a visit to the ARTYARD in Frenchtown. This place is amazing! Jill Kearney, Founder and

Executive director was on hand to show us around and describe her vision and some of the reasons for developing these spaces.

Currently, they occupy the the building at 62A Trenton Ave. If you know where the "Lovin' Oven" is then you have found them. This space momentarily houses a large gallery, makeshift movie house they refer to as the "Film yard" and their executive offices. Eventually, the space will be a creative maker space, but only after they finish renovations on the permanent gallery space located in the old Hatchery Building on Front St.

Their mission is to "serve as an incubator for creative expression." They want to foster collaborative efforts and reveal the transformational power of art. Check out this video and see what they are talking about.

Their current exhibition "Bedlam and Balance" Curated by Magda Gonzalez-Mora. Showcases eight female artist from various continents. The show is powerful and "draws attention to the struggles of individuals to find their own balance, rebuild after the earth has shifted, or forge a new path through uncertain terrain. The drawings, installations, objects, poems, sculptures and videos in this exhibition weave together personal and collective narratives that revisit the past, scavenge the present and suggest shrewd, hopeful and vulnerable approaches to the road ahead." As we walk through the space the enormity of is all was overwhelming. Kearny admits she was a bit nervous to hang this show as her first but feels it has been well received by visitors and the community alike.

Go to the ARTYARD.... you may be surprised at what you find.