A Walk around the Art world at The Montclair Art Walk, 2014

Lilli
Photographer Claire Rosen was well represented by her mom - who baked incredible delights with a "bird" theme to match her daughter's art.
Diane Lilli
At the Essex Fine Arts Gallery, owner Diane Israel offered drinks, treats, plenty of wonderful and art and charity, courtesy of her Healthy Food drive, which local non-profit Profits for Health will donate to the Salvation Army for, in her name.
Artist Krishna Chavda traveled from Jersey City - and sold some works of art, all very humorous pieces.
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Diane Lilli
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A little art walk can go a long way. On Friday night, The Montclair Art Walk was a diverse, fun, funny, surprising and multi-sensory experience. Galleries were packed, and the spill off of happy wandering art enthusiasts also hit all the restaurants and non-participating shops too.

Throughout the downtown Montclair, it was more like a night in Soho than a night in Jersey.

Twenty-three spots featured artists, with locals and also many traveling from out-of-town to show off their creations.

Montclair Art Museum stepped up as always, offering an “early bird” tour of their hit exhibit, “From Heart to Hand: AfricanAmerican Quilts form the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts”. What a perfect exhibit for this night, and for Montclair. Every featured work of art hung like a giant tender piece of cotton, traveling from 2014 back to the days of slavery. This is a show that is stunning in both its artistic accomplishments and also journey through time.

Along the streets, from Elements Massage to The Art Garage to West Essex Fine Arts Gallery, where owner Diane Israel threw a “Healthy food drive”, partnering with non-profit Partners for Health, there was a happy buzz in the air.

At At Isaiah Hemmingway the stunning patterns of menswear also formed an artistic partnership with the art displayed, and the visitors enjoyed wine and cheese.

Inside Anthropolgie, a story I know by heart, a gorgeous woman who baked homemade exquisite deserts including bird-cookies; heart cut outs with jam cookies, cupcakes, and other treats, stood in her for her artist daughter, Claire Rosen, who had offered her bird photography that is unique, stunning and very colorful.

This art walk, supported by the Montclair Center BID is yet another reminder of how fortunate we are to live in or near such a diverse, exciting, culinary town - with free events and surprises always popping up.

As my own 12-year old daughter summed it up, “What else would you expect from Montclair? This is the arts capital of the world!”

Turns out I can save that money for a trip to Paris - with my own little night on the town, surrounded by art, laughter and great food. She may just be right!