Scholastic Art Awards South Jersey Keynote Speaker

I was asked to be the Keynote Speaker for the Scholastic Art South Jersey Jersey Awards evening to be held at Appel Farm. I am so honored to be chosen to share my story and experiences with talented young artists. I am also excited to return to Appel Farm where my art career began. It feels like everything has come full circle.

I was in the first class of the Salem County Vocational Technical School's Art Academy. During my freshman year we had the opportunity to work with International Artist, Ava Blitz, to create a permanent installation at Appel Farm. We took field trips to help carve, create molds, and pour cement to construct this work of art together. It was an amazing experience. You see the artwork below and can read more about the piece by clicking here. Later, our class also had the opportunity to work with Candy DePew on a permanent installation. We worked on sculpting the large piece at Appel Farm and it was then installed over our High School's auditorium doors.

During my speech, I plan to share my life experiences with the young art award recipients. I was also asked to provide advice for the students to encourage them into creating their own career path into the arts. I will be sure to share pictures and more about the experience with you!

Photo courtesy of Ava Blitz