Heidi Gallery at JSDD Announces Its First Juried Art Show, The WAE Open

LIVINGSTON, N.J. - PrZen -- The Heidi Gallery at JSDD (jsddmetrowest.org/Heidi-gallery), 310 Eisenhower Parkway, Livingston,announces its first juried group exhibition. The WAE Open will run from October 20 to December 15, 2022 and showcases 45 works from 33 artists from New Jersey and the tri-state area. All works will be available for sale. Exhibit admission is free and the Gallery is open from 9 to 5 Monday to Friday and by appointment.

An Opening Reception will be held on Thursday, October 20, from 6 to 9pm, at which time the Exhibit's Best in Show Award winner will be announced. The Artists' Tour and Closing Reception will be held Sunday, December 11, from 2 to 5pm. Contact the Gallery at 201.341.0797 or Monica@jsdd.org to register to attend the receptions.

Diedra Harris-Kelly, MFA, who is Juror for The WAE Open, says, "It was an honor to work with the first juried show of the Heidi Gallery and juror the first-ever WAE Open. The artworks chosen for this exhibition show a variety of contemporary topics and techniques – photography, collage, ink drawings, encaustic paintings, and ceramic sculptural forms. Many works employ traditional mediums that push boundaries and reorient ways of seeing."

Harris-Kelly is an arts administrator who co-directs the Romare Bearden Foundation. She has extensive curatorial experience with photography, painting, archival prints, and contemporary art.

About The Heidi Gallery and JSDD's WAE Center

Established in 2021 as part of Jewish Service for the Developmentally Disabled (JSDD) new state-of-the-art facility, the Heidi Gallery is focused on bringing people together to experience art and arts education while fostering a fully inclusive community. The Gallery is a 2,000 square foot space with moveable walls, thus allowing for the broadest range and diversity of media.

JSDD's WAE (Wellness, Arts, Enrichment) Center is a holistic arts learning program for adults with developmental disabilities.  Dedicated to "Finding the Spark Within," WAE's focus is on the personal growth of its members. WAE believes in meeting individuals where they are and supporting them as they identify and achieve their personal goals and, by embracing these humanistic principles, WAE guides members in building a greater capacity to live a full life.