First show of 2003 draws 40 to gallery.
By: Al Wicklund
The talent of the members of Watercolorists Unlimited made it a successful start to the year for the Central Jersey artists group and for Cranbury’s Gourgaud Gallery.
Lisa Walsh of Cranbury, a Watercolorist artist and a member of the township’s Arts Review Committee, said the show, consisting of 20 watercolor paintings with the theme of Red, White and Blue, enjoyed a first weekend which went well.
"We had 40 people there on opening night, Jan. 3. On Sunday, usually a difficult day for local art shows, we were pleasantly surprised by a turnout of 17," Ms. Walsh said.
She also reported that two of the artworks were sold.
She said one of the pluses of an art show as done by Watercolorists Unlimited is that people deal directly with the artist; there’s no middleman and the artist usually is available to discuss the painting.
Ms. Walsh said the Arts Review Committee is working toward an exhibit a month, bringing different artists working in a variety of mediums to the Gourgaud Gallery.
Bob Virgadamo, chairman of the Arts Review Committee, said a goal could be a first Friday program each month.
"We would like to start each month with a Friday evening reception for the artists. This could be expanded to second and third Friday events featuring music, poetry reading or some other aspect of the arts. It also could be expanded to include other parts of the community," Mr. Virgadamo said, suggesting that the ideas are unbounded.
He said the Gourgaud Gallery was created when the old school building was renovated in 1973. It housed its first show in December of 1976. It enjoyed a period of great activity before going into a period of disuse in the 1990s.
Mr. Virgadamo said the gallery’s comeback was started when the old school was renovated into the Town Hall in 2000 and 2001.
He said a show was in the gallery a year ago and the committee is now searching for artists for a full schedule of shows.
Mr. Virgadamo also said his seven-member committee lost a member and is seeking a replacement. He said interested persons should write a letter with their qualifications and send it to: Township Administrator Fred Carr, 23A N. Main St., Cranbury N.J. 08512.
Peggy Cunningham of East Windsor, a charter member of the 16-year-old Watercolorists group, said the Watercolorists meet monthly, rotating the meetings among members’ homes.
"We have few rules, but one is to limit the membership to about 20 to permit us to continue meeting in homes," she said.
Bernice Fatto of Millstone said the group selects a theme each month.
"Then, we go home, work independently on our paintings and bring them to the next meeting to be critiqued," she said.
Ms. Walsh said she has been a member of the group for about three years.
"There isn’t a great turnover in our membership. I believe we all enjoy working with watercolor and particularly enjoy discussing the paintings," she said.
Ms. Fatto and Ms Cunningham are two of 10 original members still with the group. The others are Beth Donovan, Miriam Friend, Virginia Hopkins, Harriet Kaftanic, Joan Quackenbush, Wilma Shimer, Janet Singley and Virginia Swanagan.
Ms. Cunningham said many of the members are residents of the Princeton and Montgomery area, but others live in Hightstown and Plainsboro to Hillsborough.
Ms. Fatto said Watercolorists Unlimited is involved in art shows year-round and has shows coming at the Medical Center at Princeton, a benefit show in March, the Triumph Brewery in Princeton in March, and a major show in the Canal House at Griggstown in April.
The show in the Gourgaud Gallery is scheduled to run through Jan. 31. The gallery is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

