JEFF GRANIT staff At 16, East Brunswick High School junior Melinda Guo (left) is the youngest member of the Suburban Artist Guild, which this month has its largest display yet at the East Brunswick Library. Also pictured are (from right) guild secretary Allie Skislak, co-presidents P.D. Swett and Selena Palmer, and photographer Maryann Gunia. EAST BRUNSWICK — Whether using oils, watercolor, pastel, charcoal or pen, Suburban Artist Guild members have one goal in mind: to create paintings that tell a story and emotionally move the viewer.
If the painter is successful, viewers can in some small way relate to and better understand the world around them.
And, according to guild corresponding secretary Allie Skislak, anyone who visits the group’s March exhibit at the East Brunswick Public Library will find that SAG artists have, through their love of painting and drawing, already achieved their goal.
“We are a friendly and talented group,” Skislak said. “Sometimes members are reluctant to show their paintings. After encouragement from fellow artists, a sense of pride comes across when they see their artwork hanging in the exhibit.”
The March exhibit features one work each by almost 50 local artists with the guild, including a painting by East Brunswick High School junior Melinda Guo, its youngest member. Guo, already an accomplished artist, is displaying her work “The World.”
“She is such an accomplished artist, especially for such a young woman,” Skislak said of Guo. “Her work is very professional. I’m amazed. Everyone is. And the fact that she wants to belong to the guild shows how serious she is about pursuing her artwork.”
Guo said she joined the guild after seeing its event announcements in Greater Media Newspapers. She chose “The World” for the display because she felt it was interesting, and a good representation of herself.
“It’s very colorful, very vibrant,” she said. “I love using colors in my artwork.”
Among other highlights in the exhibit are:
• A portrait rendered on the computer by the guild’s newest member, Prachi Nambiar, of North Brunswick.
• “Peaceful Vision,” a painting created for the exhibit by East Brunswick’s Jack Kushnick, who has for some time been studying Chinese brush painting.
• “Dos Gardinias II,” by Betsy Larkin, of Keyport, who was inspired to complete the 3-D work by Cuban group Buena Vista Social Club.
• “Winter Tranquillity,” by Maryann Gunia, known for her pastoral scenes.
A reception for the show will be held from 2-4 p.m. Sunday at the library.
The SAG, founded in 1963, meets the second Friday of each month at 2 p.m. in the library. It has another show, its largest exhibit, through April 29 at the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Hoes Lane West, Piscataway. For more information about the guild, call (732) 238-0800.