BY CLARE MARIE CELANO
Staff Writer
Art instructor Elaine Smith presents awards to Judy MacLachlan (l) for her work “Earth’s Bounty” and to Steven Lindenbaum for his work “Rum and Coke” during an art show at the Freehold Public Library. FREEHOLD – Give a child some art supplies, send him off to Elaine Smith and watch what happens.
Smith has passed down her skill, knowledge and passion for art to hundreds of students during her 25-year career in the arts.
Each year Smith’s students from the Around the Corner Art Center, Freehold Township, get a chance to put their work on display at the Freehold Public Library, Main Street. Smith takes care of the prize ribbons and the art center provides prizes.
The borough library recently hosted the students’ art work. Work done in watercolors, oil, colored pencil, acrylics and mixed media were on display. There were works depicting islands, oceans, seascapes and other water scenes, as well as animals, humans, flowers and plant life.
PHOTOS BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Steven Lindenbaum, 17, of Marlboro, won Best in Teen Show honors for his work “Rum & Coke.” His mixed media drawing was done in colored pencil and Gold Leaf, a sparkly material which Lindenbaum said is difficult to work with.
Lindenbaum is a senior at Marlboro High School who has been taking lessons with Smith for five years. He said he has been drawing since he was young and hopes to pursue a career in art therapy, following in the footsteps of his art teacher.
Judy MacLachlan of Manalapan won Best in Show honors for her work depicting vegetables and fruit, “Earth’s Bounty.”
Other works included a beautiful ballerina done in pencil by Samantha Sharma, 13, of Freehold Township, who received the Judge’s Award for her piece in the Teens Pencil category.
Kim Clayton, 18, of Freehold Township, won a first-prize award for “Cruise to Paradise” in Teens Colored Pencil – General. Clayton, a high school senior, drew the work in colored pencil and depicted clear blue water, swaying palm trees, beautiful tropical flowers and graceful white swans overlooking the scene.
Dan Weinshenker, 14, of Manalapan, has been taking lessons with Smith for seven years. This year his “Lady in High Hat” captured third prize in the Teens Pastel category. Weinshenker, a Marlboro High School freshman, based his work on a photo taken by his mom.
Smith noted that the entries are not judged by her.
She has been bringing children and adults into the world of art for more than 25 years. She enjoys sharing her love of art and her passion for its place in the world with her students and it shows in her interaction with each student, in her grace and in her enthusiasm to give what she has acquired over the years to those who are willing to accept it.
Smith’s expertise spans many mediums and techniques, including caricatures, portraits, personalized cards, acrylics, watercolors, pastels and even Web site drawings. The artist also works as an art therapist and a certified hypnotherapist.
And there’s one more thing about Smith’s art show – no one goes home empty-handed. Every person who had a piece of art work exhibited took home a red, blue or purple ribbon.
That is part of Smith’s philosophy, that everyone in her art show is a winner.