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LAMBERTVILLE: Hunt is closing Coryell Gallery

By John Tredrea, Special Writer
   LAMBERTVILLE — For 31 years, The Coryell Gallery has been a mainstay of Lambertville’s thriving art scene.
   Now, Jean Marsh Hunt, director of the gallery since it opened, has decided to close the place.
   ”It has a lot to do with the economy,” Ms. Hunt said last week. “Paintings aren’t selling like they used to. Being here has been wonderful. I’ve had many interesting shows.
   ”One of the first was a memorial show for Louis Bosa, a very well-known painter who died in 1981. He came to America from Italy to study at the Art Student League in New York City. He taught there for many years . . . he taught with my uncle, Reginald Marsh, who was also a painter.”
   The Coryell Gallery is located in a wonderfully picturesque location, at the Porkyard at 8 Coryell St. The Porkyard is a renovated sausage factory, down an alleyway and alongside the Delaware & Raritan Canal.
   ”I’d always wanted to run a gallery,” Ms. Hunt recalled. “Joyce Gordon and Jim Bulger started a gallery here in 1979. Jim was the owner of the Porkyard. I helped them do a juried show when they were getting started.”
   In 1981, Ms. Hunt took over the gallery. “I’ve been fortunate,” she said. “I’ve enjoyed meeting so many artists — painters, sculptors, potters. Randolph Bye had two one-man shows here. He did wonderful water colors of scenes all over this area — farms, cities, a great variety of work.”
   Ms. Hunt, who lives in West Amwell, “grew up with the arts. My mother was a painter and wall engraver. My dad designed lighting fixtures and railings for architects.”
   After the gallery closes, late this month or soon after, Ms. Hunt said she is “going to take a long time off and catch up on things at home. I have plants to take care of. I may write a book about family members who have been in the arts.”
   She paused and looked around the gallery. “I was in the my 50s when I started this place. I’m going to miss it. I may look for another, smaller gallery. It’s a wonderful life, meeting artists and visitors, who come to see what the artists have done.”
   Set from 5-7 p.m. tomorrow (March 9) is a wine and cheese party at the gallery. The musical duo, Fiddlesticks, will be there, with Nancy Schill on fiddle and Charles Pellegrino on guitar. “It’s in celebration of the Historical Society’s 31st show here,” Ms. Hunt said. “It’ll be a good time for artists, business people and friends.”
   THE CURRENT show at Coryell Gallery is the 31st annual exhibition run with the Lambertville Historical Society. Sixty-nine works are on display.
   This year, the watercolor painting, “Yesterdays,” by Joanna Krasnansky, has been selected by the society to be raffled at $5 a ticket. Proceeds from the raffle will benefit the Historical Society.
   The drawing will take place at 4 p.m. on March 17. Tickets are available at the gallery and from members of the society.
   Visitors also may vote for their favorite painting in the show. The artist who wins the most votes will receive an honorarium of $25 from the Historical Society.
   Among the artists exhibiting are: Robert Allen, Sal Asaro, Joanne Augustine, Ed Baumlin, Robert Beck, Albert L. Bross Jr., Michael Budden, Dot Bunn, Larry Chestnut, Tom Chesar, Jeanne Dobie, Tracy Everly, Alexander Farnham, James Feehan, Alan Fetterman, Michael Filipiak, Jeff Gola, David Hahn, Richard Hoffman, Bill Jersey, Sandra Jones, Joe Kaximierzyk, Ms. Krasnansky, Richard Lennox, Jan Lipes, Scott MacNeill, Ken McIndoe, Pamela M. Miller, Jack Muessig, Jo-Ann Osnoe, Barbara Postel, Li-Hsien Chung Price, J. Stacy Rogers, Susan Roseman, Charles Ross, Robert Sakson, Beth Schoenleber, Anita Shrager, Judith Sutton, Leslie Ross Stephens, Robert Sussna, Jas Szygiel, Dean Thomas, Emily Thompson, George Thompsson, Joanne C. Turner, Annelies van Dommelen, Helena van Emmerik Finn, George Van Hook, Luiz Vilela, Janine Dunn Wade, Barbara G. Watts, Rhoda Yanow and Steve Zazenski.
   The Coryell Gallery is located opposite Finkle’s Hardware Store.
   Hours are Wednesday through Sunday, noon-5 p.m. For more information, call Ms. Hunt at 397-0804.