ALLENTOWN — Speaking about the art she creates, Allentown resident Andree Lisette Herz said, “My work expresses my love of nature. I use color, texture and patterns to produce the emotional response I am looking for… .”
Herz is presenting her work in alcohol ink and fiber at an exhibit titled “The Nature of Things” at the Art Alliance of Monmouth County gallery, 33 Monmouth St., Red Bank, now through Aug. 27. Gallery hours are noon to 4 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 2-9 p.m. Fridays, and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays.
Herz said she considered herself an artist at age 10 and has been known on an international level for several decades. Her favorite artist is Monet.
Asked what advice she would give to young artists, Herz said, “Go into the digital work. Animation is where the money is right now.”
The artist said she enjoys visiting the gallery in Red Bank to speak with people about art. She said about 100 people attended the opening of her exhibit and enjoyed the event.
“When we opened at the Art Alliance of Monmouth County gallery, the feedback was very good,” Herz said. “It was a great experience to talk to the other artists. This is a new medium, alcohol inks. I figured out how to use it. I saw something on the Internet about using alcohol on watercolor paper and then on yupo [synthetic paper]. I discovered that I loved doing it. The colors are so incredibly vibrant.”
Herz said she enjoys speaking with people who view her work and said she likes to listen to what people have to say about a piece that she may not consider to be one of her favorites.
Herz is a member of the Allentown Art Guild, and her work is available at the Copper Frog in Allentown.
The Allentown Art Guild is planning exhibitions. For more information about the art guild, visit www.allentownartguild.org.
Karen Overbye, president of the Allentown Art Guild, praised Herz as an artist and as an individual, saying, “Her work is incredible. She is very free in portraying nature. … I think Lisette is one of the most generous people I have ever met. She is a supporter of our guild and is inspirational and supportive of other members. Now we are experimenting with alcohol inks. She owns that medium. She can make it work.”
Overbye said Herz is an excellent fiber artist who is talented with alcohol ink paintings.
“Few people know how to work with this medium,” Overbye said. “It is difficult to control. She owns this technique. She sees what is happening, never sketches it out, but always goes with the flow of the medium and builds on it. It is a very creative process.”
Ericka O’Rourke, the owner of the Copper Frog gallery and studio, said Herz has been displaying her work at the shop since it opened in October 2012. O’Rourke said Herz’s work has been collected internationally for 30 years.