SOUNDS​

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The art exhibit “Sounds” mirrors Axelrod’s performance of Beautiful The Carole King Musical and Rock of Ages. In these two musicals, themes of  love and music intertwine.  “Sounds” highlights 6 artists, all are showcasing their interpretation of music. The exhibit runs through August 2025, with an opening reception on March 14. 

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“Sounds” has an interactive technology feature, realistic watercolor portraits by various artists, a pastel portrait, and eclectic mixed media art. Art Director Randye Krupnick has orchestrated this exhibit to combine music and sound in such a way that the viewer feels like they've heard a musical performance.

Native of Long Branch, Dylan Smith has exhibited in Palm Springs, Los Angeles, and Palm Beach. Transitioning from the fluid movements of a professional dancer and choreographer to a maestro of the visual arts, Smith revels in the uncharted realms of artistic exploration, inviting the world to witness the evolution of his craft. At the opening of “Sounds”  on March 14,  Dylan has planned an eclectic dance performance by Olivia Miranda as she emerges from the subject of his painting onto the floor of the gallery. Using mixed media, Dylan also incorporates music in some of his other paintings. For example, his original concept of “Cassetta Disco” is a nod to the 1990s and the ever -popular CD or compact disc. This interactive work contains secret messages in each case, allowing the viewer to interact with the art.  

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Mike Richison’s installation "Chorus Line" is an interactive video art project that invites you to remix the songs of Beautiful The Carole King Musical and Rock of Ages. This unique experience is comprised of four interactive stations. Keys on custom keyboards correspond to the various musical numbers in both productions. The chorus of the songs are split into smaller pieces, and one can rearrange them as they would like. For example, "Wanted Dead or Alive" by New Jersey’s very own Bon Jovi can be combined with Twisted Sister’s “I Wanna Rock," Pat Benetar’s “Hit Me with Your Best Shot,” Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” and David Lee Roth’s “Paradise." The result could be a mashup with the lyrics “I wanted your best rock,” or “This must be me just living with sugar.” The possibilities are endless. Mike is a multimedia artist and an Associate Professor at Monmouth University, where he teaches motion graphics. He employs a variety of approaches to his creation of art, including sculpture, graphic design, and interactive video. His work utilizes found objects, such as turntables,  mock and creative counting booths, and scavenged video clips as well as the Max MSP Jitter programming environment. Mike has exhibited at Autonomous Cultural Centre Medika (Zagreb, Croatia); Figment NYC and Art in Odd Places (New York); and Peters Valley School of Craft and Morris Museum (New Jersey). His projects have received attention in outlets such as Leonardo, VICE, FACT Magazine, Hyperallergic, WABC-TV Channel 7 News New York, and The Washington Post. 

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Artist and former faculty at the Fashion Institute  of Technology, Randy Mayer, expresses her view of music in a way that represents herself. Painting in  watercolor, Randy creates very realistic scenes of New York City with a musical twist.  Additional portraits of various musicians are also included in this exhibit.

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Lori Weisenfeld’s pastel depiction of her grandson, “Kieran Rocks,” welcomes you into the gallery. Using color, she explores the play of light, shadow, and texture. She enjoys the interplay of warms and cools, the contrast of complementary colors, the surprising colors that make skin look alive, and discovers the amazing array of colors in whites. 
 
Robert Stetz paints in watercolor. His two paintings of musicians are so realistic, the viewer can understand the type of music that the subject is performing. In his painting titled “Zydeco,” Robert actually incorporates sounds to accompany the subject.

 

Mike Scherfen also utilizes watercolor to interpret two musicians he met during his travels. During painting, Mike focuses in the details of the subject matter: the deep wrinkles in a weathered face or the distinctive shape of an expressive mouth.