Basking Ridge couple display paintings at Summit Library

The Summit Free Public Library and the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey announce “People, Places and Things,” an exhibition of paintings of wife and husband, Grace and Michael Zambelli in THE GALLERY at the Summit Free Public Library, December 1, 2013 through January 31, 2014. Grace and Michael work in unique styles; South Jersey inspires much of their subject matter.

Using acrylics on canvas, Grace captures the mood and nuances of everyday life.  The unique perspectives in her paintings invite the viewer’s involvement with her subject matter.  Because of her compositions, the viewer may share the viewpoint of an object on the table, another person in the room, or a spectator peering over a ledge. Grace is a New Jersey Licensed Psychologist and an Art Therapist who has keen interest in art, psychology and helping others. 

Michael’s paintings capture the emotional aspects of abandoned or overlooked objects, with a focus on old vehicles, products and structures. “The way the sun hits it, the way the rust transforms it or the way its beauty and personality goes unnoticed are what attracts me to a particular subject matter.”  His primary objective is to capture the emotional aspects of these artifacts.  Most of his images emphasize the play of light and shadow that help define the object’s form and convey the mystery, history or the sense of sadness that is often missed by the casual observer.  His high school fascination with designing automobiles led him to a career in industrial design.  Throughout his 35 plus years of designing products, everything from telephones for AT&T to plumbing fixtures for American Standard, he always maintained his interest in the fine arts.