50 for 50 Photo Project

Monmouth Arts, along with Photographer Paul Barretta, created a 50 for 50 Photo Project of environmental portraits of fifty individuals who represent the Monmouth County arts community. Each individual subject featured was selected baruse they are influential in moving our County toward a more inspired, inclusive, and creative arts comunity.

About the Photographer

Paul G. Barretta has a Ph.D. in Marketing from The University of Texas – Pan American, now UTRGV. He began taking photography seriously in 2014 and has a particular interest in commercial photography, combining the art of photography with the theory of marketing, as well as environmental portraits and music photography. He is currently an Associate Professor of Marketing at the Nicolais School of Business at Wagner College in Staten Island, NY. Prior to academia, he had a corporate career spanning about 25 years, mostly in the music media & entertainment industry. Click here to visit his website.

The Asbury Park Dance Festival was founded in 2019 by VJ Carbone, Michelle Fleet, Laura Halzack, and Michael Trusnovec. The team shares a passion for dance and a mutual appreciation for all art forms. The festival’s mission is to present dance and raise funds for arts education advocacy through a partnership with the nonprofit Arts Ed NJ.

Joe Barris is the Monmouth County Director of the Department of Planning and Economic Development. He is a founding member of the Freehold Borough Arts Council and former board member and President of Monmouth Arts. His work at the County has led to the arts being incorporated into the County’s Comprehensive Master Plan.

Alice Berman taught music for nearly 20 years. Following her teaching career, she moved into the nonprofit arts community as the Executive Director of the Monmouth Conservatory of Music. She has served as Board President of Monmouth Arts and the Jewish Heritage Museum of Monmouth County; she remains active with the Museum’s endowment gift program.

Tom Bernard is Co-President and Co-Founder of Sony Pictures Classics. Over the span of his career, he has released films that have won 41 Academy Awards® (37 of those at Sony Pictures Classics). Tom, a two-time Monmouth Arts honoree for his dedication to the arts, is the New Jersey State Film Commissioner and a member of the Count Basie Theatre Board.

Heather Brown Cadalzo is the co-owner of Inspired Minds Fine Art School. A graduate of the School of Visual Arts, her portrait paintings have been commissioned for numerous private collections. Her work has been shown in many galleries and has won numerous awards, including from Monmouth Arts in 2019 for her work as an Arts Education Advocate.

April Centrone and Kira Sanz are the co-founders of 10PRL, a modern event and studio space in Long Branch that supports unique, diverse organizations and individual voices. April is a multi-instrumentalist and teacher and the co-founder of the New York Arabic Orchestra, non-profit organization specializing in the performance and education of Arabic music.

Gabriel Chajnik and the Axelrod Contemporary Ballet Theatre (AXCBT) are working together to bring professional ballet to the Jersey Shore. Gabriel, a dancer and renowned choreographer and director, stepped into the role of Artistic Director for the Axelrod Contemporary Ballet Theater. Monmouth Arts honored Gabriel in 2021 with the Artistic Achievement Award.

Jennifer Chauhan is an entrepreneur, writer, and educator. A former journalist and public school teacher, she is co-founder and executive director of Project Write Now, a nonprofit transforming individuals, organizations, and communities through writing. Her passion is giving people of all ages and backgrounds supportive spaces to write and share their stories.

Kate Cordaro has served as Two River Theater’s Director of Education since 2004, building their education department from the ground up. Under her guidance, TRT has become an artistic home for thousands of students. In a past life, Kate was an actor whose favorite roles include Lady Anne in Richard III and Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors.

Jason Dermer is the owner of Asbury Audio, which provides audio, lighting, and staging, as well as technical and production crews for concerts and events in the Northeast. Jason is a board member of the Chapin Foundation.

Kathy Donnelly, the owner of Beauregard Fine Art Gallery in Rumson, is an avid supporter of the arts and a former Board President of Monmouth Arts. Following a career in finance, Kathy’s love for art led her to open Beauregard in 2001. She is passionate about pairing clients with art, and she enjoys representing artists of different styles and in different phases of their careers.

Tim Donnelly is the founding partner of Sea.Hear.Now. He is also a founding partner of Between the Sets, a production company based in Asbury Park. He worked as the producer for the Asbury Park Music + Film Festival, Cold War Surf Contest, and the legendary Asbury Park Holiday Tree Lighting. Tim lives, works, and surfs in Asbury Park.

Paul Elyseev is the co-founder of Hot Sand glass blowing studio in Asbury Park. He received a BFA in Glass and Sculpture from Jacksonville University, later spending a year as a glass apprentice for Master Erwin Eisch — Eisch Factory in Germany. Paul's other full-time job is as a project manager for LevelLine Build & Renovations.

Bruce Gallipani is the Founder and Executive Director of Rockit! Live Foundation and Academy. A drummer who’s had his own touring career, he believes in rock and roll, and that it offers much-needed positive reinforcement and social well-being for today’s youth. He received the 2019 Arts Organization Leader Award from Monmouth Arts.

James Grausam, the Managing Artistic Director of Phoenix Productions, started his venture with the Red Bank community theatre in 1999. Since then, he has served many roles for the organization – from costumes, to choreographing and directing. He has helped shepard many productions to the stage for the Phoenix and continues to direct and perform as time allows.

Jeremy Grunin is actively engaged throughout the community as President of the Grunin Foundation, a proactive grantmaker focused on economic growth at the Central Jersey Shore. Jeremy is also a Partner of Grunin Holdings, LLC; prior to that, he was a leader in the private sector for over 15 years and the host of several talk radio shows on both AM and FM radio.

Jenn Hampton is an arts and experience curator. She is part owner, co-director, and curator of Parlor Gallery in Asbury Park, as well as the curator and creator of the Wooden Walls Public Art Project on the Asbury Park Boardwalk. Jenn was one of the founding creatives behind the Original Asbury Lanes, which helped make Asbury Park the arts destination it is today.

Brittany James lives and works in Asbury Park. Her oil paintings are of surreal images depicting the relationships between women, nature, and society. Brittany is also a teacher, both at Inspired Minds Fine Art School and art629 Gallery in Asbury Park, where she runs an open studio for local artists, and curates local art exhibitions.

Tina Kerekes is a master sewer, art teacher, fashion mentor, and gallery manager with a background in fashion design and merchandising. You can usually find her at the Transparent Clinch Gallery in Asbury Park, which she manages and curates with mid-century modern furniture.

Jill Kerwick is an award-winning artist who has had many solo exhibitions, at such venues as the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia and Beauregard Fine Art in Rumson. Jill is interested in a heightened sense of awareness that involves humor and mystery. She is a painter and makes photo collages with her farm animals and the beaches of Costa Rica.

Craig Kiely worked for many of the best event décor artists in New York before starting his own company, Craig Kiely Designs, in 2003. Craig’s creative influences span over 20 years, having worked in Australia, Germany, South America, and throughout North America. He has a long list of loyal and exclusive clients who value him for his talents and silent charisma.

Jon Leidersdorff opened Lakehouse Music in 2013 in Asbury Park. He operates both Lakehouse Recording Studios and Lakehouse Music Academy, a progressive private music school for all ages that combines individual lessons, group rehearsals, and live performances at world-famous music venues. Lakehouse expanded in 2021 with a location in Red Bank.

David Levy is an artist and an award-winning teacher of students of all ages and abilities. Since 2013, David has been involved with the Guild of Creative Art in Shrewsbury, where he has served as President and Co-President, and where he created an educational program that he adapted to serve the needs of individuals with developmental, physical, and learning disabilities.

Jess Levy, founding CEO of the Axelrod Performing Arts Center (PAC), has been producing concerts, theater, festivals, and major national programs throughout the region for the past 30 years. Under his leadership, the Axelrod PAC has expanded with the creation of the Axelrod Contemporary Ballet Theater and the Axelrod Academy.

Holly Lyttle, a philanthropist and a former President of Monmouth Arts, believes the arts are vital to the health of any community. She has served on the boards of many charities and chaired the boards of the Junior League of Monmouth County and Family and Children’s Services. Now retired from her career in consulting, Holly is enjoying plays, concerts and other arts events.

Ellen Martin was born on the Museum Mile of Manhattan, but she became an artist after moving to New Jersey. Ellen is an artists' advocate, having created the Jersey Artist Registry, the NO Starving Artists Auction, and a marketing course for artists. She is currently the curator of the Oyster Point Hotel in Red Bank, where she develops exhibits and manages an artist in residence program.

Caroline O'Toole has been the General Manager of The Stone Pony since 2003, helping to secure the legendary venue’s place in music history. During her time, countless national and local artists have taken to the famous stage, and The Stone Pony’s Summer Stage has expanded to become an integral part of the Asbury Park summer scene.

Vaune Peck’s career spans more than 35 years in arts administration and most notably, as the founding Director of Monmouth University’s Center for the Arts, which presents over 150 events annually. Her own artistic and creative abilities as a painter and sculptor aid in her understanding of what artists need to confidently perform or exhibit their work at the University.

Katie Pellegrino has worked extensively as a makeup artist for more than 20 years. Early in her career she partnered with cosmetic brands, creating striking looks for ad campaigns. She has gone on to create looks for celebrity clients, advertising, Broadway shows, feature films, and music videos. She was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Makeup.

Dr. Carol Penn began her lifelong love affair with the arts when she won for dance and choreography at the first Monmouth Arts Teen Arts Festival. Her talents led her to teaching and professional dancing. In 2007 Carol graduated from Rowan School of Osteopathic Medicine and is the Founder of Penn Global Medical Group and Core of Fire, a women’s dance ensemble.

Joede Persson is the studio director of Dance Plus in Little Silver. As a professional dancer, she has performed with many dancers and choreographers. Her original choreography and her direction have resulted in many of her students being featured on Broadway, stage, and screen. In 2014 Joede was honored by Monmouth Arts for her dedication to education and community.

Adam Philipson is the CEO and President of the Count Basie Center for the Arts, where he has rebranded the Basie to feature its education and outreach activities. Adam has been at the helm of the Basie’s campaign to create a full city block arts campus in Red Bank, including the Grunin Arts Education Building and a new multi-purpose venue, The Vogel.

Chris Pinella performs locally, nationally, and internationally with major symphony orchestras and leads his own combos of 8 to 15 players. He lent his finely honed skills to the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Chris was the recipient of Monmouth Arts’ Artistic Achievement Award in 2021, and he is currently gearing up for a 14-date holiday tour in December.

Porkchop is a multi-disciplinary artist who has established a great presence through his magnificently scaled murals, including those along the Asbury Park Boardwalk. Porkchop’s mixed-media paintings and sculptures combine vintage images with darker scenarios and twisted iconography. He has exhibited throughout the United States and Europe.

Judy Raybon has been an art educator for more than 20 years, spending much of that time working with at-risk populations, including in her current role at Collier High School. Prior to teaching Judy was a textile designer. Her dedication to arts education has led her to teach people with dementia, those experiencing homelessness, and individuals with autism.

Lynn Reich, a lifelong resident of Monmouth County and Freehold, was an art teacher for 37 years. She is very active in the community, having served on the Freehold Borough Council, numerous County Commissions, and the YMCA. She stays involved with the arts through her work with Center Players and the Monmouth Arts Board of Trustees.

Victoria Reis is a curator and arts organizer. In 2017 she expanded Transformer, her nonprofit visual arts organization based in Washington, DC, to include Siren Arts, an Asbury Park summer residency program for emerging visual artists working within the performance art discipline, which just completed its seventh season. Victoria is a Monmouth Art board member.

Remember Jones is a one-of-a-kind soul/pop singer, storyteller, and bandleader who evokes the authentic energy of the greatest frontmen and women. His original music, high-energy staging, and theatrical events have played to sold-out clubs and theaters throughout the United States. He received Monmouth Arts’ Artistic Achievement Award in 2020.

Gilda Rogers is a director and producer, a playwright, a professor of history, an award-winning journalist, and the author of three books; her most recent is Out of the Ashes Came Hope. As Co-Chair of the T. Thomas Fortune Foundation Board, she led the grassroots organization to save and preserve the T. Thomas Fortune House, a national historical landmark in Red Bank.

Kim Roberts-Honecker is Past Chair of Monmouth Arts and a supporter of many community organizations. She studied art and worked in design and product development before teaching art for 15 years. Today she is focused on creating her own works of art; she is also Executive Producer of The Family Crime Cast, a podcast featuring her husband Bob and daughter Mariah.

Gerald Romano has been a music educator for over 35 years, having recently retired as the Director of Bands at Monmouth Regional High School. He performs with many groups in the Tri-State area, including Total Soul and the Garden State Jazz Orchestra. He is a recipient of the Outstanding Educators in Visual and Performing Arts Award from Monmouth Arts.

Marilyn Schlossbach is an entrepreneur, mother, and active citizen spearheading social and environmental initiatives. Her passion for travel, the arts, and the ocean have created a unique culture of elevated vacation cuisine for her restaurants, venues, and projects. Marilyn’s community-driven work is focused on helping underserved communities flourish.

Kenny Schwartz, the Founder of Detour Gallery in Red Bank, has been collecting art for 50 years. He lives in Red Bank and divides his time between his affinity for art and his many entrepreneurial interests; he founded World Auto Group 40 years ago and, more recently, McDonaghs Pub, Old Glory Kitchen, and Chill Food & Booze in Keyport.

Carol Stillwell is the Owner and President of Stillwell-Hansen, Inc. In addition to leading a very successful company, Carol has devoted her life to many philanthropic causes in a heartfelt mission to improve the lives of others, particularly underserved children and families. She is proud to serve on the Board of Trustees for many area organizations.

Dr. David Stout is the President of Brookdale Community College and Board Chair of Monmouth Arts. As Brookdale President, he works to develop programs that enrich the lives of students and address the needs of Monmouth County residents. The College is home to the Brookdale Performing Arts Center, RockIt Academy, Garden State Film Festival, and Monmouth Museum.

Charles Trott spent over 25 years as a visual art educator in public schools. He is the creator of D.I.A. (Diasporic Images of Africa) a series of visual art and digital slideshows that depict Africa's contributions and connections to the cultures and countries around the world. He is on the Advisory Committee of the Asbury Park African American Music Project.

Fredi Walker-Browne is best known for creating the role of JoAnne Jefferson in the Pulitzer Prize winning musical Rent. Most recently, she directed a sold out production of The Color Purple, appears as “Ghost” in HBO’s Search Party and “Shay” in Showtime’s Emmy Award winning series The Big C. Fredi is proud to be the voice of the Wicked campaign.

Gedney Webb has been working in the music side of the film industry for more than 30 years, collaborating with top Hollywood talents, including Ron Howard, Robert De Niro, Wes Anderson, Adrian Lyne, Lasse Hallstrom, and Ang Lee. Gedney has been a film festival judge for FilmOneFest in Atlantic Highlands for more than a decade.

Mil Wexler’s study of painting and ceramics has taken her to New York, Amsterdam, and Israel. She currently teaches painting, drawing, and ceramics in her studio in Colts Neck as well as sculpting at Brookdale Community College. Mil engages artists and students in creating pottery bowls for the Empty Bowls project, which sells pottery bowls to help those with food insecurity.

Yoni Zilber, a world-renowned tattoo artist fluent in a wide range of artistic styles, owns and operates Watermark Studio, a private studio in Atlantic Highlands. He is one of only a few tattoo artists in the world who specialize in the Tibetan style; Yoni incorporates the sensitive line expression, rich compositions, and simplicity of Tibetan art into his drawings and tattoos.