Ewing Arts Commission Hosts Special Art Installation in January ‘Serendipity: the occurrence of events by chance” Proceeds to Benefit EASEL

Three young women, all born within a five-mile radius, 5 years apart, live, play, learn, grow up, eventually move away.

Sixty years later, two of the three end up living in the same neighborhood, the third, close by, are all drawn together by their love of art – together they will serve as Ewing Arts Commission’s featured artist in January at Ewing Town Hall.

About the Artists

Linda Robinson, born Benyon, attended Antheil, Fisher, and graduated from Ewing High. Met and married Carl, another lifelong Ewing native; their two daughters were also educated through Ewing’s Lore, Fisher and Ewing High School. Linda was owner of the long-time Ewing business, Not Just Stencils, on Scotch Road. Her husband also had his Ewing-based plumbing business for many years. After calling Ewing their home for over 50 years, they recently moved to Burlington County, to a 55+ community.

Ellen Wylie Smith also attended Ewing Schools as well as Trenton State College. Growing up on Federal City Road, she has many wonderful memories of playing outdoors with friends from the neighborhood and exploring the woods along the Drake Farm. Ellen and Linda reconnected while Linda was owner of Not Just Stencils and they worked together for several years painting and teaching classes. A graduate of the 1972 Ewing High School class, Ellen has been a dedicated Reunion Committeeperson for many years. She has never missed a class reunion. Many lifelong friends have been made through her ties with Ewing.

Janet Skwara McLaughlin grew up in the Prospect Heights area of Ewing, then purchased a home on the same street as her childhood home to be near her family. Eventually moving to the Mountainview section of the township with her husband, Brian, they remained until several years ago when they moved to Burlington County. While in Ewing Jan served on the Ewing Township Redevelopment Agency as well as the Zoning Board.

Fast forward to the present and these three have reconnected, compared notes, and shared MANY Ewing memories and stories together. Their love for art binds them together as well as a shared past of growing up in the same wonderful Ewing Township. Fate or Serendipity? Either way, they have come together in the halls of the Ewing Township Municipal Building. For the months of January, February, and March, the three will be exhibiting their artwork at the Ewing Township Municipal Building through the Ewing Arts Commission’s (EAC’s) Featured Artist Program. Linda and Ellen will be the Featured Artists for the month of January, with Serendipity Part 1. All three artists will have work for the February group show, with Jan returning in March as the Featured Artist for that month, with Serendipity Part 2. There will be over 50 works combined. Spectators will see watercolor, acrylic, as well as oil paintings. Most works will be available for purchase.

The artists will dedicate 10% of all sale proceeds to EASEL, Ewing’s animal shelter.

The Ewing Municipal Building is located at 2 Jake Garzio Drive, Ewing, NJ 08628. Art may be viewed when the Municipal Building is open: Monday - Friday 8:30 - 4:00 (closed from 12-1 for lunch). Please check the Ewing Arts Commission’s website and social media pages for more information about artists’ receptions for January, February, and March, as well as information about EAC’s Featured Artist Program.

About Ewing’s Featured Artist Program

The Ewing Arts Commission and Art Has No Boundaries partnered in 2018 to establish a monthly art installation on the second floor of the Ewing municipal building.