Paterson Artwalk 2013 | Paterson Times Paterson Times

Paterson Artwalk 2013

By P.T.
Published: May 18, 2013

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Vendors and visitors and artists from all over New Jersey came to the Great Falls National Park on Saturday morning to attend the 5th annual Paterson Art Walk, an event organized and put-together by the Ivanhoe Artist’s Mosaic.

People began to trickle into the park as early as 8am, some assuming the festival would start at 9am, others, mostly vendors, wanting to setup as quickly as possible to out do their competitors. One vendor, who was frustrated at the slow start of the event, began asking other attendees about where to setup shop; after receiving conflicting information, she packed up and left.

It later appeared that in some advertisements and information postings of the event misleadingly stated the event started at 9am and ended at 9pm — a posting on the website of Ivanhoe Artists stated the event lasted from 9-to-9. The incorrect information was corrected in subsequent postings and ads, however the damage had been done.

Excluding that one vendor who left out of a mixture of anger, frustration, and confusion, others slowly began setting up their stands with overhead parasols to protect against the inevitable rain forecast.

David Dezuzio, a vendor and professional pinstriper who spent more than 30 years practicing his trade in Paterson, and later opened up a business in Garfield while living in Paramus, set up his stand with a large gallery of his past works that included decorating race cars with custom graphic as well as designing signs. Mr Dezuzio boasted of decorating Jack Black’s vehicle in the film “School of Rock.”

Kathleen Still, another vendor, of Roseland, had a collection of many different types of scarves on her stand including infinity scarves, ruffled scarves, all handmade in different colors, ready for sale.

Many other vendors similarly setup shop, while Ian Grinyer, of the Ivanhoe Artists, laid out an impressive collection of art works, mostly depicting local landmarks, painted by local artists; one such painting limned a large full moon in the sky drenching the Great Falls in moonlight while electrical lights inside the nearby electrical generation building glowing in artificial light, showcasing the technological beauty of men-made invention as well as the majestic beauty of nature.

David Wilson, the author of “Jews of Paterson”, and Murray Weinstock, a musician, — he produced Tails of the City — both of whom attended East Side High School in the 1960s, attended the event and went on the 100th anniversary tour of the silk strike. Both came from New York.

Christine Conforti, of the Ivanhoe Artist Mosaic, and one of the main organizers, expressed great satisfaction at being able to hold the event without funding from the city — the Christie administration made much fuss about the city funding pantomimes issuing an warning to Paterson through the Department of Community Affairs.

At around 1pm, just when the event was set to peak, it rained.


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