By: Follow South Jersey Staff
DEPTFORD TOWNSHIP, N.J. – Rowan College of South Jersey (RCSJ) is hosting its winter art exhibit, Skin Deep, which celebrates the artwork created by tattoo artists from the South Jersey area and is inspired by the art of tattooing.
From now through Friday, March 10, the exhibit will feature artwork created by Philadelphia-based artist, Deborah Morris Zakheim and tattoo artists from the surrounding South Jersey and Philadelphia areas. The exhibit is being held in the Dr. Ross Beitzel Art Gallery located in the Eugene J. McCaffrey College Center on RCSJ’s Gloucester campus.
The Main Gallery will feature the collective work of local tattoo artists, artists working on obtaining a tattoo apprenticeship, or those who have been influenced by the art of tattoos. This exhibit was created with the hope of bringing more awareness to the creative talents of tattoo artists. Many of these individuals have artistic backgrounds including bachelor’s degrees in fine arts or have previously worked as fine artists before picking up a tattoo machine.
The artists spotlighted in this space, along with Zakheim, include Danielle Cartier, Robb Chambers, Melissa Conley, Milja Dann, Ashley Evans, Essence Hampton, plus more.
The Upper Mezzanine Gallery will showcase Zakheim’s work which boasts a series of portraits featuring tattooed individuals. Her paintings are inspired by women who collect artwork as lines of ink and areas of color under their skin.
“My paintings are storytelling of the psychological sort,” Zakheim stated in a press release from RCSJ. “They are not fixed stories; every detail is exacting of real consequence, but for the viewer to complete with their own eyes.”
“I’ve always wanted to create work that is about the people that surround me and tell their stories,” she continued. “I never wanted to just paint a painting – I want to tell a story.”
On Monday, February 13, at 1 p.m., Zakheim will also be featured for an artist talk at the gallery. There she will discuss the intricacies and thought processes that go into her work.
Attendees will discover “why I’ve chosen to paint these paintings of women with their tattoos and their significance and what it means in today’s culture,” Zakheim, who also loves cooking and spending time with her grandchildren, stated. “They’ll also learn how I paint, how I find my subjects, and how I paint them.”
The Skin Deep art exhibit is open to the public and no registration is required. Both exhibits run until March 10. Operating hours at the Dr. Ross Beitzel Art Gallery are Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. No appointment necessary and there is no cost to attend the gallery.
For more information contact Erika Gardner at egardner@rcsj.edu or call 856-415-2122.
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