(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- The new East Lynne Theater Company continues to recreate itself and expand boundaries by hosting the world premiere of the ongoing documentary series "Art Titans: Masters of a New Era," which now focuses on world-renown, Cape May artist Sydnei SmithJordan in "Pop Fusion and the Power of Legacy." There are two opportunities to see the documentary and view SmithJordan's work at the Clemans Theater for the Arts at the Allen AME Church: red-carpet premiere on Saturday, April 11 at 7:00pm and Sunday, April 12 at 2:00pm.
The film is part of the acclaimed series “Art Titans, Masters of the New Era,” created by “ArtTour International Magazine,” directed by Alan Grimandi and Viviana Puello. It celebrates influential artists and their legacies by offering a sneak peek into the lives and works of today’s most compelling artists. More than a dozen international artists have been highlighted in this film series, which now includes local artist SmithJordan, who transcends traditional boundaries by weaving raw emotion and complex narrative into each original piece. Her signature style, coined “Pop Fusion,” is a unique alchemy of graphic elements, abstraction and collage using traditional mediums like oil, fabric and metal.
SmithJordan’s work focuses heavily on African American history, underrepresented stories and personal resilience and identity. Her most notable series include works on Negro League baseball players, the Tuskegee Airmen, veterans, and historical women. Recognized worldwide, SmithJordan work is collected by celebrities such as Denzel Washington, Whoopi Goldberg, Patti LaBelle, and Sylvester Stallone. She is an international award winner of the prestigious Top 60 Masters Award, known as the Oscars of the Visual Arts, for exceptional talents across painting, sculpture, photography, digital art, and installation.
“Cape May’s Sydnei SmithJordan is a well-respected contemporary artist who blends vibrant visuals with history and social meaning—using art not just for expression, but to educate, preserve culture and help communities heal,” said Mark David Boberick, executive director of East Lynne Theater Company. “What she does with her visual art, is exactly what we at East Lynne endeavor to do all year long in Cape May. Debuting her documentary and highlighting her work in our historic new home fits on so many levels. We feel extremely privileged to host this event for such a renowned visionary.”
“Art Titans: Masters of a New Era – Sydnei SmithJordan: Pop Fusion and the Power of Legacy” opens with a red-carpet event on Saturday, April 11 at 7:00pm. The $50 ticket includes a glass of wine, light hors d’oeuvres, art exhibit, auction, and a red-carpet photo experience. There is also a matinee on Sunday, April 12 at 2:00pm, for $25. Tickets are available for purchase online. The Clemans Theater for the Arts is located at 717 Franklin Street in Cape May, New Jersey.
Sydnei Smithjordan is a freelance artist/illustrator with more than 25 years in various fields of art. Beginning as a desktop publisher, she moved on to gain attention in the art market as a medical illustrator. SmithJordan chose to assert the majority of her attention to fine art and illustration since 1995 and has worked for both commercial and private venues nationally and internationally.
Educated in fine art at College of Design, Art, and Architecture at Santa Monica College under the mentorship of Ronn Davis, she also studied illustration at Rhode Island School of Design. Her works have been collected by such names as Park Overall, Whoopi Goldberg, Patti La Belle, Forrest Whitaker, Denzel Washington, Damien Escobar, and Sylvester Stallone.
She grew up in a tumultuous environment and used her art as an escape, claiming that painting saved her life numerous times, first as a child, then again as an adult. SmithJordan lost movement of her right arm after suffering a brachial plexopathy injury after a double mastectomy and it took three years to paint again without pain due to nerve injuries. In 2012, she received an emergency call to take custody of her grandchild and stopped painting until 2017 to raise her.
Her work is in a category of its own called “Pop Fusion.” This style is a dance of graphics, abstraction and collage meshed with traditional mediums. It integrates reality and fantasy. SmithJordan’s paintings are autobiographical dialogues that capture both dreamscapes and reality. She takes what is ugly or horrible and makes it beautiful, and that which is beautiful and magnifies it.
Founded in 1980, East Lynne Theater Company has been named by The New York Times as one of the Top 75 summer theaters in North America and recognized by the New Jersey Senate and General Assembly as “one of the state’s most important cultural treasures.” In 2023, understanding that the American Theater is itself a growing work of art, East Lynne expanded its mission to “present and preserve America’s theatrical heritage” by including plays about America today.
As of 2025, East Lynne continues to raise funds for its Capital Campaign to renovate its new home, the Clemans Theater for the Arts at Allen AME Church. As the company expands into the Clemans Theater, so does its calendar, which will offer year-round entertainment that includes plays and performances from worldwide writers, actors, musicians, and more.
ALL ART WORK BY Sydnei Smithjordan
