Art by Jeffrey W. Robinson
(DEAL PARK, NJ) -- Throughout the ages, women have had pivotal roles in history. To celebrate these achievements and in honor of Women's History Month, the Gallery on Grant, located in the lobby of the Axelrod Performing Arts Center in Deal Park, is exhibiting a collection of artwork depicting women as the main subject.
Randye Krupnick, curator and art director of the Gallery on Grant, has put together a varied collection. The exhibit, “Women in Motion,” is described as "a journey through women’s life experiences,” exploring themes such as chance, adventure, self-reflection, emotion and age.
“Women are continuously in motion throughout their lives, going from one life stage to another and often resulting in a contribution to important events in society," said Krupnick.
The exhibit includes works from six artists: Toby Bergman, Sherri Ehrlich, Erté, Bunnye Levi, Jeffrey W. Robinson and Lori Weisenfeld. The show opens Thursday, February 26, 2026 with a wine and cheese reception from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. The display begins with an artist proof of Erté’s “Arabian Nights.” This art deco rendering is a good representation of Erté’s distinctive style of elongated figures, geometric patterns and rich textures while displaying an overall theatrical flair. The female figure is in a dance pose with her scarf showing movement. Art deco was very popular during the 1920s through 1940s.
Jeffrey W. Robinson exhibited at Gallery on Grant in 2025. Once again, he uses both warm and bold acrylic brushstrokes to tell a story. Specifically, his painting “Holding All the Aces” portrays an upbeat and playful vibe. Robinson describes this painting as “a bold, graphic portrait that merges confidence, play and calculated mystery through saturated color, shape, geometry and symbolic detail. The work explores themes of chance, self-assurance and controlled revelation.”
In Robinson’s painting, “In the Garden of Becoming,” the woman is portrayed reflecting on her “identity as something both grounded and continually evolving, shaped by personal strength and the natural rhythms that surround us.” Again, although the figure is captured in a still position, the woman is continuously in motion as she evolves. Motion in this painting is defined as personal development.
Sherri Ehrlich explains the inspiration for her work: “Nature and botanical forms appear frequently in my work as metaphors for growth, resilience and impermanence. Figures, when present, function less as portraits than as symbolic vessels—holding history, emotion and inner life.” In her paintings, motion is shown through budding flowers. Once again, each artist shows movement in a unique way, manifesting in their own personal style of painting.
Art by Sherri Ehrlich
Toby Bergman describes her approach as “a blend of portraiture - photorealism with abstraction. The face is rendered with precision, informed by classical art, while the background remains intentionally loose and abstract, allowing the painting to breathe.” In her painting “Forward Moving,” the mother moves forward with her child on her back, realizing that each day is a gift and that there is much the child needs to experience. Within Bergman’s five exhibited paintings, motion is shown either through abstract figures or specific women in the middle of action, playing the violin or walking in the rain.
Art by Toby Bergman
Award-winning artist Lori Weisenfeld exhibits two works of art, both showing older women toward the end of their lives. Specifically, they are presented as women who already lived through many life stages. “Selma,” a charcoal, is Weisenfeld’s mother, and “Shirley,” a pastel, depicts her mother-in-law.
“I found that using color made exploring the play of light, shadow and texture even more interesting and complex,” she said. “I enjoy the interplay of warms and cools, the contrast of complementary colors, the surprising colors that make skin look alive and discovering the amazing array of colors in whites.”
Lori specifically commented about her charcoal “Selma:” “I caught her by a window and the light fell on her face beautifully, and she was very beautiful.”
Art by Lori Weisenfeld
“Women In Motion” showcases women in many forms, through numerous media and techniques. The exhibit ends with sculpture from Bunnye Levi, whose works are in wood, wire, polished marble, jasper and chalcedony. “Mother and Child” is created in wood in an abstract manner. Levi was able to reveal important themes that were prominent during her life through her sculptures, such as motherhood, rabbits, the circus, wisdom and paths taken. Levi was trained by prominent Maryland artist Reuben Kramer at the JCC in Pikesville, Maryland during the 1960s. Adjacent to the sculpture is a Kramer sketch announcing the “Ladies Day Out at the JCC for Sculpture.”
Art by Bunnye Levi
The Gallery on Grant is located in the lobby of the Axelrod Performing Arts Center (100 Grant Avenue) in Deal Park, New Jersey. The gallery is open to the public weekly from 10:00am to 2:00pm. Monday through Friday. The exhibit runs through June.
