Kevin Barry and Don Harger in Don's studio. Don was The Oyster Point Hotel's first Artist in Residence. Photo by McKay Imaging

(RED BANK, NJ) -- In 2020, Don Harger was an artist with an inventory problem. He had hundreds of paintings which were headed to storage. He also had a good friend, Bob McKay. Bob called his art contacts to let them know Don's plight. "And, by the way, how can you help?" he asked.

Oyster Point Hotel's curator, Ellen Martin, got the call and thought that the hotel rooms were as good a place as any to store the paintings. After Ellen and Kevin Barry, the hotel’s President, did a studio visit to see Don’s work, Kevin agreed, and the Artist in Residence program was launched. The giclées in the guest rooms came down. Original art went up.

“Having original art in every guest room adds depth to the guest experience and strengthens our commitment to the New Jersey art community,” said Kevin. “We became a true art hotel when we added this program to our schedule of ongoing exhibitions,” he added.

The program expanded after that first year. “At first, we listed their names on our front door and started their year as an AIR with a solo exhibit,” said Ellen. “Now we produce a full-color brochure for each artist, but what I’m most proud of is that in 2021, we started an acquisition program for the work.”

A gala cocktail reception to honor the Artists in Residence will be held on Friday, December 6, 2024 from 6:00pm - 8:00pm. It's a free event and everyone is invited. The Oyster Point Gallery is located at 146 Bodman Place in Red Bank, New Jersey. Free parking is available.

Oyster Point Gallery Exhibitions, originally conceived by President Kevin Barry, and currently curated by Ellen Martin, provide a prestigious and viable alternative gallery venue to artists from New Jersey and nearby locations.

Both emerging and established artists, many of whom are award-winning, have been included in the exhibitions that are shown in the public spaces of the first two floors of the Hotel.

The work is primarily two-dimensional and encompasses painting, photography, wall-mounted sculpture, collage, and collaborative work. The Gallery is an asset both to our community and guests of the Hotel.