(PRINCETON JUNCTION, NJ) -- West Windsor Arts has announced that April Zay, a West Windsor–based multidisciplinary artist and educator, is kicking off her Artist in Residency by leading an artist talk at the arts center later this month. Zay is the third artist in residence for West Windsor Arts.
“We launched the Artist in Residence Program in 2024 to provide artists with a variety of opportunities to engage with the community,” says Aylin Green, executive director of West Windsor Arts.
During the residency, Zay will have studio hours at West Windsor Arts, where visitors will be able to stop by and chat with her, and also observe her process. Zay will be able to develop her own new work—particularly larger, more expressive paper-based pieces—during this time as well.
Zay has been interested in visual storytelling since earning a BFA in Illustration from the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. She worked for many years as a graphic designer and teaching artist before transitioning to full-time artist, working primarily on commissioned pieces.
“This residency gives me the freedom to explore ideas that have been living in my head for a long time,” Zay says. “Having the space to experiment, take risks and let the work evolve naturally is incredibly meaningful. Over the years, my work has evolved from realism to more expressive pieces. I am excited to be able to create artwork in my own voice.”
Zay will also play a central role in programming throughout the season, including an artist talk and a workshop.
On January 27, 2026, from 7:00pm to 8:00pm, Zay will present an artist talk titled “My Journey from Realism to Expressionism.” The talk will trace her career from detailed illustration and commissioned oil paintings to her current expressive, mixed-media practice, offering insight into how personal voice, experimentation and material exploration have shaped her work. Space is limited, and advance registration is required. (Snow date: February 3.)
On February 21, 2026, from 2:00pm to 4:00pm, Zay will lead a hands-on workshop, “Turning What Inspires You into Artwork That Inspires Others.” Participants are encouraged to bring a poem or song that holds personal meaning. Through guided discussion, mark-making and creative exploration, Zay will help participants translate words and music into original visual artwork, emphasizing spontaneity, intuition and personal expression.
In addition, Zay will curate and jury the annual member show at West Windsor Arts, “Paper Ties: Community, Story and Sustainability,” opening April 10, 2026. For the show, she has invited artists to explore paper as both material and metaphor—fragile yet resilient, intimate yet universal.
Zay, a mother of two sons and a founding member of Artists of Yardley, brings more than a decade of experience as a teaching artist, including work with neurodiverse students and inclusive arts programs. “The Artist in Residence program is designed for reflection and growth through interaction with an engaged membership,” says Green. “April shares our philosophy that everyone is an artist, and nurtures that in her interactions with students.”
For more information about the Artist in Residence Program at West Windsor Arts click here.
West Windsor Arts offers art and cultural events, workshops and classes for all ages and in all disciplines at its art center and in the community. For more information, call 609.716.1931 or visit westwindsorarts.org.
