1 Plus 1 Equals 3 by Conni Freestone
(ISLAND HEIGHTS, NJ) -- Conni Freestone's "Proof I Was Here" opens June 1st and runs throughout June 2026 at Ocean County Artists' Guild in Island Heights. Structured across three interconnected spaces, the exhibition is an exploration of the fleeting evidence of existence, and will be Freestone's first major solo exhibition.
The exhibition moves from familiar, widely recognizable images into more deliberate attempts to preserve what feels just out of reach. Bruce Springsteen and cars of the Asbury Park Circuit are set alongside the aging cars of Havana and the deserted remnants of Route 66. Self-portraiture appears throughout as an assertion of presence, grounding the work in questions of identity, memory, and what it means to be "here."
Across the exhibition, the images remain intentionally unresolved, forming part of an ongoing inquiry into what can be held onto, what is left behind, and what disappears before it can be taken with us.
Believe In Her by Conni Freestone
Freestone is a visual philosopher who engages nostalgia and its contradictions, attempting to preserve what is slipping away while acknowledging the limits of that gesture. She is driven by a desire to make the ordinary appear extraordinary.
An opening reception will take place on Sunday, June 7 from 1:00pm-4:00pm with live music by Johnny Kasun and Timmy Basskidd Douglas.
On Tuesday, June 16 from 6:00pm-10:00pm, The RiverJAM RIVER JAM will feature performances by Timmy Basskidd Douglas, Redbird, Johnny Kasun, Bobby Mahoney and Williams Honor and an artist meet and greet.
The exhibition and live music are sponsored by RiverJAM Music, a 501C3 dedicated to building songwriters and an original music community.
True Love Will Never Die by Conni Freestone
The Ocean County Artists’ Guild is a non-profit organization working to promote the arts in Ocean County drawing in artists and patrons from around the region. Its mission is to serve the artists and community; to provide an outlet and training for artistic talent, to enhance the quality of life for the residents and thereby attract newcomers, and to provide an attraction to draw tourists to the community.
They provide exhibition space for members on a monthly basis and hold solo shows for selected artists who may be members or live outside the area. They also offer classes for both adults and children, workshops, demonstrations, open studio time with live models and cultural programs.
The Ocean County Artists Guild is a non-profit corporation with a federal tax-exemption under 501 (c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.
You're My Last Love by Conni Freestone
