(DEAL PARK, NJ) -- The Gallery on Grant will host an opening reception for its new art show, "Enduring Spirit," on Sunday, July 12, 2026 from 6:15pm-7:30pm in the gallery, which is located inside the Axelrod Performing Arts Center. "Enduring Spirit" showcases two artists: the paintings of Toby Bergman and the sculptures of Bunnye Levi. Bergman will also give a brief discussion of her art at the reception.
Bergman's paintings create a powerful exhibit featuring two distinct yet deeply connected series of paintings: an 11-piece collection of gripping black-and-white works inspired by Roman Vishniac's Pre-Holocaust photographs and a series of vibrant paintings exploring the spiritual role of the Kohanim and Leviim. Together, these works invite viewers into the past, reflecting on our collective memory while bearing witness to the enduring spirit and soul of the Jewish people.
An oil painter based in Lakewood, Bergman describes her use of oil paint: "It gives me the ability to soften, layer and blur, and capture the subtle values within a face. I am drawn to the visual clues that help uncover the story within the image - the tilt of the head, a gesture, a blurring, strokes and light patterns that are intrinsic to the essence of what needs to be expressed. My strokes are deliberate yet alive, moving between precision and freedom. I want the viewer to feel the person before them, to sense their presence, and to discover the narrative woven with color and stroke. My work is an invitation: to pause, to connect, wonder and feel."
The art exhibit includes five sculptures by Bunnye Levi, who lived in Baltimore from 1937-2012. During the 1960s, she studied sculpture with well-known and prolific artist Reuban Kramer. Kramer's sculptures are exhibited in many art museums in Baltimore, including the Baltimore Museum of Art and the Jewish Museum of Maryland.
Levi worked with a variation of stones, including wire and polished marble. She created images that had inspired and influenced her throughout her life. She recounted that as a child she went to the circus and was inspired to constantly move. In fact, until the end of her life she loved to work out at the gym. The wire sculpture" Circus" portrays her love and enduring excitement of the circus. "Paths Taken" is a sculpture in polished marble. It portrays life choices such as being a wife, a mother and an artist.
Randye Krupnick, the curator and art director of the Gallery on Grant, describes "Enduring Spirit" as "a museum-like experience as the viewer endures such impactful paintings by Toby Bergman and the artistic achievement of Bunnye Levi.
"The viewer will become engrossed in the detail and powerful expressions of the subjects in Toby Bergman's paintings," said Krupnick. "In fact, the viewer will want to explore further the story behind each painting."
The Gallery on Grant is located in the Axelrod Performing Arts Center (100 Grant Avenue) in Deal Park, New Jersey. Visitors may view the art exhibit Monday through Friday from 9:00am to 4:00pm and one hour before each Axelrod concert or event. For more information, visit www.axelrodartscenter.com.
