“The Swan, Asbury Park,” a watercolor by Theresa Troise Heidel, depicts the historic Asbury Park boardwalk and is representative of the work that will be available as prints at the September exhibit. © Theresa Troise Heidel.
(RIDGEFIELD PARK, NJ) -- Watercolors of sun-soaked New Jersey beaches, historic Asbury Park boardwalks, French countryside, and blooming florals will be on view this September at the Ridgefield Park Public Library, as the Friends of the Library once again welcome artist Theresa Troise Heidel for a solo exhibit and fundraiser open to art lovers near and far, with proceeds benefiting library programs. The exhibit will remain on view through September 30, 2026.
This marks the second partnership between the Friends of the Library and Heidel, a Ridgefield Park resident whose paintings have been exhibited from New York City galleries to the National Arts Club. Their first exhibit, held in 2024, was a great success that drew arts patrons from far and wide. Heidel has long been a true champion of the library, and organizers say this year's show promises an even wider reach.
An Opening Reception will be held on Thursday, September 10, 2026 from 7:00pm to 9:00pm. The library is located at 107 Cedar Street in Ridgefield Park, New Jersey.
“Sea Sparkle,” a watercolor by Theresa Troise Heidel depicting a New Jersey beach scene, is representative of the work that will be available as prints at the September exhibit. © Theresa Troise Heidel.
Payment for artwork is accepted via cash or personal check. Zelle is also available only during the opening reception on September 10.
Theresa Troise Heidel is a graduate of Saint Peter's College in Jersey City and completed graduate studies at the Accademia di Belle Arti in Florence, Italy. Her work has been exhibited at the Allan Stone Gallery in New York City and at galleries throughout the New York metropolitan area.
Heidel's watercolors have been featured in American Artist Magazine, and Watercolor Magazine named her one of the top twenty emerging watercolorists in the nation in 2006. She is a former Second Vice President of the New Jersey Water Color Society and an elected member of the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club, with which she has exhibited at The National Arts Club in New York City. She has also exhibited with the Transparent Watercolor Society of America at the Bloomington Arts Center in Minnesota.
Theresa Troise Heidel stands beside her watercolors at the Friends of the Library's 2024 exhibit and fundraiser, an early look at the community turnout organizers hope to build on this September. Photo courtesy of Michelle DeLuca, Village of Ridgefield Park Public Information Officer.
Fifty six of Heidel's watercolors have been published in the coffee table book series To the Shore Once More, Volumes I and II, and Long Beach Island Rhapsody, published by Jersey Shore Publications. She is an Artist in Residence with Cunard Lines and is currently represented by Jersey Shore Moments in Manasquan. Heidel is a Ridgefield Park resident who teaches private art and piano lessons locally, and each year hosts a recital and art show open to the community.
Supporting the Library - A portion of artwork sales from the exhibit will benefit library programs. The Friends of the Library play a vital role in sustaining the library's offerings, having provided the seed funding for the DVD, audiobook, music CD, and video game collections. The Friends also support the library's free movie program, teen gaming program, Museum passes, and Mobile Internet lending program, along with entertainment programming during the Summer Reading Programs for adults, teens, and children.
“Libraries are one of the last truly free public spaces in a community, and they only stay strong because people choose to support them. Theresa has been a real pillar of the arts here in Ridgefield Park, and we're so grateful she's sharing her work with us again for a cause that means so much to this town.” — LINDA GREENBERG, PRESIDENT, FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY
“I've been a resident of this Village my whole life, and I take a special pride in our library's history. It got its start back in 1894 with a small reading club and a room full of donated books, and the cornerstone of our current building was laid on September 10, back in 1922, so there's something fitting about this exhibit opening on that very same date. That kind of longevity doesn't happen by accident. It happens because generation after generation of residents step up to support it. Mrs. Heidel's generosity, and the continued dedication of the Friends of the Library, carry that tradition forward.” — COMMISSIONER JOHN ANLIAN, WHOSE PORTFOLIO INCLUDES THE LIBRARY
“Sparkling Flamingos,” a watercolor by Theresa Troise Heidel, is representative of the work that will be available as prints at the Friends of the Library exhibit. © Theresa Troise Heidel.
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