Free First Thursday Nights Launch Third Season at MAM

MONTCLAIR, N.J. - Sept. 22, 2014 - PRLog -- Free First Thursday Nights return to the Montclair Art Museum (MAM) October 2, 2014. This monthly event invites MAM’s entire community to enjoy a night out at the Museum the first Thursday of the month (October–June) from 5 to 9 p.m. The program launched with great success in 2012 and has attracted an average of 600 attendees a night with free admission, a full-service bar, and a variety of dynamic art activities. Offerings change on a monthly basis, providing something new to see and do at every First Thursday Night.

In October, MAM will highlight its new exhibition From Heart to Hand: African-American Quilts from the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts, a selection of 29 colorful and creatively designed quilts by African-American quilt makers primarily from West Alabama. Docent tours of the exhibition will be offered at 5:30, 6:30, and 7:30 p.m. The Nubian Heritage Quilters, a quilt guild in Montclair, will provide quilting demonstrations in the galleries from 5 to 8 p.m. and will be a regular feature at First Thursdays this fall. Quiltmaker Edward Bostick will also give an intimate presentation on his own quiltmaking practice at 6:30 p.m. Interested in quilts as an art form, he says “I wish to relate the important cultural and historical legacy of southern African American women.”

The evening’s entertainment will also include stand up comedian Francesco Paladino and music in the galleries from the Joel Roi Trio. Francesco Paladino brings his own brand of charm, humor, and performance art to MAM. Paladino’s combination of stand-up (NY Comedy Club, Caroline’s, Comic Strip Live, Dangerfield’s, etc.) and acting (Orange is the New Black) blend together for a performance that incorporates the audience and their artistic surroundings. Prepare to be amused and entertained with answers to the audience’s questions in an improvisational segment called “Be Careful What You Ask For!” along with other stories and quips.

Additional art presentations include a reception for a new exhibition with artist Jason Towns and a trunk show in The Store at MAM with artists from Arts Unbound. Jason Towns, an artist who suffered a brain tumor at age 14, will be featuring his works of nontraditional Chinese brush painting in MAM’s arcade galleries. Jason has been at the Montclair Art Museum through Opportunity Project, a Millburn-based organization empowering people with brain injuries, for the past 11 years, both as an Artist in Residence as well as helping to curate exhibits. His works will be on view at MAM through November 2.

Arts Unbound, a nonprofit art gallery and studio in Orange, NJ, dedicated to the artistic achievement of individuals living with physical, developmental, and mental disabilities, will be highlighting the works of four featured artists: Christian Markovic, Avary P. Waldron, Tom Yezza, and Stanley Winarsky. At the Free First Thursday Night trunk show, visitors will see and have the opportunity to purchase unique stationery, scarves, soft sculpture, and jewelry created by artists living with visual impairment, mental illness, brain injury, Autism Spectrum Disorder, neurological disorders, and developmental disabilities.

In addition, drop-in Draw Along workshops offered by the Yard School of Art provide opportunities for visual expression and include a free session with a model. Don’t forget to also check out the MAM Art Truck, a new mobile studio housed in a retrofitted ice cream truck offering art projects and lessons to MAM’s community.

The Free First Thursday Night bar is offered in partnership with Pig & Prince Restaurant & Gastro-Lounge—one of Montclair’s most celebrated eateries recognized for its casual atmosphere and creative, modern menu with a devotion to seasonal, local ingredients. Pig & Prince Restaurant & Gastro-Lounge at MAM accepts cash or credit card and offers an extensive variety, including a signature cocktail, wines, and beer from New Jersey Beer Co. Delectable food samples will also be on hand. Food trucks The Empanada Guy and Oink & Moo BBQ will also be on site for hungry patrons to grab a meal.

OutProfessionals, the nation’s leading LGBT networking organization, will host a cocktail networking event during October’s Free First Thursday Night. Groups are welcome to meet at Free First Thursday Nights; contact thursdays@montclairartmuseum.org for more information.

Free First Thursday Nights run October through June. Upcoming highlights include French Language Tours in partnership with FIAF French Institute Alliance Francaise in November and a special holiday performance from the Newark Boys Chorus in December. For an up-to-date schedule of upcoming Free First Thursday Nights, visit https://www.montclairartmuseum.org/special-events/free-fi... (https://www.montclairartmuseum.org/free-first-thurs-night...). Please note that the Museum is closed on New Year’s Day and will therefore not have a Free First Thursday Night on January 1.