New Art Gallery Exhibit at West Side Presbyterian Church


RIDGEWOOD—West Side Presbyterian Church is excited to welcome artist Johnny Keane to The Gallery for the month of August! Keane, who lives in Hawthorne, has a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in painting and loves to dabble in all forms of creativity, including drawing, painting, music, film and drama. 

Notes from Keane about his exhibit entitled Art + Words:

“I have been at the crossroads of my life for about a decade and a half. This Art + Words project reflects many of my observations, feelings, thoughts and opinions throughout this 15-year period of growth and setbacks. 

“Most of the pieces exhibited are spontaneous bursts of artistic and written expression. I would characterize the whole show as one big sketch, since a lot of the artwork is actually unfinished. But, as singer songwriter Grant-Lee Phillips says, ‘Sometimes a sketch says more than a mural.’

“At some point, about 10 years ago, I began to incorporate writing into sketches, drawings and paintings. Sometimes words were added to give the image more power, and sometimes the image was added to the give the words more power. The entire concept happened very naturally without any conscious thought or purpose, except to satisfy the constant desire to express myself.

“At the exhibit, I highly encourage you to participate in expressing yourself through writing where indicated. Fill in the speech or thought bubbles in the art piece with the blank spaces. Don't be shy! I will share/post your writing along with the image on my Instagram. YOU get to be the author!”

More About Keane:

He works at a small special needs school as a certified teacher of art. October 2022 marks his 20th year in the field of education. Keane also does what he can to support the cause of nonviolence as a board member of New Jersey Peace Action. 

Stop by The Gallery to see the exhibit on weekdays from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm or between 8:00 am and 11:00 pm on Sunday. Or come visit on August 8, 10, 15 or 17 between 2:00 and 4:00 pm to have a chat with Keane and see the artist at work!

Founded in 1912, West Side Presbyterian Church is a welcoming, inclusive church where people of all ages grow in faith, form lasting friendships and help our neighbors in need. West Side is located at 6 South Monroe Street in Ridgewood, NJ. For more information, please visit www.westside.org.

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