Our new Upper Gallery exhibit, “Unclassical: Contemporary Still Lifes by Deborah Pohl” has its opening reception Sunday, September 11 from 2 – 5pm. The artist will be present, and refreshments will be served.  On Friday, September 9 at 7pm, the Museum will also be livestreaming an Artist Talk with Deborah and Museum Director Bob Foster on our YouTube channel here or on Facebook here. 

Deborah Pohl has been a proud and involved Hoboken artist since 1996. Deborah’s connection with the Hoboken artist community began with figure drawing classes at the Liquid Lounge. She later started working out of an art studio in the Neumann Leather Building and has been displaying her work through the years in the city’s local art spaces and citywide arts tours. 

Deborah was recently awarded a 2022 Fellowship for painting from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts. Her numerous exhibitions include a solo show at the Trenton City Museum (reviewed by the NY Times) and the “Re-emergence” exhibit currently at the New Jersey State Museum.

In her words, “My paintings occupy the category of still life while working against the genre’s expectations by presenting objects in unfamiliar and surprising compositions. Working solely from real life, I explore light and color as I set up each painting’s composition. The objects themselves are distinctive: Classic still life objects, like fruit and drapery, are combined with overlooked and often discarded relics of our everyday lives. I use traditional oil painting methods in order to beautify the ignored and mundane. Objects speak to our senses, recalling our interactions with the world, evoking our memories. Poetic combinations of objects create new meanings. “

Deborah received a BFA from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. Her painting education is ongoing, as she still takes courses to hone her technique. Her educational life includes receiving a master’s degree in counseling, which also supports Deborah’s desire to create compositions that speak to our shared humanity. 

The exhibit is supported by a block grant from the State/County Partnership program for the Arts, administered by the Hudson County Division of Cultural and Heritage Affairs.