Artworks Trenton selected for Cass Street mural project
Mercer County announced on April 8 that Artworks Trenton has been awarded a grant to design and install a mural on the wall of the State Prison on Cass Street.
In a statement, Artworks wrote: “Artworks Trenton is honored to be selected for the Cass Street Mural Project. Our proposal, ‘Breaking Barriers,’ led by artist Jonathan ‘LANK’ Conner, our public arts project manager, represents the collective vision of our team of Trenton artists — Leon Rainbow (lead), Jose ‘Busta’ Bustamente (Lead), Dean “Ras” Innocenzi, Dave ‘Mek’ Klama, Alia Bensliman, and April Cooper. Mirroring the city of Trenton itself, each artist will bring their unique heritage into the mural, in the letters spelling ‘Trenton.’
“In the coming years, Artworks Trenton is working towards becoming the preeminent public arts organization in Central New Jersey. This award repre-
A sample of one of the letters spelling ‘Trenton’ that will be included in Artworks’ ‘Breaking Barriers’ mural.
sents another giant step in that direction. Further this project embodies two of the pillars of Artworks — engaging the voice of the local communities in the public arts and fairly compensating artists for their time and work. We are excited to undertake this project which will inspire and beautify our community for years to come.”
Artworks Trenton, located at 19 Everett Alley, is the capital city’s creative hub. For more information, visit www.artworkstrenton.org.
Phone: (609) 396-1511
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LUNCH AND LEARN: STROKEIT CAN HAPPEN TO ANYONE!
Wednesday, May 1; 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Roughly 1 in 4 adults over the age of 25 will have a stroke in their lifetime.
Yet, most aren’t aware of the F.A.S.T. warning signs and that stroke is largely preventable, treatable, and beatable. Our medical experts will discuss risk factors, symptoms, treatment, and the needs of stroke survivors. Mandy J. Binning, MD, FAANS, Chief, Division of Vascular/ Endovascular Neurosurgery and Director of Stroke Programs at Global Neurosciences Institute; Ashley Sarrol, MS, CCC-SLP, Senior Speech Language Pathologist; and Sarah Masco, OTD,OTR/L, CLT-LANA, Senior Occupational Therapist.
SWEET SUCCESS SOCIETY: A DIABETES GROUP
Mondays, May 6 + June 3; 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Monday, May 13; 5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
A group for anyone with diabetes or caring for someone living with diabetes. Learn healthy ways to manage diabetes alongside your peers and Taryn Krietzman, RDN.
CATCH SOME ZZZZZ’S!
Monday, May 6; 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Insomnia affects our mental and physical health, making us more prone to heart disease and other serious illnesses. Join Patti McDougall, BSN, to learn more about how we should spend a third of our lives.
ORTHO 101: TOTAL KNEE REPLACEMENT
Monday, May 6; 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Join Orthopedic Program Coordinator Denise Berdecia, MSN, RN, ONC, and
physical and occupational therapists for an in-depth discussion on total knee replacements. These experts will explain preventative treatment, how to decide if surgery is right for you, and recovery options available through outpatient therapy.
GOT STRESS?
Tuesdays, May 7 + June 4; 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Support group about dealing with stress. Gain valuable insight about how others deal with similar situations.
SPIRITUALITY, COMPASSION AND VEGANISM
Wednesday, May 8; 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Compassion is a sensitivity toward the suffering of others and responding with actions that can help. Veganism invites us to widen our circle of compassion to include all species of animals. In this talk, Michele Granberg, MA, CHT, CPLT, Mindset Coach, explores the nature of compassion and how it intersects with spirituality and veganism.
DESIGNER BAG BINGO!
Friday, May 10; 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
This event is a great way to get out with your friends for a night of fun, with many designer bags up for grabs. Admission ticket includes 12 rounds of Bingo. Tickets are $45. For more information or to purchase tickets, email Shannon.Neely@rwjbh.org.
WHAT’S EATING YOU?
Monday, May 13; 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Support group for people experiencing emotional eating. Peer support is key. We offer a safe space to connect with others
who are going through similar experiences.
BARIATRIC WEIGHT LOSS SUPPORT GROUP
Tuesday, May 14; 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
AN EVENING OF YOGA NIDRA MEDITATION
Tuesday, May 14; 6:30 p.m. - 7:45 p.m.
Experience the benefits of Yoga Nidra. Translated as yogic sleep, Michelle Gerdes (trauma-informed yoga and meditation teacher and owner of Princeton Doula Center) will explain how the practice of Yoga Nidra guides brain waves into optimal states for relaxation and rejuvenation. She will lead you through this guided relaxation that has been shown to reduce stress / anxiety, promote better sleep, and foster a profound sense of joy and well-being. Bring a yoga mat and anything else you need to be comfortable in meditation.
Fee $15
MINDFULNESS MEDITATION
Wednesday, May 15; 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Quieting your mind can have profound effects on both your body and your mind. Come learn to lower the volume of your mind’s chatter. Patti McDougall, BSN, Integrative Therapies Nurse STROKE PREVENTION, BECAUSE IT MATTERS
Thurs., May 15; 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Stroke is the number 5 cause of death, and leading cause of disability in the U.S., and up to 80% may be prevented.
Connie Moceri, MSN, RN, AGNP-C, Director of Disease Management and
Stroke Coordinator at RWJUH Hamilton will educate you on why managing risk factors is key to reducing your chances of having a stroke. Dinner provided.
HEALTHRHYTHMS® DRUM
CIRCLE
Wednesday, May 15; 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Drum your cares away with our monthly Drum Circle. It’s lots of fun and a great stress reliever. Drums provided. Mauri Tyler, CTRS, CMP. Fee $15
MENTAL HEALTH IS WEALTH
Monday, May 20; 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
You are not alone. Millions of people are affected by mental illness each year. Certain thoughts, behaviors, symptoms, and conditions can be linked to mental illness. Join Jasmeet Mehta, MD, to discuss topics related to anxiety, depression, and ADHD in adults.
PREDIABETES CONNECT GROUP
Tuesday, May 21; 11:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Diagnosed with prediabetes? This group is for you to connect with others.
CALMING AND COPING STRATEGIES FOR KIDS: A PARENT WORKSHOP
Tuesday, May 21; 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Enhance your parenting journey with effective coping strategies from educator, author & Wings to Learning Advocacy owner, Trenna Stout, B.Ed., BCEA. Discover how to help your child self-regulate & support their emotional well-being, empowering them to navigate life’s challenges confidently. Fee: $5
KIDS IN THE KITCHEN: HERBACEOUS FLAVORS
Wed., May 22; 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Empower kids with culinary skills and nutrition knowledge to become their healthiest selves! For children 5 years and older. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Taryn Krietzman, RDN. Fee $5 per person
REIKI SHARE
Wednesday, May 22; 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
For folks who have been Reiki certified to come share the gift with fellow practitioners. Give a session, get a session. Bring a sheet and small pillow.
2024 HEARING AID EXPOLEARN ABOUT THE LATEST IN HEARING AID TECHNOLOGY
Thursday, May 23; 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Lorraine Sgarlato, Au.D., is proud to offer a presentation on today’s “computers for your ears.” Advances today in hearing aids allow us more than ever to connect to our world in an exciting way! We can now stream music, television, and more with ease! New technology offers better hearing in noise, tinnitus therapy, and helps protect our brains as we age. Learn about these new advances in technology along with a hands-on demonstration from representatives from the companies Oticon and Signia.
*All programs
Scan the QR code to register and become a member or call 609-584-5900 or email bhprogram@rwjbh.org to learn more.
*Registration and free Membership required to attend the Better Health Programs
A SENIOR SOCIAL GROUP
Wednesday, May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, June 5; 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Join us in a collaborative setting to exchange thoughts, feelings and experiences among peers. This is a safe zone designed to be welcoming and understanding of all attendees, while exploring this season of our lives – the ups and the challenges. Please feel free to attend one or all.
TAI CHI CLASSES
Thursday, May 2 + 16; 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
YOGA CLASSES
Tuesday, May 7 + 21; 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
MEDITATION CLASSES
Tuesday, May 7 + 21; 11:15 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
CHAIR YOGA
Tuesday, May 7 + 21; 12:00 p.m. - 12:45 p.m.
GROUNDS FOR SCULPTURE WELLNESS WALK
Wednesday, May 8; 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Thursday, May 9; 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
Grounds for Sculpture welcomes us for their Wellness Walk! Whether you are a fast or slower walker, there will be a group for you as we feast our eyes on the beautiful art and nature. Member attendees are invited to enjoy GFS for the remainder of the day. Two dates to choose from. One registration per person.
TEA PARTY
Friday, May 17; 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Pinkies up! Let’s talk tea and try some famously tasty pairings. Hats are encouraged!
LUNCH AND LEARN WITH RWJUHH MEDICAL EXPERT PANEL
Tuesday, May 14; 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Who do you see the most when you are hospitalized? That’s right, nurses.
Does caring for our aging population require additional training? You bet it does. Join nursing experts to learn how our needs change as we age and how our nurses are being trained to better serve and care for our aging population. Panel includes: Tammy Leigh, MSN, RN, Director of Emergency Services & Intensive Care; Lisa Nevius, MSN, RN, OCN, NEA-BC, Nurse Manager; and Cynthia Russo, Clinical Nurse Specialist, MSN, RN-BC, APN.
LUNCH AND LEARN, SENIORS ACHIEVING GOOD HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Wednesday, May 22; 12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Aging can present us with challenges from the loss of loved ones, isolation, physical changes, and more. Join Dilys Ngu, M.D., RWJUH Hamilton’s new geriatric psychiatrist, for a hopeful conversation and learn ways to bring back the brightness to your days.
Friday, May 31; 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. S.A.V.E. is a training program to help identify warning signs that someone is having thoughts of suicide. Heather Church-Soto, LCSW, Suicide Prevention Coordinator, U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs leads this program that provides caregivers and community members with the tools to act with care and compassion if they encounter someone who is in crisis or experiencing suicidal thoughts. This is NOT exclusive to veterans.
Scan QR code to view, learn more & register on-line for the programs listed above. Or visit rwjbh.org/HamiltonPrograms Email CommunityEdHam@rwjbh.org or call 609-584-5900 to learn more
The ANEW Artists Alliance is a cooperative of self-taught, Trenton-based visual artists who met nearly 25 years ago as patrons of the Trenton Area Soup Kitchen. Since its inception in 2001, the group has evolved from being based at TASK, a social service organization at 72 1/2 Escher Street in Trenton, to a project exhibiting at the Arts Council of Princeton from Saturday, April 20, through Friday, May 24, at the Paul Robeson Center for the Arts, 102 Witherspoon Street, in Princeton.
The ACP will also host a public opening on Friday, May 3, from 5 to 7 p.m. For more information, see the event page on the ACP website, artscouncilofprinceton. org/event/anew-artists-alliance.
Five local creatives — siblings Herman “Shorty” and Annabelle Rose, Brook Beatty, Frankie Mack, and Carla Coleman — met with TASK volunteer and Princeton resident Susan Darley to form the “A-TEAM Artists of Trenton,” which later spun off into an independent nonprofit entity called the Trenton Community A-TEAM, or TCAT, in 2014.
The TCAT artists moved into a new dedicated studio and exhibition space at 51 North Stockton Street, “Studio 51,” provided by the community development organization Isles. Isles had converted the two-story, historic carriage house as part of a grant they received to establish the Creek to Canal (C2C) Creative District, planned for downtown Trenton, and rented the building to TCAT.
In 2021, the artists launched a new project, the ANEW Artists Alliance, which soon found a home in the ArtSpace Gallery at the headquarters of HomeFront, a Lawrence nonprofit dedicated to eliminating poverty in central New Jersey. In March the following year, they exhibited their first group show at the Artists of Yardley Art Center in Yardley, Pennsylvania. At the invitation of Ruthann Traylor, director of HomeFront’s ArtSpace and SewingSpace initiatives, the group now meets every other Monday at 11 a.m.
The ArtSpace and SewingSpace programs are designed to serve clients who “are impacted by homelessness, living on the poverty line, or have experienced trauma from abuse,” giving them a creative outlet in a designated “safe space for therapeutic arts,” according to the former’s page on the HomeFront website, homefrontnj.org/artspace. Clients can learn how to wield a paintbrush or sew a bag — both of which can be sold to support the entrepreneurial and economic growth of HomeFront clients — in an atmosphere of mutual learning.
The other ArtSpace studio is located at HomeFront’s Family Campus in Ewing, the site of the nonprofit’s Family Preservation Center, which actively houses, serves, and supports people experiencing homelessness in Central New Jersey.
Many of the ANEW members still participate in the Tuesday creative arts programming at TASK and/or sell their work through TCAT, overlapping between the three entities. According to the TCAT website, 70 percent of art purchased through Studio 51 goes directly to the artists, while the rest covers supplies, rent, maintenance, and staff expenses for the nonprofit.
The group, in all its iterations, has exhibited at venues such as West Windsor Arts, Trenton Artworks, Grounds For Sculpture, Capital Health Medical Center
name on slips of paper and picked one out of a hat. He pulls out a healthy stack of paintings — all completed in the past week — and demonstrates how he mixes acrylic paint with sand, having even created one that glows in the dark.
He continues to produce new pieces at a prolific rate, with subjects ranging from birds to a boy in a hammock to a hamburger. Many of them incorporate pointillism, a technique that uses a series of small, colorful dots, as a stylistic homage to the work of his late friend and ATEAM artist Patrick Bowen.
“It just makes me feel good when I do art. I do all my art at home; I don’t do it here. I do it at home, so I gotta make myself feel good at home. But if I’m down, I pick up some paper and start doing my art, make me bring all that out, so I keep myself going,” Rose says.
Since Rose refers to himself as the “father” of the group, Beatty playfully adds that she must be the maternal equivalent.
Beatty, who has been with the soup kitchen since the 1990s, says that her creative journey began with writing poetry and making rag dolls at a young age.
in Hopewell, the New Jersey State Museum, the Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie, McCarter Theater, and more, as well as various government, nonprofit, and religious organizations throughout the state. They also coordinated outreach, volunteered, and led workshops with local groups like the Trenton Rescue Mission and The Arc Mercer.
With about 19 current members, the group functions much like an extended family, with artists who are unable to attend meetings, moved out of Trenton, or passed away still considered as part of the collective. Others on the website include Dolores Frails, Sharon Jackson, Warcheerah Kilima, Lisa Lewis, Ethel and Frankie Mack, Walter Roberts, Jr., Charles Smith, and Demond Williams.
For more information, questions, or to donate art supplies, visit the ANEW Artists Alliance website at anewartists.com or email anewartistsinfo@gmail.com.
Born and raised in South Trenton, Rose grew up with other artists in his family, including his late sister, Annabelle, who later died of throat cancer. Rose had abandoned the idea of pursuing art until he ended up in Rahway State Prison, now known as East Jersey State Prison, in his 20s, according to a June 2019 U.S. 1 profile by Dan Aubrey.
There, a death row inmate taught him how to make picture frames and other handcrafted items out of cigarette packs. Determined to turn his life around, Rose became enamored with the colors of the outside world upon his release and stayed out of prison.
It was at Annabelle’s suggestion that Rose, now 70, first came to TASK in 1998. He began working as a dishwasher in the kitchen and eventually earned his GED, but Rose also started meeting informally with other artists once a week to create together and help frame their work. As the finished pieces began to adorn the walls of TASK’s dining room, the artists had people asking if they were available for purchase, and the A-TEAM was born.
But ANEW’s principles go back to the origins of what Rose founded at TASK — an artist-run initiative where members make decisions and grow together to gain both recognition and income from their talents.
At the ArtSpace Gallery, Rose explains that the group’s original name came from a drawing between him, Beatty, and Mack in which each artist wrote a
“I started making dolls because people call them voodoo dolls, but they’re not,” she says, referring to the handmade creations as “like [her] children” in her ANEW website biography.
Beatty sold a majority of the older dolls, but she flips through pictures of ones made from shoe string and even her favorite, “Blue,” built using a mop head of the same color. Another, named “Cady,” has a porcelain head and limbs that make her stand around three feet in height.
In her 30s, Beatty explains, she began to paint more, recalling the way her mother taught her to draw as a child. She also now makes model houses from an eclectic mix of materials, such as wooden blocks, a jewelry box, a speaker, and even a birdhouse.
Paul Norris, originally from Indiana, mainly works in oil and watercolor. He’s currently working on a fourpart series of landscapes, called “Mercer Magic,” that depict locations around or close to Mercer County.
As a collective, the group tends to “feed off” each other, Norris explains, referring to how Rose’s use of pointillism became a visual tribute to Bowen after his death.
“We encourage one another; we help one another,” he says. “Instead of people looking at us as, ‘Oh, you’re from the soup kitchen, so I gotta help you,’ we wanted to be recognized for the artists that we were and who we are, and it’s been a dream come true.”
For Emery Williams, painting is a way to work through his feelings and sustain himself in times of turmoil.
“Art is an expression of what we feel,” Williams says. “It’s emotion and progress.”
“But if I didn’t love art, I wouldn’t be in art, and I enjoy doing it because it gets me away from myself. I feel emotional sometimes, and sometimes I just [have] to go to my art just to get away from it, get away from the pain and agony of life,” he explains.
Williams says that art helps him get out of his head and escape that pressure. He points to a piece called “Lonely Man” that evokes this universal feeling, and although Williams cannot remember if or how the process differed from his other works, this one “stuck” with him.
“When it comes to treating stroke, we always say ‘time is brain,’ which means that the sooner we can treat you, the better chance we have at a successful outcome,” said DR. DUSTIN ROCHESTIE, director of the Stroke Program at Capital Health. “At Capital Health, we have procedures in place to make sure you get the immediate, lifesaving stroke care that you need.”
The Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center at the Capital Institute for Neurosciences is a major referral center for the treatment of all types of neurovascular diseases, including (but not limited to) cerebral aneurysms, strokes, arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs), intracranial stenosis as well as Moyamoya disease.
The only certified Comprehensive Stroke Center in the region, Capital Health Regional Medical Center (RMC) in Trenton provides safe emergency stroke and neurovascular services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“As soon as you call 911, our prehospital alert system allows our team in the hospital to prepare for your arrival, saving valuable time to treatment,” said Dr. Rochestie. “Your call activates basic and advanced life support service to provide safe, immediate care at your location before you even arrive at the hospital.”
There are steps you can take right away to lower your risk. Get started by talking to your primary care doctor to learn about stroke screenings and how you can treat or manage controllable risk factors such as:
… High blood pressure
… High cholesterol
… Heart/blood vessel disease
… Cigarette smoking
… Physical inactivity/obesity/poor diet
… Diabetes mellitus
… Atrial fibrillation
… Sickle cell disease
Visit capitalneuro.org to learn more. If you or someone you know is experiencing signs of a stroke, call 911.
Stroke is a time-sensitive emergency. If you suspect you or a loved one is experiencing a stroke, B-E F-A-S-T to know the signs of a stroke and call 911 immediately.
Is the person experiencing a sudden loss of balance?
Has the person lost vision in one or both eyes?
Does one side of the face droop, or is it numb?
Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
Is speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like “The sky is blue.” Is the sentence repeated correctly?
If someone shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 911 and check the time so you’ll know when the first symptom appeared.
Brain tumors, while relatively rare, do not discriminate, affecting men, women, and children across all age groups and ethnicities. And because the brain is the critical organ that controls all others, it’s important to recognize the signs that may suggest a brain tumor and discuss them with your health care team.
“The many parts of the brain control different body functions, so symptoms will vary depending on tumor location, type, and size,” said DR. NAVID REDJAL, director of Neurosurgical Oncology at the Capital Health Center for Neuro-Oncology. “However, there are some common symptoms to watch for which, if ongoing, may indicate the presence of a brain tumor. Anyone experiencing one or more of them over an extended period of time should see their doctor to get an accurate diagnosis.”
“At the Center for Neuro-Oncology, our advanced technological resources and multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and treatment are just as important as the compassionate and individualized care we provide,” said Dr. Redjal. “If a person experiences new symptoms or changes to existing ones, talking to your doctor is an important first step.”
The Center for Neuro-Oncology, part of Capital Institute for Neurosciences and Capital Health Cancer Center, is a referral center for the diagnosis and treatment of cancer involving the brain and spine. The Center is housed in state-of-the-art facilities where patients have access to an experienced and caring team of physicians, nurses and staff who work closely with referring physicians to facilitate rapid and thorough evaluations and recommendations for patients and their families. In addition to providing advanced neuro-oncologic and neuroscience care, the Center participates in clinical trials to help fight and find cures for cancer.
To learn more about Capital Health’s Center for Neuro-Oncology, visit capitalhealth.org/neurooncology.
HEADACHES:
A persistent, progressive pain that is different from a migraine, does not respond to over-the-counter pain medication (like aspirin or ibuprofen), gets worse when laying down, and may be accompanied by vomiting or changes in vision.
SEIZURES:
In some cases, a seizure may be the first indication that a person has a brain tumor.
FOCAL PROGRESSIVE SYMPTOMS:
Localized symptoms—such as hearing problems, difficulty walking or speaking, or feeling clumsy—can often help identify the location of the tumor.
MASS EFFECT:
Occurs when a brain tumor presses on surrounding normal tissue, causing nausea and vomiting, drowsiness, vision problems, headaches, and behavior changes.
SUDDEN PERSONALITY CHANGES, COGNITIVE CHANGES, MEMORY LOSS:
A tumor may cause disruptions in normal brain function that lead to changes in a patient’s behavior and ability to reason, remember, and learn.
HomeFront’s ArtSpace program hosts its 15th annual “ArtJam” pop-up gallery at 45 Hulfi sh Street in Princeton from Friday, May 3 to Saturday, May 18, with over 500 works on sale to raise funds for the nonprofi t organization, page 2.
THIS MONTH IN MERCER EATS:
SEE FULL STORY ON PAGE 6
HomeFront ArtSpace’s “ArtJam 2024” marks the 15th iteration of the nonprofit’s free pop-up art gallery, which debuts at a new location in downtown Princeton at 45 Hulfish Street from Friday, May 3 through Saturday, May 18, with all proceeds benefiting HomeFront families.
According to a press release, over 500 works from 75 national, local, student, and “undiscovered or self-taught” HomeFront ArtSpace artists “who bravely embark on a journey to heal from poverty, abuse, or homelessness” will be on display, showcasing original paintings, sculptures, pottery, glassworks, handcrafted gifts, and handsewn items from HomeFront’s SewingSpace program.
An opening reception is scheduled for Friday, May 3, with other community dropin events, including a fashion show at the Arts Council of Princeton, art discus-
sions, live painting demonstrations, paintalongs, and musical entertainment planned throughout the two weeks; a closing reception takes place on Friday, May 17, from 5 to 8:30 p.m.
The gallery at 45 Hulfish Street in Princeton will be open to the public during the following hours: Monday through Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday to Friday, noon to 8 p.m.; and Saturday to Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.
HomeFront is a Mercer County-based nonprofit social service organization dedicated to ending homelessness and breaking the cycle of poverty in Central New Jersey.
By addressing both the immediate and long-term needs of low-income families through supportive programs that draw on community resources, HomeFront empowers its clients to achieve self-sufficiency.
After witnessing firsthand the conditions of unhoused families living in welfare
HomeFront’s 15th annual ArtSpace ArtJam returns with a pop-up gallery at 45 Hulfish Street in downtown Princeton from Friday, May 3, to Saturday, May 18.
Above photo of a previous ArtJam event courtesy of HomeFront.
motels along Route 1 in Trenton more than three decades ago, HomeFront founder Connie Mercer mobilized a group of vol-
unteers around her kitchen table to begin
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distributed each month in the Greater Mercer County, N.J. area.
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• Back Pain and Neck Pain
• PRP & Stem Cell Therapy
• Knee Osteoarthritis Injections
• Non-Surgical Orthopedics
• Double Board Certified Pain Management Physician
Dr. Ronak Patel
• Regenerative medicine goes beyond disease management to search for and discover therapies that support the body in repairing, regenerating and restoring itself to a state of well-being.
• What are stem cells? Stem cells are the bank cells within your body that can morph in many different types of cell depending on what your body needs them for. Stem cells are your body’s repair systems.
• What is PRP? PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma. PRP is created from a sample of your own blood, which is drawn from the patient and then put into a machine to separate the platelet-rich plasma from the rest of your blood.
• Am I a candidate for PRP or stem cell therapy? If you have pain due to injury, arthritis, bursitis, tendinitis, or any other condition, you are a candidate for cell-based therapy. Whether you are looking to heal from a traumatic injury, or regenerate older or diseased tissues, PRP or cell-based therapy could be something to help you heal and restore lost function and mobility.
“Mermaid” and “Feeling Blue” by HomeFront ArtSpace’s Kimberly L., above and at right, are two pieces are included in HomeFront ArtSpace’s 2024 ArtJam. Photos courtesy of Ruthann Traylor and HomeFront.
From ART JAM, Page 2
providing what would become thousands of meals over the years.
In September 2022, Mercer stepped up to become the CEO of the NJ Coalition to End Homelessness and advocate for legislative reform on similar systemic issues, passing the torch to current CEO Sarah Steward as the nonprofit continues to expand.
HomeFront’s ArtSpace, the nonprofit’s
therapeutic art program, is based both at the Lawrence headquarters and the Family Campus in Ewing, with the former also turning a “formerly empty warehouse space” into a fabric arts studio for SewingSpace, which teaches clients how to sew, stitch, and even sell an array functional and stylish products—bags, hats, pillows, and more—fashioned from recycled materials.
Created by HomeFront’s ArtSpace and SewingSpace director Ruthann Traylor in 2007, the visual therapy programs help clients “work through trauma, find new entre-
preneurial skills, and discover themselves as artists,” the press release continues.
According to the HomeFront ArtSpace website, the annual ArtJam “directly underwrites HomeFront’s innovative therapeutic art programs—bringing hope, healing, and for many, a newly found creative outlet.”
“ArtJam 2024 brings together so many people who want to support the creativity of our HomeFront families. It is important that our clients have the opportunity to build valuable skills. Prior to the show, our volunteer curators look close to home and
beyond to find new and established artists of all genres,” Traylor says in a quote.
“This year, HomeFront put out an open invitation for artists wanting to join its efforts. As a result, several wonderful new artists are participating in the show.”
“ArtJam is an amazing experience,” HomeFront CEO Sarah Steward explains. “It serves as an important reminder of the creative spirit of both our client families and the community that comes together to support our work.”
“The arts can lift spirits; they empower
our artists and enhance their self-esteem. We continue to be very grateful for the community support of ArtJam, the many local businesses, community members, our volunteers, and artists who contribute their works, and for all the support we get for Mercer County families in need,” she adds.
Artists participating in this year’s event were able to submit up to 10 pieces and will receive half of the proceeds from each sale.
The constant flow of pieces through the pop-up’s pipeline—rotated and replaced daily by curators over the course of the twoweek event—makes the gallery a dynamic experience.
Participants in SewingSpace, the sister program to HomeFront’s ArtSpace initiative, will also have the chance to showcase their stylish creations with a fashion show at the Arts Council of Princeton, Paul Robeson Center for the Arts, 102 Witherspoon
Street in Princeton, on Saturday, May 11, from 3 to 4:30 p.m., while a reception follows around the corner at ArtJam 2024’s 45 Hulfish Street gallery from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
According to an April press release, parents can also paint with their children at a drop-in table from 10 a.m. to noon on the Sunday of Mother’s Day, May 12, as part of the month’s ArtJam festivities. ***
To view a list of the featured ArtJam 2024 artists, see the digital “ArtJam 2024 Artist Bio Book” of artist and artisan statements, as well as biographical information, at homefront-artspace.com/artjam-2024
For more information, contact ArtSpace/ SewingSpace director Ruthann Traylor at (609) 883-7500 ext. 316 or ruthannT@homefrontnj.org
For more on HomeFront, visit homefrontnj.org or call (609) 989-9417, Ext. 107.
What does it take for a restaurant to be considered a hidden gem? It must start with the part about being hidden, right?
And it must be a gem.
Louie’s by Chef Jason, the Robbinsville restaurant from Jason Dilts and Dominic Maglione, has certainly proved itself to be a gem.
Dilts’ cooking has garnered raves wherever he has worked. At 31, he has already developed a loyal following among area gourmands.
Maglione is even younger, at 23. But he and his front-of-house staff have wasted little time in winning over regulars with their congenial hospitality.
The gushing posts from freshly satisfied Louie’s diners on Facebook foodie groups just hit different compared to those for most restaurants.
But it’s the first part, the “hidden,” where Louie’s might not quite be up to the title.
Sure, it’s located in a small white building in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it plot on Route 130 that, for decades, was the home of Shrimp King, a seafood shop.
Still, Dilts and Maglione have done everything they can to turn their utilitarian space into the kind of destination many remember from the heyday of Trenton’s largely Italian-American Chambersburg neighborhood.
Walking into the dining room back then felt like stepping into someone’s home. Louie’s by Chef Jason clearly aims for a similar vibe.
With each passing month, the BYOB feels less like a hidden gem, and more like one of Mercer County’s few true must-try dining experiences.
Dilts calls his food “redefined American cuisine.” It draws heavily on his time working in Italian-American restaurant kitchens and from growing up eating in the same Chambersburg restaurants that his restaurant now harkens back to.
He has fond memories too of growing up eating Sunday dinners with his part-ItalianAmerican family. He savors the tradition of gathering with loved ones at the dinner table for a comforting feast.
Those memories inspire him to share his love of food and, where possible, impart that love through his cooking.
The Louie’s menu has a modern feel, mixing comfort classics like chicken parm and short rib macaroni and cheese with tra-
ditionally upscale dishes like Chilean sea bass, twin lobster tails and rack of lamb.
Dilts also puts a chef’s twist on familiar Italian classics. There’s cherry pepperglazed calamari, poached pear sacchettoni with cranberries, and linguine with fermented black garlic and smoked pork belly. And Italian-style desserts like limoncello, tiramisu and cheesecake are house made.
In Maglione, Dilts has found a partner whose background complements his own. Like Dilts, Maglione comes from a family where food was always important.
Dominic Louis “Louie” Maglione grew up in Hamilton, but he also grew up working in dad Brian’s Lawrence pizzeria, Fedelo’s, on Route 206.
When Brian was hospitalized with Covid19 during the pandemic, it fell to Dominic, still a teen, to run the restaurant.
Once Brian had recovered, he discovered that his son had enjoyed that taste of management and felt ready to break out on his own. The task then became to find the perfect opportunity for him to do so.
***
Jason Dilts grew up in Robbinsville, but his chef’s journey began at DiMattia’s, in Allentown, when he was 14.
There, the son of Ken and Mary Dilts started as a busboy and, given a chance, proved himself a capable cook.
He graduated from Robbinsville High in 2011 and continued to hone his skills in kitchens while attending Virginia Radford University. After college, he worked at FunniBonz BBQ, then LoLa Restaurant in
Robbinsville, where he rose to the position of chef-partner with owner Mark Longo.
He left LoLa to work as head chef at Zinna’s Bistro in Cranbury and later, at the popular Revere Ristorante Italiano on River Road in Ewing. It was while he was at Revere that he first met Brian Maglione, who became one of Dilts’ best customers.
During the pandemic, Dilts had no choice but to learn how to work in a kitchen that was only making food for takeout. The experience was eye opening.
“People still wanted to support restaurants. We were busy. People were getting takeout food created the same way as eating there, except maybe we couldn’t have things like calamari on the menu, because it would never taste good by the time you got it home.”
He says that Revere did double the business on Mothers Day 2020 that it did the year before, when there was no pandemic. That kind of success inspired him to leave Revere to open his own restaurant, Chef Jason’s 1275, in the former Zinna’s space, with Zinna’s having moved to a new location.
He opened in October 2020 for take-out only. “My own ideas, my own new concept. All the pieces came together when I didn’t have to worry about anyone telling me what I was doing.”
Chef Jason 1275 eventually opened its dining room when the state permitted it, and continued to thrive until closing abruptly in May 2022. Dilts wrote on Facebook that he had closed the restaurant because the landlord was selling the building. Once again he
Louie’s by Chef Jason chef Jason Dilts and owner Dominic Maglione outside of the restaurant on Route 130 in Robbinsville.
Photo courtesy of Louie’s By Chef Jason.
found himself between jobs.
It was not long before a new opportunity cropped up for Dilts — and it came from loyal customer Brian Maglione, who had a proposal to make.
“He called me up and said, ‘Jay, my son wants to run a restaurant. I think you guys would be perfect together,’” Dilts says.
The pair hit it off, and went about finding a location in which to open their new joint venture. They settled on the former Shrimp King and named it Louie’s by Chef Jason. After extensive interior renovations, they opened in December 2022 for lunch and dinner.
The lunch menu skews toward salads, like the shaved Brussels sprouts salad and the chicken Caesar salad, and sandwiches including the Louie Burger, the Italian chicken, the Just-in-Case-You’re-a-Vegatarian Wrap (that’s what it’s called) and a braised short rib sandwich.
Dinner service is split into first courses, mains and desserts, filled with popular dishes from Dilts’ previous stops, like pretzel-encrusted chicken and “boom boom
chicken,” a combination of vodka rigatoni and chicken parm. There’s also a variety of old and new dishes like steak “Don,” pork osso bucco, shrimp fra diavolo and pumpkin ravioli.
Although some items on the menu may change seasonally, Dilts has learned that customers expect some dishes, like the Brussels sprouts salad and the pretzel encrusted chicken, to always be there.
“They say, ‘Don’t touch my boom boom chicken,’” Dilts says with a laugh.
Dilts says he loves having a hands-on partner like Dominic. “I did the silent partner thing with 1275. At the time I thought it might be better to have a hands-on guy. Somebody to be the face of the restaurant, somebody to shake your hand and welcome you to the restaurant.”
Which is not to say that Dilts avoids his customers, not at all. Dilts makes it clear that he cherishes the relationships that he builds with regulars, and Maglione will usually tell him if there are familiar faces in the dining room.
Dilts was also a instrumental in creating Louie’s Chef’s Social events. On the first Monday of each month, Louie’s goes reservations only for the night. Guests sit at shared tables and eat a prix-fixe, five-toseven course meal of seasonal cuisine, with the menu inspired by the ingredients that are available and what Dilts feels like mak-
ing. (Guests with allergies and aversions are accommodated, of course.)
It’s a setting in which diners put their trust in Dilts to make them dishes they will enjoy. Dilts, in turn, joins them in the dining room each course to explain each dish and the inspiration behind the dish.
“Dom asked me if I was going to tell people what’s on the menu, I said ‘No,’” Dilts says. “The whole idea was that I didn’t even know what I was cooking before that day. I go to the market, get fresh things, and I design a menu so that I get to interact with the guests. It’s something that is fun for me, gives us a busy Monday and is kind of an exclusive kind of thing.”
Louie’s held its first Chef’s Social in August and drew nine people, two of whom were Maglione’s parents.
April’s Chef’s Social, on the other hand, attracted 40 guests, many of them repeat customers. The word, it seems, is getting out.
“The coolest thing about it is the social aspect,” Maglione says. “After month two or three, we had people call us up and say, if So-and-So is going to be there, can we be put with them?’
“Last month I put a table of 10 together, five couples at one table. I go back two courses later, and there’s a guy, he didn’t know anyone at the table at the start of the night, and now he’s sharing a story with the
Join us in our mission to support those who wish to age in place!
Set your own schedule. Volunteer opportunities include:
• Rides to the Doctor
• Grocery Shopping Assistance
• Friendly Visits
A little time can make a big difference to a neighbor in need!
Volunteer Today 609-393-9922 www.icgmc.org
whole table. People enter as strangers, but they open their bottle of wine, start eating, start sharing stories and before you know it, they’re leaving as friends.”
Louie’s has also established a tradition of being open on holidays, even Christmas Day. For special occasions, the restaurant offers special menus both for dining in and for family-style takeout. The restaurant will be offering both options for Mother’s Day; check out the website at louiesbychefjason. com for details.
If there is one thing that Dilts and Maglione might say could be better about Louie’s, it would probably be the building, which in addition to being bland and nonhandicapped-accessible, is just a space that they have had to make work, rather than a space that was designed to be the kind of restaurant that they want to operate.
They have made the best of the situation
by painting the interiors in soothing colors and decorating the walls with homey, touches like black-and-white family photos and pictures of restaurants where they have worked.
But they were happy to tell me that they do have an agreement in place with their landlord to move into a newly built space sometime in the next couple of years.
While the duo would not share any details about the location for publication, they did say that the restaurant would remain in Robbinsville and that they are hopeful of opening sometime before the 2025 holiday season.
Louie’s By Chef Jason. 1111 U.S. 130, Robbinsville NJ 08691. Open 7 days a week from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Reservations recommended for weekends and holidays. To make a reservation for the next Chef’s Social, call (609) 208-3685.
month long
AllCure Spine and Sports Medicine is a multidisciplinary family practice that has been in business for over 10 years. Over the past decade, the senior community has been a big portion of our patient demographic.
We hear many different complaints week to week, but one of the biggest complaints we see with our seniors is balance and gait dysfunction. As our bodies get older, degenerative changes take place, which can lead to a host of symptoms taking away from your quality of life. This can lead to loss of balance, decreased range of motion, decreased strength, trouble with gait mechanics, and much more.
Here at AllCure, we provide the proper imaging and testing to help us diagnose these common complaints before they become debilitating. We always say that a small problem will remain small if it’s treated early
enough. We strive to get ahead of each patient’s chief complaints and provide a comprehensive plan of care. One of the major issues seniors face is getting a proper diagnosis early enough to find effective treatments. In many cases we see that patients are given a prescription for medication that will only treat the symptoms, but not the root cause.
This will lead to worsening symptoms over time and keep patients from an active and independent lifestyle.
We pride ourselves in making tailored treatment plans to fit each patient’s individual needs and impairments. There is no one-size-fitsall approach to healthcare and each patient should be treated with that mindset.
We strongly feel that a multidisciplinary approach is the best way to get patients the care they need and the relief they deserve in a safe, fast, and efficient manner.
Our experienced team of providers consisting of chiropractors, physical therapists and acupuncturists collaborate on each case to get the patient the best plan possible to achieve their goals.
We do accept Medicare! We find that most of our Medicare patients don’t have to pay a dime out of their pocket, rather just commit the time and effort.
Please give us a call today and we would be happy to hold a free 10 minute consultation for you or a family member to make sure that you are comfortable and get the correct information to make an important decision for improving your health and quality of life. We look forward to hearing from you!
AllCure Spine & Sports Medicine, 140 Cabot Drive, Suite A, Hamilton. 609-528-4417. www. allcurespineandsports.com. See ad, page 12.
For children and young adults in our inpatient programs, care goes far beyond treating a specific illness or injury. We work with each child and their family to create an individualized treatment plan that addresses their immediate medical needs, emotional health and long-term wellbeing. As the nation’s leading provider of inpatient rehabilitation care, we provide a full range of rehabilitative services:
• Brain Injury Program
• Burn & Wound Care
• Chronic Illness Management
• Chronic Pain Management
• Diabetes Management Program
• Infant Toddler Rehabilitation
• Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Program
• Spinal Cord Injury Program
We also offer outpatient therapy services for needs both special and complex. Learn more at rwjbh.org/cshinpatient
• Multi-Complicated Trauma
• Neuromuscular and Genetic Disorders
• Post-Surgical Orthopedics
Premier Gastroenterology of Hamilton prides itself on providing exceptional care for advanced digestive health in its beautiful office conveniently located on Route 33 in Hamilton Township.
At Premier GI, compassionate and state of the art care will be provided for a wide range of gastrointestinal problems such as abdominal pain, colon polyps, colon cancer screening, constipation, diarrhea, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, hemorrhoids, gastroesophageal reflux disease, Barrett’s esophagus, difficulty with swallowing, peptic ulcer, GI bleed, blood loss anemia, celiac disease, IBS, Women’s digestive health, gas and bloating, hepatitis, cirrhosis, gallstone disease, pancreatic cysts, and pancreatic cancer.
The doctors and staff of Premier GI bring high tech, high-touch approach to patient care. The advantage of a
Treating Pain with PRP and Stem Cell Therapy
Pain.
It gnaws at you. It drains you. It becomes the focus of your life.
Experiencing a few pain-free moments can be euphoric; it makes you realize how long you’ve been living with aches and pain. You might wonder how you can find a solution to relieve the pain and regain your freedom from discomfort.
Dr. Ronak Patel at Regenerative Spine and Pain Institute wants you to know there are two new revolutionary answers to pain relief.
Both platelet-rich therapy — otherwise known as PRP — and stem cell therapy give patients new hope by using the body’s powerful healing power to accelerate the battle against pain. Dr. Patel has seen incredible success implementing these cuttingedge treatments on hundreds of patients suffering from pain-related issues.
So if you are suffering from any of the ailments below, there’s a lifeline.
small practice is that the physicians and staff of Premier GI will get to know you personally and treat you like friends and family. They will work hard every day to earn your trust and to make Premier GI, the practice of your choice for advanced digestive health.
Among the exceptional, caring doctors of Premier GI is Dr. Maulik Shah, who obtained his medical degree from Rowan-Virtua SOM in New Jersey. He completed his Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine at Jefferson Health. He then went on to complete his Fellowship training in Gastroenterology at Jefferson Health, where he was honored to be selected as Chief Fellow. He is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology. He is an active member of the American College of Gastroenterology, American Gastroenterological Association and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy.
Dr. Shah caters to a spectrum of medical needs, including (but not limited to) nausea and vomiting, acid reflux, stomach pain, pancreatic and biliary diseases, liver disease, diarrhea, IBD and IBS. He is an expert in
• Osteoarthritis
• Rotator cuff tear
• Back pain
• Meniscus tears
• Tennis elbow
• Disc herniations
• Tendonitis
• Neck pain
Here’s the best news: Neither PRP or stem cell therapy involves drug use with side effects or any surgical procedures.
Both PRP and stem cell treatments use the body’s own healing resources to repair diseased or damaged tissue — and the results are quite remarkable.
PRP therapy involves injecting concentrated platelets and growth factors into damaged tissue to
general gastroenterology procedures as well as advanced endoscopic procedures such as ERCP, endoscopic luminal stenting, and EMR. He has a strong passion for teaching and routinely gives lectures to the community on a variety of gastroenterology disorders. Dr. Shah is committed to providing the highest quality of care to his patients to ensure their longevity and to provide a positive and fulfilling lifestyle.
Outside of work he enjoys traveling, hiking, cooking, golf, and spending time with his family.
Call 609-917-9917 for an appointment. Locations are 2271 Rt 33, Suite 110 Hamilton, NJ 08690 and 601 Ewing St, Suite C7, Princeton, NJ 08540, 609-921-7620.
Your child’s oral health is a complex issue for parents to deal with throughout childhood. Finding a pediatric dentist for your child’s ongoing oral health needs requires careful consideration before committing. If you make a good choice in your child’s pediatric dentist, you can help set the tone for your child’s relationship with their dental health for the rest of their life.
Knowing what to look for when selecting a pediatric dentistry practice can make a difference in your child’s oral health. Here are some of the most important factors to consider before making your child’s first appointment.
Know the Difference Between a Pediatric and Family Dentist
When picking a dentist for your child’s first dental checkup, you might do a
a steroid shot, which gives you immediate relief and quickly wears off, a PRP patient will see pain symptoms improve over a period of months, and up to 80 percent of patients will see relief for up to two years.
stimulate the faster growth of new healthy cells. Platelets are cells that prevent and stop bleeding. If a blood vessel is damaged, the body sends signals to our platelets to get on the job and start the healing. Some call platelets the body’s natural bandage. So how does PRP therapy work? It’s basically drawing a one small vial of blood from the patient and then using a centrifuge to turn it into a potent and concentrated form of platelets. It is then injected back into the patient. Think of it as a boost of your own blood — only superpowered. Recovery time for PRP therapy is far shorter than for surgery. Patients usually experience soreness for a week or so, but the gradual improvement soon begins. Unlike
Stem cell therapy can be an even more powerful way to harness the body’s healing power. Stem cells are the building blocks for every cell in our body. These powerful cells can be harvested to produce powerful new cells to fight inflammation and disease.
For those suffering from osteoarthritis, stem cell therapy has proven very effective. That’s because the stem cells may help develop new cartilage cells and suppress inflammation. Stem cells can be harvested through a sample of body fat or bone marrow or be harvested from donated umbilical cord tissue.
And yes, you can even augment PRP therapy with stem cell therapy for an even bigger boost!
Stop wondering if you’ll have to live with your pain forever. Contact Regenerative Spine and Pain Institute today at 609-269-4451 or go to www.njpaindoc.com to book an an appointment and learn more. See ad, page 3
quick Google search and find a nearby family dentistry practice and call it a day. However, did you know that while a family dentist can treat patients of all ages, they might not have the same level of training as a pediatric dentist?
Not every dentist can practice on children. Dentists have to undergo years of extra training before diagnosing and treating children. Children’s oral health presents unique challenges that adult dentists don’t have to deal with, so pediatric dentists must undergo specialist training to deal with these factors. Additionally, the training helps pediatric dentists learn how to better communicate with their young patients and have them feel as comfortable as possible in what can be an overwhelming situation.
* * *
A Kid-Friendly Atmosphere. For many people, going to the dentist can spark feelings of anxiety and unease from the moment you step through the door. These feelings can get magnified in a child’s mind with their wild imaginations and distrust of new experiences. So when you’re deciding on a pediatric dental office to bring your child to for their next checkup, check out how the vibe of the website and office feels.
If you look online and in the actual building and you’re seeing a healthy dose of kids, bright colors, and a general sense that kids can come in and not
feel overwhelmed by the office, it’s generally a good sign. A warm, open, and happy environment can do a lot of good for your child’s experience at our kid’s dentist’s office in Hamilton, NJ.
* * *
Initial Consultations. Building a good rapport between your child and their dentist remains a vital component of their dental experience. You want your child to be able to trust their dentist and feel comfortable in the chair during the examination. Having an initial consultation sets up a low-stakes atmosphere where the dentist gets the chance to examine your child’s teeth, begin to build a rapport
with them, and show that the dentist’s office doesn’t have to be a scary place. Your child also gets the chance to experience the new environment and have a positive experience while you ask the dentist crucial questions.
* * *
Prioritize Preventative Treatment. The best way to protect their oral health for most children is through preventative treatments instead of waiting for problems to crop up. An excellent pediatric dentist knows the available preventive techniques to help protect your child’s teeth from needing to fill cavities near Mercer County, NJ, and other issues before they start.
* * *
Choose Hamilton Dental Associates for Your Pediatric Dentistry Needs!
Hamilton Dental Associates has the perfect mix of a welcoming atmosphere and expertly trained pediatric dentists to help your child’s ongoing oral health needs. We take the time to ensure your child feels as comfortable as possible throughout their dental visit and ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible. Contact our team to schedule your child’s first dental care consultation today!
Hamilton Dental Associates, 2929 Klockner Road, Hamilton Square; 609-359-0063. 2501 Kuser Road, Hamilton; 609-403-3217. www. hamiltondental.com. See ad below
COMMON COMPLAINTS WITH LOWER BACK PAIN:
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BULGING HERNIATED DISCS
STENOSIS
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BENDING, TWISTING, LIFTING, STANDING, WALKING
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In every generation, women often do the work of caring for themselves and their families, raising children, and attending to aging parents.
RWJBarnabas Health has long recognized women’s complex role of nurturing others while tending to their own health needs, from reproductive care and breast health to menopause and heart care. RWJBarnabas Health is a leader in the region in women’s health, offering a multitude of programs and services tailored to the unique needs of women.
Our women’s health programs and services are backed by the largest healthcare network in New Jersey, making sure women have access to the highest level of care, the most state-of-the-art technology and the most experienced doctors and specialists. The breadth of our services for women empowers mothers, daughters and grandmothers to take the crucial preventive steps they need to chart a path of wellness through the life cycle.
example, unprotected sex, sexually transmitted disease or use of drugs with needles).
Heart Health
• Blood pressure test: Get one at least every two years if not at your annual checkup.
• Cholesterol panel: Establish your total, LDL, HDL and triglycerides in your 20s. Discuss follow-up with your provider in subsequent years.
problems or catch them earlier, and stay healthier longer,” say
Vice President of Women’s Services at RWJBarnabas Health. “Main also key to living healthy.”
Diabetes
Here are vital steps to take—and details on when to take them—
General Health
• Blood glucose or A1C test: Get screened if you have sustained blood pressure greater than 135/80, take medicine for high blood pressure or are at risk of developing diabetes.
• Full checkup: See a primary care provider yearly.
• Sleep habits: Discuss at your annual exam. • Thyroid (TSH) test: Discuss with your healthcare provider.
Skin Health
• HIV screening: Get tested if you are at risk for HIV infectio disease or use of drugs with needles).
• Skin exam: Do a self-exam of skin and moles monthly and as part of a routine full checkup.
Heart Health
Oral Health
• Blood pressure test: Get one at least every two years if not
• Dental cleaning and exam: See your dentist twice yearly.
• Cholesterol panel: Establish your total, LDL, HDL and triglyc subsequent years.
SHOOTING, BURNING, STABBING SENSATION
Women’s health concerns often focus on milestones such as pregnancy, childbirth and menopause. But day-to-day and year-to-year health maintenance and preventive measures are also critical to wellbeing throughout life. “Getting recommended exams, screenings and immunizations are some of the most important things you can do to prevent problems or catch them earlier, and stay healthier longer,” says Suzanne Spernal, DNP, APN-BC, RNCOB, C-ONQS, Senior Vice President of Women’s Services at RWJBarnabas Health. “Maintaining a healthy weight throughout the life span is also key to living healthy.”
Here are vital steps to take—and details on when to take them— throughout a woman’s life.
General Health
• Full checkup: See a primary care provider yearly.
• Sleep habits: Discuss at your annual exam.
• Thyroid (TSH) test: Discuss with your healthcare provider.
• HIV screening: Get tested if you are at risk for HIV infection (due to, for
Mental Health
Diabetes
• Behavioral health screening: Talk with your provider about whether this would be helpful.
• Blood glucose or A1C test: Get screened if you have sustained high blood pressure or are at risk of developing diabetes.
Skin Health
In each decade working with your healthcare provider to keep on top of regular tests and practices throughout life can have long-term benefits by detecting or monitoring chronic conditions that, left unchecked, often snowball into potentially serious problems. To find an RWJBarnabas Health Medical Group primary care provider right for you, call 855-5712500.
• Skin exam: Do a self‐exam of skin and moles monthly and as pa
Oral Health
• Dental cleaning and exam: See your dentist twice yearly.
Mental Health
• Behavioral health screening: Talk with your provider about wh
In each decade working with your healthcare provider to keep on have long‐term benefits by detecting or monitoring chronic cond potentially serious problems. To find an RWJBarnabas Health Med 855‐571‐2500.
SCAN THIS CODE TO DOWNLOAD A DETAILED, DECADEBY-DECADE BREAKDOWN OF WOMEN’S HEALTH GUIDELINES.
Learn more at rwjbh.org/ womenshealth. Let’s be healthy together. See ad, page 9
Dr. Gianna Bigliani, PT, DPT, OCS, CSCS, owner and founder of Fluid Physio is excited to help people move more comfortably.
“The first thing you need to know about Fluid Physio is that we can get fast results. We are different than any other physical therapy practice because of our approach: a full hour of one-on-one specialized manual therapy treatment that will return you to pain-free optimal performance and function much faster than others.”
Dr. Gianna graduated from Temple University in 2003 and became a certified strength and conditioning specialist, then later completed a Doctor of Physical Therapy degree and an orthopedic PT residency. She worked with athletes of all ages (including children) and abilities (including at a professional level), specializing in helping those with chronic conditions. She spoke at the 2023 New Jersey Conference for Women and has presented at private corporate events and conducting community educational talks.
Her team also includes physical therapists Dr. Easton Reedenmeyer and Dr. Ayesha Mustafa, as well as office manager Caterina Bigliani, Dr. Gianna’s younger sister.
The emphasis at Fluid Physio is not on machines,Dr. Gianna says. There are exercise balls, bands, and a giant mirror, among other therapy tools, but the primary treatment is manual therapy, including manipulating joints, soft tissue (muscles and ligaments), and nerves. “Manual therapy is followed by movement re-education,” says Dr. Gianna. “The body needs to learn how to move without the restrictions it
previously had so that the effect of the therapy is lasting.”
“Every patient is an athlete at Fluid Physio,” she says. “Our goal is to maximize your performance in the activities you love, whether they are on the water, on the road, on the field, or on the floor.”
“I often treat hips and backs in the winter when people slip and fall on snow or ice. Also, they can hurt their backs raking leaves or shoveling snow. Another condition I often treat is foot pain.”
She gives her clients “homework,” “Each patient gets specific exercises and movements to do at home according to their needs and goals.”
“We’re not created to be sedentary. It’s good to be physically active. I chose the name Fluid Physio because ‘fluid’ is how movement should be. Physio is how the rest of the world refers to physical therapy. I also like water and how the water moves, so I thought fluid physio was quite appropriate.”
Fluid Physio, 160 Lawrenceville Pennington Road, Suite 16, Lawrence. 609-436-0366. Fluidphysio. com. See ad, page 11
HELP WANTED
PreK Head Teacher position and a Teacher’s Aids wanted for familyowned Hopewell Township preschool. Full Time or Part Time. Starting$15.50 -$22 per hour depending upon position and experience. If you are interested in either position, email info@camelotschool.net or call 609-577-5584.
WELLNESS
Get Back More of What You Had Before! <b> The Key to Feeling Good Lies in Our MITOCHONDRIA. www.moremito.com/ LiveWell247
SERVICES
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LEGAL SERVICES
Wills, Power of Attorney, Real Estate, Federal and NJ Taxes, Education Law. House calls available. Bruce Cooke, Esq. 609-799-4674, 609721-4358.
Guitar Lessons for Seniors. Call Jane 609 510-1400. $25.00 per lesson.
Wanted: Baseball, football, basketball, hockey. Cards, autographs, photos, memorabilia.
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To make an appointment at Capital Health Cardiology Specialists or to find an office near you, visit capitalhealthcardiology.org.
Register by calling 609.394.4153 or register online at capitalhealth.org/events and be sure to include your email address. Please register early. Class size is limited. Zoom meeting details will be provided via email 2 – 3 days before the program date. Registration ends 24 hours before the program date.
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He adds that he loves art because it, as well as the community-centered nature of the collective, kept him going during the worst depression he ever lived through.
“I came to group one time, and I started feeling better. That’s because I enjoy painting. I didn’t even know I could paint, but I did. I already knew I was an artist, but expression is the idea. It’s not always about what other people see,” Williams says.
Pervis Upshur joined the group last year after being introduced to the arts program at TASK through his friendship with ANEW artist Derrick Branch.
He says that the group inspires him to become “stronger and better.” With a keen sense of visualization, Upshur approaches a piece by drawing directly from his memories, picturing a location he visited or colors he saw, then painting until the canvas in front of him resembles that imagery.
“Sometimes I go places and I pick up my ideas from there, or I think of a place that I was at, and I pick it up, and I draw it,” Upshur adds, motioning to a work of his depicting a rainbow, automobiles, and the ocean, tentatively titled “Cars Going Around the Earth and Fishes in the Sea.”
Upshur, who is also a poet and rapper, notes that he especially loves to draw animals. Like Rose, he prefers to work on his art at home, as evidenced by his piece “Pictures All Around Me in My Little Room.”
John Hendryx, who has been with the group for 14 years, admits that he does not really have a style, but instead tries to take elements from artists he admires and mix them with his own vision. He embraces a multitude of mediums, including pastels, acrylics, and watercolors, but while he tries to incorporate all of them into each piece, Hendryx prefers pastels for their ability to blend.
“I do watercolor for my background — my base — and then I’ll go over that with pastels,” he explains, having just started on the nose section of a new portrait.
“I was eight years old, and my father was an artist, and he drew a picture. I got a hold of the picture, and I drew it, and my picture look[ed] better than his, and he recognized that I was an artist,” Hendryx says, adding that his parents then sent him to after-school classes to hone his skills. Although he once dreamed of becoming an art teacher, Hendryx did not pursue his talents after graduation until a friend praised his work and set him on the path to the A-TEAM.
But now, Hendryx is “hooked” on the role of his dreams, fulfilling his long-held goal of giving back and combining his favorite activities with “The Art of Fishing,” a developing nonprofit organization that will provide instruction in both areas to children in Mercer County.
In his biography on the ANEW website, Hendryx says that fishing and art share similarities in that they allow him to focus on “being one with nature,” which he expresses through still life paintings.
“I fish all the time. Matter of fact, I was fishing before I got here,” he adds with a laugh. “I grew up in the mountains and fish up there.”
Hendryx recalls that over the years he has been fishing, young people, especially those who come from single-family homes, have often had an emotional response and a desire to join him that he wants to help nurture.
“I feel sorry for them because my father was there to teach me, so I said, ‘Well, you know what? I need to step in, bridge that gap between them — and the father and the mother — and teach them to fish,” he notes, with Hendryx hoping to have the program up and running by the end of the year or early 2025.
The newest member of the group is Mark Robinson, ANEW’s self-described “rookie” who dabbles in mediums such as oil, acrylic, charcoal, pencil, and “a touch of clay.” Hendryx encouraged him to join the collective, which he did under a month ago, so he takes the time to pass around a series of works that “pay homage to dead artists” like Marvin Gaye and Tupac.
Robinson’s “diversified” approach to art differs depending on the day, and he cites equally unique inspirations from Bob Ross to Michelangelo.
“Whatever mood I’m in, I go for it,” he says, explaining that on a rainy day, for example, he might be in more of a “jazz mood,” or he draws from “life experiences.”
See ANEW, page 10
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Derrick Branch is a true Trenton “renaissance man,” having spent 13 years with the group while also exploring music and creative writing, all of which began when he met Darley at the soup kitchen. Branch shares that he always loved to sketch, but through the programming at TASK, he brought those visions to life by learning to paint from the other creatives there.
“I sat down and learned how to paint by being there. It really helped my art career, because I wasn’t thinking about an art career before I started painting at the soup kitchen,” he says, noting that most of his art was either personal or for close friends.
“I came from a large family. I’m the last out of 10, and I was basically in art ever since I was born, because they [were] already doing art before I was born, so I fell into it. Eventually, I started appreciating that I was an artist more and more,” Branch says, noting that he thought he would not be able to carve out a niche as an artist because of a lack of appreciation or too many others trying to make it. “I still loved to draw. I wasn’t really focused on making it [a] career move, but it stuck with me, and I can’t get away from it, so now I’m an ‘Art Absolute.’”
Branch defines “Art Absolute” as “the business I made to promote myself and my art,” a comprehensive name for his musical compositions, original songs, spoken word poems, and ceramic pieces. He also plays bass guitar and has a band, building on what he established with the FunkTASKtiks, a group of musicians who met at TASK.
Branch adds that with other artists helping him with supplies and ANEW’s own Walter Roberts, Jr. printing T-shirts for him to design, his mission to be “Art Absolute” has given him a clear vision.
Four years ago, he started painting live at Mill Hill Park in Trenton on Tuesdays and Thursdays from around 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with his latest season having just started. He plans on bringing completed
pieces to sell, including CDs for people interested in his music, but aims to paint about five Trenton cityscapes from spots around town by the end of the summer.
“I really hope that this year, it’ll be even better, and I can get more artists, because I’m hoping that more artists [will] join me, and we have a little artist spot right there in the park that people can come and check out our artwork,” Branch says.
Branch also plans to walk to Detroit, Michigan, for his 62nd birthday next year and aims to document the journey as he camps and paints with others along the way.
“I already looked at how long it would take,” he says. “I’m looking for people. I need somebody to film and everything, because I think it would be great, camping out and just walking up there and seeing what’s out there and painting along the way. Hopefully, it can happen. I’m planning on doing it next year for my birthday. I’ll be 62, so I want to do that.”
If he has a productive season, Branch adds, he will spend the rest of the year
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Before Branch reads one of his poems, “The Hands of the Clock,” he prefaces it with the background that as a child he always knew the time without a watch or clock, so people nicknamed him “The Clock” as a testament to his abilities:
“There are places behind the hands of the clock where no one can be but he. Places behind doors which are locked, for which there is no key. Rooms where pretty girls laugh, and he begins to fear. Visions of shadows and dreams that often become the [real]. Confuses this boy in passionate lust. The thing he seeks to find, he must. Believe me this, I tell you no lies, [both/but] the hands of the clock are in front of his eyes.”
Regardless of where Branch channels that energy, his art is expressive.
“All of it comes from the same spot in my heart. All that is all art to me. I love doing it, and I think I’m going to be doing that for the rest of my life regardless [of] whatever else I do. Going to be painting and drawing and trying to make music, and I think my best days are still ahead of me,” Branch continues.
“I have a great appreciation for all the people I met through trying to be involved in art. No matter what age you get, if you want to do art, go ahead and do it, because it can open up your life. It helps me with any stress and mental situations I might get in. Doing art really helps me out, and I love it so much that I’m probably going to have a paintbrush or a guitar in my hands when they bury me,” he adds.
John Hayes notes that since both of his parents were artists, he must have “inherited” the same sensibilities. With
a lifelong hobby of sketching and painting, including 15 years with the group, he adds that although he’s been away from the artist meetings for a while, he’s happy to get back into the rhythm of creating together.
“I enjoy art because it’s relaxing, and I get a lot out of it because it frees my soul, so I just take my time — when I have time — and just do some of the things that [are] creative,” he says while carefully adding details to a work in progress. “But this is my passion. This is what I love, and it keeps me going in life. I mean, if I didn’t have art, I don’t know where I’d be at. It just soothes my mind. It’s very relaxing. It’s fun.”
“We’re like a big family. We learn to respect each other and be around each other and just do our artwork and have fun, because that’s what it’s about,” Hayes says.
Speaking of those strong bonds, Rose makes sure to mention people like Lisa Lewis, an artist from Philadelphia who now lives in Trenton but was unable to attend the meeting. According to her ANEW bio, Lewis came to TASK for help preparing for her GED test when she met Rose — who walked in similar shoes years earlier — and pursued her artistic inclinations with support from him and the others.
As the “heart” of the Trenton-based group, Rose remains a living example that the members of the ANEW Artists Alliance have no intention of putting down their brushes.
“We gotta keep doing what we’re doing. I’m going to keep doing it until I drop dead,” he says at the end of a recent April meeting.
For close to a quarter of a century, this group of self-taught creatives has found kinship in shared experience and expression, keeping the “soul” of outsider art alive by painting the way forward together.
ANEW Artists Alliance. anewartists. com or anewartistsinfo@gmail.com.
HomeFront ArtSpace, 1880 Princeton Avenue, Lawrence Township. 609989-9417 or artspace@homefrontnj.org.
Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. 609-924-8777 or artscouncilofprinceton.org.
Many of the ANEW artists also on the roster of the TCAT nonprofit are currently exhibiting at Slammin’ Brew, a new coffee shop in downtown Trenton, and the College of New Jersey, with plans for future shows at Artworks Trenton’s “Art All Night” in June and the Tulpehaking Nature Center at the Abbott Marshlands in Hamilton Township. Studio 51, 51 North Stockton Street, Trenton. 609421-0793 or tcateam.org.
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• May 15, Hamilton Township Public Library, 1 Justice Samuel Alito Way
• July 10, Ewing Township, Hollowbrook Community Center, 320 Hollowbrook Drive
• August 14, Lawrence Township, Lawrence Senior Center, 30 E. Darrah Lane
• September 11, Hopewell Township, Stony Brook Elementary School, 20 Stephenson Road, Pennington
