River View Observer January 1-January 15, 2022

January 1-January 15, 2022

Volume 26 No. 1

Est. 1998

Hudson County’s Bi-Weekly-Cultural, Lifestyle and Entertainment Publication

In This Issue

Hudson Happenings Online & On Premise

Pg. 3 & more

Pg 8

ARTScene

REAL ESTATE

Pgs.9 Pgs.9 Pgs.9--12 12 12

www.hobokenlock.com

THE ART OF THE ART OF JOHN T. RUDDY JOHN T. RUDDY

A Tribute to My Cousin The Artist

See page 5

Eglentowicz see page 2

Exit On The Hudson Realty See pages 9-14 & 15

SEE PAGE 11

THE ART OF JOHN T. RUDDY

On December 8th, 2021, the Hudson County Community lost a talented artist and a dedicated Fireman when Jersey City Fire Department Battalion Chief, John T. Ruddy Jr. passed away from a heart attack at 49 years old, after working a 24-hour shift attending to numerous fire calls. Ruddy is the son of retired JC Fire Department Battalion Chief John Ruddy, and back when he was 21 with the ink still fresh on his BA degree in Art History from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, the artist was conflicted over whether to pursue his art full-time or get a “real” job. When the chance came to test for the JC Fire Department, Ruddy seized the opportunity and passed. That was 28 years ago. Ruddy had found a way to balance his work with his art. “I wanted to be an artist but the pragmatic side of me won out and I became a firefighter,” Ruddy told the River View Observer in a 2015 interview. “As a firefighter, my schedule is flexible, so it’s the perfect job for an artist.” I first became acquainted with John the artist, when I met his parents at a chance meeting on a downtown Jersey City Street many years ago. His mother, Grace, is my

cousin, and we hadn’t seen each other in years. I knew she had a son John, however, I didn’t realize that he was the John T. Ruddy Jr. who was part of the Jersey City art scene for over 20 years. During our conversation my cousin Grace asked “If I was still working? “And I explained that I was the owner/publisher of the River View Observer, and we covered the arts and entertainment in Hudson County, both my cousins Grace and her husband John were excited to tell me that their son was John T.Ruddy Jr. an artist in Jersey City. “That’s your John?” I said, I never realized it was him. I admit I was embarrassed because throughout the years the River View Observer mentioned John being part of certain exhibits, but I never put the two together; the artist and the cousin. I was eager to fi nd out more about John T. Ruddy Jr. the artists, and so I researched his work and was both amazed and proud to be related to such a talented artist. Immediately after our meeting, I asked our head writer at the time Sally Deering, to interview John who was having an exhibit at the Raven, a Jersey City Art Gallery to fi nd out more about his art and life. The article appeared in our July 3rd, 2015 issue and through the interview we found out that John traveled all over the world and brought back many souvenirs which included exotic images and motifs that infl uenced many of his paintings. John, studied Renaissance and Classical painting and traveled to 50

countries and was fl uent in seven (7) languages.

and Pro Arts. He has had solo shows at

across the City, and was full of knowledge, guidance, encouragement and support.”

“I’ve been able to work consistently as an artist,” Ruddy said. “I started with classical training and threw out the rules.” When visiting these countries John said “I always head for the cathedrals, mosques and temples fi rst, and I ask myself, what does this culture aesthetically off er? Travel has always been a life-long passion.” John painted with acrylics and oils on canvas and board. A lot of his works are sculptural he explained and some of his larger paintings feature applied media like jewels. Some pieces have a Hindu reference, and Ruddy told us that writer/teacher/philosopher Joseph Campbell had a big infl uence on him both as a person and artist. “Joseph Campbell opened my mind,” Ruddy said. Ruddy’s paintings are meant to be experienced in person, and he was not about creating images that can be reproduced on T-Shirts or coff ee cups. Instead, he preferred creating one-of-a-kind paintings. “Paintings are stories,” Ruddy said, “like personal mythologies.” Ruddy’s work has been shown at ArtHouse Productions, 58 Gallery

Community Space and Porto Lounge; LITM and. featured in many group shows, in 2013, Ruddy co-curated the Jersey City Artist Studio Tour’s fl agship location at the Tenmarc building; and in 2014, Jersey City commissioned him to construct the centerpiece public art installation for the studio tour’s opening gala at Exchange Place. Christine Goodman; Jersey City Cultural Aff airs Director noted “John Ruddy’s art was completely unique. He was a true collaborator, and brought Jersey City’s creative spaces to life with his large scale work. Ruddy’s art set the stage for performance venues, the Jersey City Art & Studio Tour, New Year’s Eve celebrations, restaurants, and pop-up galleries. Ruddy regularly showed his work in group shows and private spaces. He supported many artists

John is survived by his wife, Geeta (nee Purohit) and his daughter, Asha Grace Ruddy; his father, John, (ret BC JCFD) and mother Grace (nee Fallacara); his sister, Kelli Massaro and brother, Stephen Liberto. To fi nd out more about John T. Ruddy’s art visit http://www.works.io/ john-terrence-Ruddy

Visit John’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/john.t.ruddy

More information about John T. Ruddy www.TheCultureJC. com search John T Ruddy

The above article by Joe Calamito with exerps from an original article written by Sally Deering in July 2015, for the River View Observer

Page 5 January 1-January 15, 2022 River View Observer

EXIT ON THE HUDSON REALTY

“When you love what you do...It shows”

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Presented by –

Annette Rubin– 201-424-1182

Office – 201-437-0411 867 Broadway, Bayonne

www.exitonthehudson.com

NO OW’ ’S THE TIME

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