Hoboken Historical Museum, Upper Gallery, Ta-Da! Artworks by Beth Lucas, Macy's Parade Studio Artist, May 6 – July 1, 2012 by Hobokenmuseum

www.hobokenmuseum.org 
Ta-Da! Artworks by Beth Lucas
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For head scenic artist Beth Lucas, the Macy's Parade Studio's move from Hoboken to Moonachie last year was bittersweet. While the new facility offers better lighting and working conditions, she misses being surrounded by historic details scattered throughout the architectural landscape of Hoboken. Her keen eyes pick out such decorative features as rosettes and ornate carvings as she walks along Washington Street and Central Avenue in Jersey City Heights, where she's lived for 20 years.

In her personal artwork, she uses acrylic paints to translate these shapes in bright colors and larger-than-life images on canvas and linoleum that can hang on walls, or even serve as floor-coverings or table tops, once they're coated in tough polyurethane.

The resulting artworks are whimsical and fun, which is not surprising, considering Lucas' job for the last 25 years has been decorating the brightly colored, whimsical floats that entertain millions on Thanksgiving day.
"My dual background in fine art and commercial art has led me to continuously develop a style that is bold with expressive color," she says. "My imagery is taken from both popular culture and subculture. My work explores the recontextualization of ordinary objects I see, we see, in everyday life." Flowers also figure prominently in her work, perhaps inspired by her work on Macy's Annual Flower Show scenery.

After earning her Master's degree in Fine Art from Rutgers in 1984, she started working at Macy's Parade Studio, which was based in Hoboken at the former Tootsie Roll factory until last year. She loves working for Macy's, and met her husband, Charles Walsh, there. After living in Hoboken for five years, she moved to Jersey City Heights where the couple renovated two houses and raised two daughters, Isobelle and Olivia.
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Checklist (works are seen from the left)
1. "Ta-Da!" - 57"x65" - Floor piece
2. "Wow Wee!" - 39"x70" - Acrylic on canvas
3. "Jet Setter" - 9"x13" - Bic pen
4. "Me" - 9"x13" - Bic pen
5. "Skittles" - 9"x13" - Bic pen
6. "Danydany" - 9"x13" - Bic pen
7. "Danydanydanydany" - 9"x13" - Bic pen -
8. "Danydanydany" - 9"x13" - Bic pen
9. "Scruff" - 9"x13" - Bic pen - NFS
10. "Dany" - 9"x13" - Bic pen
11. "Coffee...?" - 17"x17" - Acrylic on masonite
12. "Coffee Time!" - 17"x17" - Acrylic on masonite
13. "Coffee!!" - 17"x17" - Acrylic on masonite
14. "Delicious!" - 17"x17" - Acrylic on masonite
15. "Come Again" - 17"x17" - Acrylic on masonite
16. "It's Fresh" - 17"x17" - Acrylic on masonite
17. "Take Out" - 14"x16" - Acrylic on canvas board
18. "Rosetta" - 24"x24" - Acrylic on linoleum
19. "Yum" - 22"x20" - Acrylic on masonite
20. "Yumyum" - 22"x20" - Acrylic on masonite
21. "Yummie" - 22"x20 - Acrylic on masonite
22. "Caught Ya!" - 36"x70" - Acrylic on canvas
23. "Spring" - 21"x25" - Acrylic on canvas board
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The exhibit was supported by a block grant from the New Jersey State/County Partnership program for the Arts, administered by the Hudson County Division of Cultural and Heritage Affairs.
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www.hobokenmuseum.org 
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