The Going Goetz Good

A new artist has come to town. 

Julie Goetz paints whimsical portraits of our furry animal friends and has served as a judge at local art exhibitions and contests. The Gallery at Bex is pleased to be hosting her work, and she is creating unique, specific artwork for her installation. 

Goetz, of Bedminster, has also collaborated with the Raritan Headwaters Association, where she made fanciful wooden trout as part of a trout-themed event. 

Playful Art

Art can take many forms and have many “vibes,” of course, but Goetz’s work stays on the side of the sunny, light, and playful, taking pets and wild animals as inspiration. Her pieces will work well in the sunny, corridor-like Gallery space. August was Artist Appreciation Month, but the arts are notoriously feast or famine (or high art prices or starving artists), so it’s good to support local art year-round.  

Animal Tails and Tales

Chef Becky’s Executive Assistant, Chris Callahan, is again curating the exhibition. “Julie does focus on animals in her works, but she incorporates a little [Gustav] Klimt, a little Picasso, a little Goya. Since the theme is domestic and wild animals, I’m going to arrange the artworks on the wall so they have a fluid motion since animals are generally energetic and on the move,” he says. This gallery exhibition is called Wild Life. 

Califon “Goetz” Some Art & Culture 

Long-time Califon or Hunterdon County-area residents may remember Solaris, an art gallery in the same space. “It’s great to continue the tradition of bringing the arts to a small New Jersey town,” Callahan declares. He was involved deeply in the high-stakes world of art in New York City, and Chef Becky attended Parsons School of Design until a family emergency brought her back to NJ. “It’s nice to fold together my skills and interests in the arts and food, which go together naturally at art openings,” she says. Califon is a quaint, Rockwellian town but also a small town, and the arts help provide some culture. 

Julie’s Work 

You can get a glimpse, at least in good old-fashioned black & white, of some of Julie’s work here. Her works are sure to appeal to all ages since we live in a wildlife-rich area and Califon is home to many pet dogs (and cats). Chef Becky makes delicious finger foods/appetizers for the art receptions, and the ambiance is not stuffy or pretentious, but down-to-earth.

Whimsy on Main Street 

  Callahan says: “Julie is that rare artist that is a unique find in a world where innocence, whimsy, satirical humor, and fun are lost on a majority of audiences at present. Come and see the unique perspective of an artist who still sees the beauty, humor, and fun in her animal kingdom subjects that become her world.  Julie has the gesturing influence of Picasso, the texture design quality of Klimt, and the powerful intensity of Goya rolled up into one original package that is Julie Goetz and her ‘Wild Life.’” 

The event will be Thursday, October 12th, 6 pm – 8 pm, at The Gallery at Bex, right next to the Bex cafe. It’s free and we hope to see you there!