duCret School of Art Instructor an Activist for Youth in Art

Plainfield, NJ, February 09, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Ed Wetzel, a local Metuchen artist and duCret School of Art instructor, also runs his own Portrait and Plein Air Painting Studio in Metuchen, NJ. If that isn’t enough, he's also quite an active icon in the town in which he resides, which includes yearly participation in the local June Bug Festival each summer and educating youth to opportunities in the art field, whenever he can. Last week Ed spoke to local high school juniors and seniors about ‘hidden’ opportunities in the art world at Metuchen High School, as part of a yearly commitment he has made to educating youth to a career in the arts. "Many students I talk to are completely unaware that the art industry is a very huge and powerful one that touches and influences every single human being on the planet," Ed reflected while in discussion about the economic pressure to dwindle down art instruction in high schools. "Most teenagers of the area don’t even know where to begin to get the instruction they need to become a professional artist, but the truth of the matter is; the art industry is vast and thriving, even in today’s world. And the path to pursuing one’s artistic dreams starts right in one’s own back yard," he shared with students at the Metuchen seminar.

Take for instance duCret School of Art, where Ed teaches Perspective and Advanced Drawing. Located in Plainfield NJ, duCret is NJ’s oldest private art institution and this year, it is celebrating 85 years of educating artists. One thing that makes duCret a reckoned name in terms of art education is that all instructors are actually working artists in their own right. This prerequisite set forth by the institution brings a whole new dimension of education to attending students, for they are constantly exposed to outer world activities that their teachers are involved in all throughout the year. In fact, it is often through the faculty members that actual jobs from the art industry filter in to the students during class time. This very natural act of mentoring students on real jobs enables them to not only learn the business aspects of their craft, oftentimes, they actually meet and engage with the clients throughout the projects assigned. Not only are the students building their portfolios from "real jobs," but they are also refining networking skills through such engagements. This includes actively engaging students in art events of the local area.

For instance, most recently Ed assisted in VAM Art's gallery opening titled, "Resurgence 2012." VAM Art, a brand new gallery located at 15 Station Street in Metuchen, NJ has just opened its doors to the public and in doing so, they have presented art appreciators and emerging artists alike with a smashing array of art from international artists hailing from Australia, Bahrain, Qatar, Singapore, UAE and the USA. On January 18th, the work of fifteen artists from five nations representing four continents was formally showcased under the titling of “Resurgence 2012.” The works shown include internationally acclaimed artists Hikaru Yumura, Jiro Inagaki, Ad Arma, Murali Cheeroth, N.N. Rimzon, Martin Reyna, Pradeep Puthoor, Ashok Kumar Gopalan, Rita Kaplan, T.M. Aziz, Mathai Tom, Mukesh Sharma, Pratul Dash, Birenda Pani, Rani Rekha and Sreelal.K.S.

The exquisite artwork, which was flown in from all over the world needed an expert canvas stretcher to reappoint the canvases to frames for presentation. Ed Wetzel stepped in to lend a hand to the delicate process of re-stretching the valuable artwork.

In looking to the new gallery opening he stated, "The VAM Gallery opening is yet another great local venue available to not only emerging artists, but to professionally accomplished artists as well. When it comes to art, my door is always open. High school students are more than welcome to visit me where I teach and come tour the historic facility called duCret," Ed shared. Ed who specializes in portraits and architectural renderings is also a graduate of duCret. Listed among the many who have studied at duCret are nationally acclaimed painters, portrait artists and illustrators, as well as graphic designers who are now affiliated with some of the nation’s most prestigious advertising agencies.

High school juniors and seniors are invited to attend duCret’s upcoming 33rd Annual High School Art Show Opening Reception which will be held on Feb 24th, 7pm – 9pm. Artwork submitted by juniors and seniors in high schools all across the state are judged and awarded in a yearly event sponsored by duCret. "This year duCret will feature 482 pieces of art," stated Ed. That's an awful lot of artwork to hang. More info on the show can be found at duCret.edu.

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