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Arts & Entertainment

Train Station Mural Reflects Local Community

The mural at the Aberdeen-Matawan train station marks the area as the gateway to the shore.

It is appropriate that the gateway to the shore would be the perfect spot for the “Gateway to the Shore” mural, yes?

Okay, perhaps it’s arguable that Aberdeen and Matawan are not the initial, northen shore offerings here in the Garden State. After all, Laurence Harbor, Keyport and Sandy Hook are part of the “Gateway” National Recreation Area.

However, there’s no denying the statement the beautiful mural makes at the Aberdeen-Matawan Train Station.

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The twelve-year-old 14’ x 12’ x 5” mural, created by Grace Graupe-Pillard, depicts the best of the area year-round, and honors the every day man and woman.

Featured in the mural are citizens of every age from all walks of life, representing the unique characteristics of the area. They are engaged in fun, leisurely activities with a background of Raritan Bay blue. Depicted in the mural is a senior citizen painting, a young woman playing the violin, children enjoying the water, a runner, a fisherman, a young woman with binoculars perhaps bird-watching, a jump roper and a man exercising, all symbolizing diversity and the richness of activity in the area.

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The artist, Grace Graupe-Pillard, was a finalist at the time in the Percent for Art competition. The competiton focuses on, in the program’s words, “renaissance of public art in New Jersey."

In 1978, Governer Brendan Bryne passed New Jersey's Public Buildings Art Inclusion Act, which resulted in an increase in the number of highly visible pieces of contemporary artwork.

"Since then, up to 1.5% of the total estimated cost of public building and renovation projects has been allocated to the development of works of art," according to the program.

Graupe-Pillard made her proposal to NJ Transit, who commissioned the project with assistance from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and funding made possible by the New Jersey State Transportation Trust Fund.

“A new transit station was being built on that site,” Graupe-Pillard recalls via email. “The former station was on the Matawan side of the tracks. I proposed sitting my work in the plaza as a beacon for travelers.”

Sheila McKoy, Program Manager of Transit Arts of NJ Transit, remembers Grace Graupe-Pillard’s vision well.

“Grace wanted to incorporate the community by using individuals from the community to create the work of art,” she said.

To bring this type of project to life, Grace Graupe-Pillard takes photographs of people, producing life-size drawings of the selected subjects, and then has transparencies made of the completed images. She then fabricates the work into porcelain enamel, which is created by fusing colored glass to a steel base at extremely high temperatures. This helps insure that the work will endure, withstanding a variety of outdoor weather conditions in addition to requiring low maintenance.

And when it comes to the shore, those conditions can vary wildly, but travelers no doubt fall in love with the work, and with all that the shore offers in the process.

Grace Graupe-Pillard and her work are well known in the art world. Her work has been exhibited throughout the United States and she has been the recipient of many grants, including three from The NJ State Council on the Arts, and one from The National Endowment for the Arts.

“Gateway to the Shore” is counted among those highly regarded by many, especially Grace Grauppe-Pillard herself.

“Since my studio is in Keyport and I have an apartment in New York City. I always see my sculpture when I take the train into New York City. I keep an eye on it and occasionally one can see me standing and cleaning the pieces if, rarely, there are any problems. I am proud that now after almost 12 years, the color has held up beautifully and the spirit is still intact.”

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