From the Press of Atlantic City, June 3, 2005 .....
A spiritual connection
Atlantic City native’s paintings filled with symbolism
By DEREK HARPER
Staff Writer, (609) 272-7203
BUENA VISTA TOWNSHIP — Painter Aaron Pines started young.
“When I was a child, man, my mother was always encouraging us to be open and artistic,” he said. “It’s kind of like freedom.”
But then he got to his teen years, and that spark of inspiration stopped. He can’t explain why, but once in college, a few years later he picked it up again.
That was 24 years ago. And Pines has painted ever since.
His paintings, filled with the iconography of the world’s religions, are on display though June 30 at the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey.
The colors of the paintings are bold.
The symbols come from Pine’s desire to know more about the world religions. In one piece on display, a woman has flow~ ing dreadilocks intertwined with symbols: a cross, a Star of David, a yin-yang icon.
“I want to see the similarities, vs. the differences. I think someone has something to bring to the table.”
Pines, who grew up in Atlantic City, exhibited in the city during the 1980s while he worked at Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino. But by 1991, he felt he had to leave and moved to Atlanta.
“You know how it is.You want to make a change,” he said.
He liked the warmth of the south, and he hadn’t liked having to travel to Philadelphia every time he wanted to see art. Living in the south, he changed.
He grew as an artist, working, painting and exhibiting.
“You’ll see in my work I try to make a certain kind a spiritual connection,” he said. ‘All we do as artists is copy what God created. Coming to Atlanta allowed me to grow on a personal level, and I just try to reflect that in my artwork.”
IF YOU GO
The Art of Aaron Pines is on display at the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey through June 30.
The museum is located at 661 Jackson Road in the Newtonville section of Buena Vista Township.
Call 704-7262.
[Photo]
Staff photo by Edward Lea
Ralph Hunter, of the African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey, admires a painting by Aaron Pines.
African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey
661 Jackson Road, Newtonville, NJ 08346,
609-704-7262; (fax: 704-7263)
email: rhunter@AAHMSNJ.org
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Last updated: 2005 Sixth Month, 10th.
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