Tuckerton Seaport has partnered with StoryCorps on a storytelling challenge in honor of Girls’s Historical past Month, with interviews recorded for posterity and to be saved completely within the StoryCorps Archives.
Seaport Folklife Middle Director Arlene Castro interviewed 5 distinguished folks artists – “artistic and passionate ladies who make historical past day by day on the Seaport and in their very own communities”: historic painter Cathleen Engelsen of Surf Metropolis; “New Jersey’s Troubadour,” singer-songwriter Valerie Vaughn of Tuckerton; Down The Shore Publishing designer and creator of The SandPaper’s “Artoon,” Leslee Ganss of Cedar Run; award-winning ornamental decoy carver Nancee Jo Luciani of Toms River; and weaver/fiber artist, sheep farmer, third-generation fruit jammer, educator and Port Republic’s first lady mayor, Niki Giberson.
Every was requested to share her background, artwork types and life classes.
TIME TRAVEL: Cathleen Engelsen has been a working artist for the reason that Seventies, specializing in historic work of landmarks and other people of the previous and current. Typically she shows and sells her work at artwork festivals, like this one in Barnegat Gentle in 2019. (Picture Courtesy Marc Halikas)
Cathleen Engelsen grew up on 19th Avenue in Surf Metropolis, within the cottage her mother and father constructed within the Nineteen Thirties – the exact same home through which she lives, paints and reveals and sells her work right now.
Engelsen’s mother and father had come from Tuckerton, she defined, which knowledgeable a lot of her paintings later. Her grandfather, W.C. Jones, was a photographer who documented Tuckerton’s streets, buildings, boat and oyster homes, and the Tuckerton Wi-fi. Along with his photographs he made postcards.
Tuckerton was “revered, as a port of entry,” Engelsen stated. “It was an energetic, energetic place.”
Engelsen acquired her begin as knowledgeable artist within the late ’70s, when McDonald’s franchisee Harry Chapman Jr. requested her to color two murals – one in every of Lengthy Seashore Island, which now hangs within the New Jersey Maritime Museum in Seashore Haven, and one in every of Tuckerton Creek, which is on the Seaport.
The murals present essential landmarks that seize the spirit of the person cities.
Engelsen has all the time liked to color water, she stated. She has a educated eye and a faith-filled coronary heart. All through her life, she has discovered the very best surprises have come alongside when she has believed in herself and trusted her instincts to create work that facilitates the viewer’s understanding of, reference to and conversations concerning the historical past of the realm.
“That’s the objective. While you attain that objective, that places you in a contented place,” she stated.
In 50 years, there aren’t too many Backyard State landmarks Engelsen hasn’t painted.
“I can’t let you know what number of practice stations I’ve painted all through New Jersey.”
Rising up within the Forties, she stated her favourite childhood reminiscences are of enjoying outdoors. “There was lots of nature” again then, earlier than the Island grew to become “only one home subsequent to a different.” Summers have been for seaside enjoyable and winters for ice skating on the bay.
Her family was stuffed with laughter, video games and dialog. At dinner, her mom would inform tales about educating, and her father, a sportsman and a gentleman, would speak about searching, the outside, his canines, the boatyard. They’d eat what he caught and killed.
Relations cautioned her about pursuing artwork, however she was destined.
“While you’re elevating women and having a lot enjoyable, you don’t actually suppose you’re going to be knowledgeable artist, however it did occur, and I used to be grateful.”
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Leslee Ganss measuring a diamondback terrapin on Cedar Run Dock Street in early 2000s. (Picture by Ray Fisk)
Leslee Ganss grew up in Cherry Hill and attended Philadelphia Faculty of Artwork (now College of the Arts), the place she majored in illustration and portray. Within the ’70s her mother and father purchased a house in Harvey Cedars.
Ganss began working for The SandPaper in 1980 (“It was purported to be only a summer time job!”), the place she met her husband, Ray Fisk. She created illustrations for the paper; she grew to become the artwork director, answerable for hiring, graphics and design; and he or she doodled an increasing number of till, “sooner or later, I began to have a place on issues, not simply random drawings.” Her Artoon was born and began operating weekly on the editorial web page.
She liked the Lengthy Seashore Island space, so when she and Ray acquired married, they purchased and renovated an previous clam home on Cedar Run Dock Street, the place they nonetheless stay. Collectively they began Down The Shore Publishing, specializing in local-interest books, calendars and notecards.
Amongst Ganss’ main artwork influences are her mom, who was additionally an illustrator and painter, and The New Yorker’s editorial/political cartoons. By no means an enormous fan of the “Sunday comics,” Ganss stated she was all the time drawn to extra mental, even obscure materials. All through her life she has cultivated a expertise for observational humor.
Since then, Down The Shore has printed two collections of her Artoons.
In 1998 she “retired” from the paper to lift her son, Noah, and work full-time as Design Director for DTS however caught with the Artooning.
“Each every so often, I say, ‘Wow, you’ve really made a residing down right here, doing what you like to do,’” she stated.
Each Monday evening, she asks herself, “What was humorous this week? What do I wish to touch upon?” Holidays are all the time good beginning factors, she stated; so are “folks doing silly issues on the seaside” or being “ridiculously thoughtless of the atmosphere.” The political local weather of the final six or seven years has lent itself to many punchlines. Even from the pandemic got here a windfall of inspiration, she stated, from masks to zombies.
“With vacationers in the summertime and locals within the winter, there’s no lack of inspiration,” she stated. Whether or not riffing on yoga or Shark Week, “I do all of it last-minute.”
Some Artoons strike a extra comedic chord than others, she famous. They’re not all the time laugh-out-loud humorous; simply as typically, they’re triggering for readers (on hot-button subjects akin to plastic baggage, plastic straws, COVID masks, wind power, gasoline costs …). She’ll take notes whereas driving, suppose up Venn diagrams, dissect the “summer time mind” and poke enjoyable at guests.
“I discovered my place (on the shore),” she stated, the place she might immerse herself in her love of animals, nature and wide-open views of sky and water. “I really feel like I’ve completed extra to coach folks about these issues I care about,” she stated, from saving terrapins and combating air pollution to honoring the osprey nest she will be able to see from her home.
Her biggest lesson discovered thus far has been “Wherever you find yourself is correct the place you’re purported to be – so long as you’ve discovered your voice and also you’re joyful. I don’t ever look again and suppose, ‘Darn, I missed my alternative to make a ton of cash at an promoting company in Philly.’”
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PET PROJECTS: Niki Giberson is the primary lady mayor of Port Republic. She and her husband Gary opened Swan Bay Folks Arts Middle in 1988. Immediately Niki farms fruit for jamming, sheep for wool, and chickens for eggs. Her Hand on Historical past packages intention to encourage creativity by historic crafts, akin to basket making. She by no means stops dreaming of how to share her love and data. Her mind is like fireworks, she stated. (Picture by Pat Johnson)
Niki Giberson was sworn in as Port Republic’s first feminine mayor in January, taking up for her now-retired husband, Gary Giberson, who was mayor for 36 years.
However since 1988 they’ve run Swan Bay Folks Arts Middle, the place she has a workshop, classroom and show house. She additionally retains and tends her “retirement donkey,” 26 chickens and 14 sheep. She finds methods to “make the wool work” and fund the continuation of the farm by wheel-spinning and knitting it, and dyeing machine-spun wool along with her personal garden-grown dyes. She additionally leads Colonial tea events for teenagers, through which Scarlet the donkey performs a component.
As a Jersey Contemporary-certified jammer, Giberson makes 30 completely different varieties, utilizing her homegrown blackberries, raspberries, grapes and seaside plums. Different fruits she buys from New Jersey farmers. She finds “one thing very satisfying,” she stated, in rising the fruit and elements, listening for the jars to pop, savoring the tastes – “and you may bless folks with it,” she stated, just like the man who repairs the heater.
The hub for her mixed passions is named “Arms on Historical past: Inspiring Creativity By way of Historic Crafts.” Basket making is a well-liked class she provides, for making vessels for sensible functions akin to s’mores baskets, laundry hampers, ornamental and storage containers, “litter busters.”
Giberson’s father was a graduate-level professor of Seventeenth-century German literature at Ivy League faculties. He had gotten his doctorate by the GI Invoice. So she grew up in Princeton, had nice alternatives, and went to Stockton to be an animal behavioralist however in the end studied Early American Crafts and Tradition. Her senior challenge was on the Colonial textile business. She went to Batsto to be taught to weave and spin.
She jokes that her preparation for the position of mayor was being her husband’s “apprentice” all these years.
As mayor she desires of creating the folks of Port Republic – all 1,100 of them, in 8 sq. miles – know they’re essential and liked. At present she is immersed in planning and getting ready for the city’s large 375th birthday celebration. She additionally writes a column for the city’s publication known as “From the Mayor’s Kitchen.” It’s in her nature to like folks with meals, she defined. Recipes generally is a math lesson, a scrumptious deal with, and a present to a neighbor or buddy.
She has additionally spearheaded a meal program for schoolkids and the PREP or Port Republic Enrichment Program.
“A tradition is made up of music and artwork,” she stated. “Who’s going to help museums and go to live shows in the event that they aren’t even conscious of the underlying tradition right here?”
Giberson believes humanity is only one technology away from shedding traditions not handed down by hands-on experiences. So, she’s devoted to discovering methods to make these experiences accessible and accessible to everybody. Her internal gears are all the time turning; she says her mind is “like fireworks.”
“If I didn’t should sleep, I wouldn’t.”
She teaches at Swan Bay, the Seaport and Stockton College. Her three daughters began educating and dealing at Swan Bay after they have been 10. “Generally they’d higher concepts about the right way to do issues than I had,” she stated.
The phrases of knowledge she would cross on are to observe passions and embrace pure items. We’re all right here to encourage one another, she stated. “God has a plan on your life.”
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JILL OF ALL TRADES: Nancee Jo Luciani has all the time been concerned in arts of many varieties. She began decoy carving later in life and has modified her carving and portray kinds over time as wanted. (Courtesy Tuckerton Seaport)
Decoy carver and painter Nancee Jo Luciani was born in Kansas, the place she was a quiet, shy, studious lady who dreamed of being a instructor. Her household moved to Brick Township when she was 10. Luciani attended Ocean County Faculty, married a sailor, traveled quite a bit, and landed again in New Jersey in 1986.
She got here from a creative household and has all the time been concerned in artwork and different “solitary pursuits.” She began toll portray within the mid-’70s as a result of she was bored, picked up pastime paints, then took a category in oils, “and I haven’t stopped since.” Over time she additionally has tried her hand at calligraphy, floral arranging, quilting and extra.
In 2003 she began working on the Seaport, grew to become the enterprise supervisor, and spent lots of time with the makers and demonstrators to be taught what they do.
One 12 months for the Seaport’s fundraising gala, Luciani painted an egret from the reward store, and it was auctioned off for $200. It was an uncommon piece and other people liked it, she stated, as a result of she used her toll and faux-finishing methods on it.
Decoy carver Malcolm Robinson challenged her to a carving class. She wrote a grant to check with grasp carver Fred Reitmeyer for 2 years.
“I couldn’t cease carving as soon as I began,” she stated. At one time she might carve for eight hours at a stretch. Alongside the best way she found she has an allergy to cedar, so now she makes use of different woods. She shoots her personal reference images of birds and has carved many species, modifying her work as wanted to take care of age-related well being points. Later she acquired into energy carving and extra ornamental kinds.
“My type is eclectic,” she stated, naming rosemaling, Scandinavian and German kinds in her repertoire.
Robinson and Luciani collectively shaped the Seaport’s youth carving membership in 2006; it nonetheless attracts all kinds of scholars, ages 11 to 17.
As an teacher she stated she tries to indicate folks “You don’t want expertise. You may be taught the ability. You simply want coaching and apply.”
The values she holds expensive are household, self, work ethic, private duty and serving to others.
“Change is inevitable,” she stated. “Loosen up and don’t stress about it. Be adaptable. Plan for the worst-case state of affairs and hope for best-case state of affairs.”
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POWER OF MUSIC: Valerie Vaughn has devoted her life to constructing folks up by music; writing and performing folks tunes that educate as they entertain. (Provided Picture)
Valerie Vaughn, recognized unofficially as “New Jersey’s Troubadour,” has made a residing and constructed a legacy by writing songs about native historical past, tradition and folklore for 50 years.
“Not too many individuals have been celebrating New Jersey after I first began,” she stated.
She was a college social employee and disaster counselor, making musical programming for establishments of studying, akin to faculties, libraries and museums. Her songs advanced from fairy tales for little youngsters to folks tales for older youngsters, to singing across the campfire, she defined. The “Pinelands Expertise” was a campout for seventh-graders to find out about life across the bay in Tuckerton.
Vaughn took a winding path to South Jersey, as her massive household migrated from the Bronx to Hazlet (because of the GI Invoice), after which to Southern Ocean County. Rising up, her father performed strings – guitar, banjo, fiddle – so Vaughn and her older brother discovered to play, too. They’d frequent events the place music was all the time ample.
The Beatles have been an enormous affect on her, she stated. And the people music mindset was “Effectively, in fact we’re going to write down our personal songs,” so the development from singer to songwriter was a pure one. She would apply guitar for hours a day, to accompany herself singing, she stated. She additionally took dance classes for seven years.
By age 15 she was fairly good on the guitar and joined a rock band known as The Actuality. Some known as her “the following Melanie,” one other star who had come out of New Jersey within the ’60s.
On the very first Earth Day, in 1970, Vaughn wrote a music for Earth Day. For a historical past class as soon as she gave a singing report on the labor motion. Her first paid gig was enjoying folks songs for her English instructor’s 10-year-old’s birthday celebration.
As a “singing social employee,” she was first impressed to write down songs to spice up youngsters’ vanity and hometown satisfaction. When the Seaport was first being established, Vaughn sang for fundraising occasions to construct the museum.
By way of all of it she has woven her loves of historical past, schooling, kids, nature and efficiency. Earlier than COVID, she began a program to deliver folks music to the homebound. She has additionally written songs for christenings.
When she was discovering her means professionally, the music enterprise was “a person’s world,” she stated. However when her male counterparts trended towards making issues louder and greater, with costlier gear, her response was to zag the place they zigged. The extra they turned it up, the extra she turned it down, simplifying the artwork type to its essence.
Vaughn leaned into folks and located alternatives to make a residing. She confronted the challenges of the right way to be a musician by being true to herself and being artistic. She discovered as a substitute of enjoying in eating places and bars, she might flourish in academic venues.
One in every of her favourite songs she has written is “The Key to Romance,” she stated, which blends all the humanities. However “Tucker’s Island,” which she wrote in 1988, is her hottest. It’s even used as a educating device for marine and coastal science.
She urges future generations to be constant and decided within the pursuit of their pursuits and desires. Her objective was by no means to be wealthy and well-known, she stated. As an alternative, she has saved it easy, saved it actual, and saved on keepin’ on.
Vaughn has lived a “joyful, loopy, non-traditional life, for certain, doing what I actually love.”
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For over 20 years, the Tuckerton Seaport and Baymen’s Museum has preserved, offered and interpreted the Jersey Shore’s tradition and heritage, based on Schooling Director Adrianna Martinez. The Seaport reveres its native artists, craftspeople, storytellers, generational companies and historical past makers. By contributing to StoryCorps’ assortment of tales from throughout the nation, the Seaport amplifies their voices and provides “a further interpretive layer to the beforehand established reveals.”
This spring, the Seaport will unveil its revitalized exhibit “Tuckerton: The Individuals,” now extra immersive and interactive.
With StoryCorps, Tuckerton’s tradition turns into a part of a nationwide dialog.
Public radio listeners acknowledge StoryCorps as the brilliant spot in a Friday morning. The StoryCorps phase debuted on Nationwide Public Radio’s “Morning Version” in 2005.
Shaped in 2003, StoryCorps is an independently funded, nonprofit group that preserves and shares humanity’s tales and, in so doing, builds connections between folks with the intention to create a extra simply and compassionate world. All interviews are preserved on the American Folklife Middle on the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. Be taught extra at storycorps.org.
Throughout the pandemic, the Seaport’s official YouTube channel was how the group stayed linked with the general public, providing movies on the artistry, occupations and traditions of the Barnegat Bay and Pinelands, in addition to actions to do at house. Now interviews may be uploaded on to the StoryCorps Archives.
Go to archive.storycorps.org and search “Tuckerton Seaport.”
