Exhibits & Events

Montclair, NJ, (July 2026) – Studio Montclair announces a very special exhibition, “Celebration: the Art of Catherine Kinkade”. This exhibition and fundraiser in support of Studio Montclair, in partnership with BrassWorks Gallery, will be showing in two locations. The exhibition is on view from August 7 to 23 at Studio Montclair’s Leach Gallery, 641 Bloomfield Avenue, Montclair, NJ, and through August 28 at BrassWorks Gallery, 105 Grove Street, Montclair. An Opening Reception will take place on Friday, August 7 – starting at BrassWorks Gallery from 4 to 6pm, continuing at SMI’s Leach Gallery from 6 to 8pm. All are welcome.

“Celebration: the Art of Catherine Kinkade” is a memorial exhibition and fundraiser celebrating the life and work of  Catherine Kinkade – a painter of extraordinary feeling, a generous and devoted teacher, and one of the most warmly cherished figures in the Montclair arts community for nearly four decades.

Catherine passed away late last year, and the loss has been felt throughout this community in ways that are still hard to put into words. She left behind a legacy of luminous artwork and an even more extraordinary devotion to the artists and organizations she loved. Among those closest to her heart was Studio Montclair, which she joined in its earliest days – nearly 28 years ago – and served with tireless passion and deep commitment, including decades on its Executive Board. It was Catherine’s own tender wish that a sale and fundraiser be held in her memory to benefit Studio Montclair, and this exhibition is a loving fulfillment of that wish. Through it all, her husband Merwin was by her side – her devoted partner and most steadfast champion.

A Master Pastelist of the Pastel Society of America and a founder of Viridian Print Studio, Catherine worked across pastel, oil, and monotype, exhibiting her paintings at museums, galleries, and international exhibitions throughout her career. Her commissioned landscapes entered the collections of Tiffany, AT&T, Exxon, The Nature Conservancy, and dozens of other corporate and private collectors around the world. She also gave generously as a teacher – for more than 40 years at the Montclair Art Museum School of Art, and for many years as Artist-in-Residence at Van Vleck Gardens – shaping the next generation of painters with the same warmth and rigor she brought to everything else in her life.

Studio Montclair's Leach Gallery  |  641 Bloomfield Ave., Montclair, NJ

Exhibition Dates: August 7 – August 23, 2026

Gallery Hours: Wednesday – Sunday, 1:00 – 5:00pm (check website for updates)  

BrassWorks Gallery  |  150 Grove St., Montclair, NJ

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Exhibition Dates: June 10 – August 28, 2026

Gallery Hours: Monday – Friday, 7:00am – 7:00pm

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Opening Reception: Friday, August 7, 4:00 - 6:00pm at BrassWorks Gallery,

and continuing at Leach Gallery, 6:00 – 8:00pm.  All are welcome!

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‍About Studio Montclair: Studio Montclair is a nonprofit organization of exhibiting professional artists and others interested in the visual arts. Its mission is to promote culture and education in the visual arts and encourage emerging artists. Founded in 1997, the organization includes over 450 members including artists from around the United States, as well as Europe and Asia. For more information, contact smi@studiomontclair.org, or call 862-500-1447.

The BrassWorks Gallery is housed in a beautifully restored 1930s industrial building that once served as the George Rutledge Etched Brass Works. The gallery honors Montclair’s rich history while supporting a vibrant contemporary art community.

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