Rowan College of South Jersey’s (RCSJ) Arts & Innovation Center (AIC) recently announced the culmination of a community art project that was three years in the making.
The “Building Community Clay Brick Project,” which celebrates the common interests, creativity, and diverse culture that exists in Cumberland County, began in 2021 and was completed in June 2024. The finished product will officially be presented to the public at the Millville Public Library’s grand reopening ceremony on Saturday, September 28, at noon.
The artists’ work was placed outside, in the back of the library, which is located at 210 Buck Street in Millville.
This collaborative art project was conceived as a response to Covid-19 restrictions, civil unrest, and political divisions that left our communities disillusioned and disconnected, said Jackie Sandro-Greenwell, director of Fine Arts and Clay College, RCSJ–Cumberland.
“The intent of the Building Community Clay Brick Project was to connect people through the act of making art together while working distantly, literally building a community connection using over 500 manufactured bricks,” said Sandro-Greenwell. “Many of the bricks reflected the social political issues that were relevant during the 2021-2022 period, which can be seen in the final piece.”
The project was initiated through the “Community Clay Project–Building Communities” grant, funded in part by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Cumberland County Board of County Commissioners through the Cumberland County Cultural & Heritage Commission.
An expansive array of community members volunteered their time, energy, materials, imagination, and artistry to create the piece.
Ryan Rutherford from the Diener Brick Company in Haddonfield donated the bricks and delivered them to Clay College for free; John Ruga from Northeast Precast in Vineland donated and fabricated the concrete precast structure the bricks are set into; and Larry Merighi from Manders Merighi Portadin Farrell Architects, LLC, in Vineland was the liaison between Rutherford and Ruga.
Courtenay Reece, director of the Millville Public Library, encouraged Sandro-Greenwell to make space for the project to be showcased at the library.
“The library serves as a community center with many community events and is a safe learning environment for people of all ages and diverse backgrounds to gather, learn, and participate in a wide variety of positive activities and programs,” said Sandro-Greenwell. “I felt it was a very fitting home for the ‘Building Community’ clay art pieces to live.”
Additional community members who engaged in creating bricks for the project include students from Vineland, Millville, and Bridgeton high schools; the Holly City Family Success Center in Millville; the Millville Public Library LGBTQ group; and the First United Methodist Church in Millville.
“Students and employees from both the Cumberland and Gloucester campuses, and the Cumberland County Campus Educational Foundation also participated in creating the brick,” Sandro-Greenwell, added.
The longtime RCSJ fine arts director—who also acknowledged her staff, Lisa Weatherill and Randy Wilfong, and her student workers for their assistance—said she is grateful for all the support she has received throughout the three-year process from inception to completion.
“I am excited for the upcoming presentation, and it is my hope that we are able to get as many of the people who participated in making the bricks to attend,” said, Sandro-Greenwell. “This would be the ultimate, perfect ending to the project.”
The AIC is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturday noon-5 p.m., and closed on Sunday. It is located at 321 N. High St., Millville.
For more information about Rowan College of South Jersey’s Arts & Innovation Center, visit RCSJ.edu/ArtsInnovation.
Millville Public Library To Celebrate 160 Years
The long wait is over and it is finally time for the Grand Re-opening and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony marking the 160th anniversary of the Millville Public Library. Join us on Saturday, September 28 at 11 a.m. for the festivities and to mark an important milestone in the advancement of Millville. The Library is located at 210 Buck St., Millville, NJ 08332. Phone is 856-825-7087.
