UNION COUNTY, NJ — The Union County Board of County Commissioners is presenting an exhibit highlighting the artwork created during the county’s inaugural Plein Air event last month at the Deserted Village. The exhibit is currently on view at the Commissioners Gallery, located on the sixth floor of the Union County Administration Building, 10 Elizabethtown Plaza, with gallery hours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
“This exhibit showcases the incredible talent of our local artists while celebrating one of our county’s most historic sites,” said Union County Commissioner Chairperson Lourdes M. Leon. “We are proud to support programs that bring people together through creativity and cultural expression.”
Plein Air, French for “outdoors,” is a term used to refer to artwork created outdoors capturing the natural light and elements directly from the scene. The event, hosted on Saturday, Sept. 27, was the first of its kind in Union County. More than 20 artists from throughout Union County and surrounding counties attended, painting a variety of scenes from the Deserted Village in Berkeley Heights.
The exhibit will be on display through Friday, Nov. 21. Due to the success and popularity of the September event, the event will take place once again in September 2026.
“We were delighted to see the turnout at the Plein Air event in September. Deserted Village is a perfect place to paint outdoors, and the artists produced many beautiful and accomplished works,” said Union County Commissioner Bette Jane Kowalski, liaison to the Cultural and Heritage Advisory Board.
The Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, part of the Department of Parks and Recreation, coordinated the Plein Air program, as well as the exhibits displayed at the Commissioners Gallery. For information about this and other programs and services related to the arts and history in Union County, contact the Office at 633 Pearl St., Elizabeth; call 908-558-2550 or e-mail culturalinfo@ucnj.org. NJ relay users dial 7-1-1.
Photo Courtesy of Kelly Martins
