FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 19, 2008

CONTACT: Tom Plante, (908) 527-4746
Seb D’Elia, (908) 527-4419
 

Sculptural Baskets by Elisa Kessler-Caporale of Summit
on Exhibit at Pearl Street Gallery

 
Sculptural Baskets by Elisa Kessler-Caporale

ELIZABETH, NJ – The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders is pleased to present an exhibit of sculptural baskets woven by Elisa Kessler-Caporale in the gallery space at the Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs, located at 633 Pearl Street in Elizabeth. A selection of her one-of-a-kind art baskets entitled “Shapes and Forms” is on display at the Pearl Street Gallery until April 3. Gallery hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays.

Elisa Kessler-Caporale is a professional basket maker who lives in Summit. Although Elisa weaves traditional baskets, she is known for the unique contemporary baskets which often incorporate found objects, paper, pottery and bark. She has woven with cardboard from cracker boxes and is working on a series of reed and copper tubing work.

Elisa has been making baskets for 23 years. She also demonstrates basket weaving throughout the tri-state area and teaches locally at county Teen Arts Programs, senior centers, elementary after-school programs and the Morris and Newark Museums. She worked for several years as a guest artist at the Discover Charter School in Newark, N.J., which also incorporated a program for children with disabilities.

Elisa has a B.A. in Art History from Western College for Women, Oxford, Ohio, and was a design assistant for Harcourt Brace Jovanovich publishers after graduation.
baskets by elisa kessler-caporale

In 1998, she received a certificate in gerontology from Union County College in Cranford. She was a volunteer in the visitors’ center at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City for several years and worked on the children’s programs for their centennial year. Elisa has continued her art education exploring pottery, stained glass, paper and book making, loom weaving and beading.

She has exhibited in many juried shows throughout the United States and recently won a sculpture prize at the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey in Summit.
baskets by elisa kessler-caporale

She was awarded First Place for Professional Crafts in the Union County Senior Art Show and went on to win First Place in the State Senior Art Show in 2007.

Union County artists (whose works can be hung on a wall) interested in exhibiting in the gallery space are welcome to apply.

For more information about the Pearl Street Gallery or to learn about other programs and
services please contact the

Union County Office of Cultural and Heritage Affairs,
633 Pearl Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07202.
Telephone (908) 558-2550. NJ Relay users can dial 711.
E-mail to: culturalinfo@ucnj.org.