newjerseynewsroom.com

BY PAT SUMMERS

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

Portrait of an artist who’s got it together: Christina Peckham, of Lawrenceville, N.J. A graphic designer and painter, Peckham has been part of the art scene since the mid 90s, but her knowing ways suggest a much longer time.

Both smilingly articulate and marketing savvy, she still manages to suggest the girl next door. Which may be just right in the small town of Lawrenceville, variously known as Lawrence Township and Lawrence – anyway, it lies between Princeton and Trenton.

A transplant from her hometown of Philadelphia, Peckham has lived in Lawrence for almost four years with her husband, John Lambdin, and their son and daughter, 7 and 3.

Although she delightedly took possession of a driveway and garage – parking space never dreamed of in the city – she initially missed Philly’s museums and galleries. For all practical purposes, there was no such thing in Lawrence.

She gradually moved back into painting, which is now her primary focus. But that design expertise wasn’t wasted; her artist’s statement accurately claims a combination of “simplicity of design, intensity of color.”

As her painting “journey” began, she moved from hard-edged floral images to softer landscapes, motivated in part by a trip to Ireland. Commissions have affected her choice of subject too – one gift for a gardener featured tomatoes, lettuce and Brussels sprouts in unusual combination.

Peckham fancies triptychs (images rendered on three painted panels), which to her suggest looking through a window. Through her windows, a viewer might see landscapes from Ireland to Colorado, or inter-connected still lifes.

A fine art graduate of Skidmore College with a minor in psychology (“It always fascinated me”), Peckham first worked in graphic design for advertising. She earned a master’s in art therapy from Hahnemann University, which at the time was the first such program in the country. (It’s since been absorbed by Drexel University.)

For a while after her grad studies, she worked at a nursing home, discovering that “art could reach the spirit of people” with Alzheimer’s and other dementias, despite other losses they may have experienced.

It turned out that Peckham wasn’t the only artist in Lawrence, nor the only one wishing for more of an art scene. Others in town, artists and residents alike, were of the same mind.

A survey conducted by Lawrenceville Main Street, the organization that had earlier breathed new life into the downtown area along Main Street itself, corroborated these feelings and before long, things were happening. They were spearheaded by Eileen Kennedy, a business consultant, CEO of the Kennedy Factor, and a Main Street member at the time.

It started with a call for artists, which was resoundingly answered. Before long, Peckham and others were involved in planning and outreach. That was fall 2009. By year’s end, an artists network was in place – with Peckham as highly active chair of the development committee. A gallery space turned up right on Main Street (a.k.a. Route 206), and conversion efforts were underway.

Apparently overflowing with energy and commitment, the artists began monthly “Second Saturday” opening receptions in January and began offering art classes for kids and adults. The mediums they work in include “all the usual suspects”: Drawing and painting, photography, sculpture, fabric art, ceramics, wood work, jewelry … It’s effectively displayed in the gallery’s four rooms.

Now, tooling up for the Second Saturday in March (the 13th), with a theme of “The Winter Farewell,” the group does so many things right that Miss Manners would be proud: They send electronic invitations, reminders and thank-you notes; they’re sure to circulate and chat up guests; they involve area musicians and eateries, displaying printed materials for area businesses.

A “cooperative” in the best sense of the word, the artists spackle and paint between openings and divvy up other tasks to be done. And they help one another out: Peckham’s website was designed by another Network member, Pierre Sardain. And she heard about her current studio, handily across the street from the gallery and within walking distance of her home, from another member, Ruthann Perry.

Establishment of this art-full new business in Lawrenceville has made countless people happy – starting with the artists themselves, now with a place to show and sell their work. And art-oriented residents, too: lacking such a place in the heart of town, had grown used to traveling and looking elsewhere. (A few other businesses show art, but that’s not their primary focus.)

A couple Lawrence residents practically danced out the door after February’s Second Saturday: Wooed with Valentine’s bubbly and chocolates, they had just bought a work of art, as attested by the red dot next to it. Want to bet on whether they’ll be back next time? And bring friends?

The gallery has quickly become a happening place. And now the word is out that an ice cream parlor may soon open next door. Sheer serendipity.

Lawrenceville Main Street Artists Network Gallery is located at 2683 Main Street, Lawrenceville, NJ. Hours: Friday and Saturday 11-7 p.m; Sunday 11-5 p.m. “The Winter Farewell,” March 13, 4-7 p.m.

For information, call the Lawrenceville Main Street office at 609-219-9300, visit the Lawrenceville Main Street Artists Network Gallery Web site or email the group at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Pat Summers, a freelance writer on arts and lifestyles, also blogs at AnimalBeat.blogspot.com.