This September, the Art House Gallery in Jersey City will present Artist Narrator: The Art of Storytelling in Contemporary Painting. The exhibition will be on view from September 6 to September 28, 2025, bringing together four acclaimed artists: Grace Graupe-Pillard, Christina Schlesinger, Giustina Surbone, and Robin Tewes.
The gallery, located at 345 Marin Boulevard in The Hendrix building, will open the exhibition with a public reception on Saturday, September 6, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. A special artist talk is also planned for Sunday, September 21, from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, giving visitors the opportunity to hear directly from the artists about their approaches to narrative in painting. The show will also coincide with JC Fridays, with extended hours on Friday, September 12, from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
- Artist Narrator runs from September 6–28, 2025, at the Art House Gallery in Jersey City, with events including an opening reception and an artist talk.
- Four acclaimed painters, Grace Graupe-Pillard, Christina Schlesinger, Giustina Surbone, and Robin Tewes, present works exploring class, gender, sexuality, beauty, and personal history.
- The exhibition includes both in-person and online sales, with accessible options like wheelchair access and descriptive tours available upon request.
Themes of the Exhibition
The focus of Artist Narrator is the way painting can serve as a form of storytelling. While each artist brings a unique visual language, their works intersect around themes of identity, gender, class, sexuality, and personal history.
Grace Graupe-Pillard is known for her direct, emotional portraits that portray the complexity of lived experience. Giustina Surbone creates large-scale works exploring individuality and questions of beauty and sexuality. Robin Tewes uses carefully detailed, surreal interiors to reflect on social and psychological themes. Christina Schlesinger works in painting and collage, often addressing self-portraiture and lesbian culture, adding depth to narratives that have long been overlooked.
Together, their contributions form a layered conversation about how contemporary painting continues to carry forward one of the oldest traditions in human expression: storytelling through image.
The Artists’ Journeys
Each of the artists featured in the exhibition has a long history of contributions to contemporary art.
- Grace Graupe-Pillard, based in New Jersey, has shown her work in major museums and galleries across the country. Her practice includes painting, public art, and writing, with her work often highlighted in national and international publications.
- Christina Schlesinger, who divides her time between New York City and East Hampton, is recognized for her fine art and for her large-scale murals. Her career spans decades of exhibitions and public projects, with her series exploring identity and culture presented at institutions across the United States.
- Giustina Surbone, originally from Buffalo and now living in Brooklyn, has exhibited in a wide range of galleries and alternative spaces. She has also explored video and performance, with projects that expand her practice beyond painting.
- Robin Tewes has built an international career, with work held in museum collections and supported by numerous residencies and grants. Her paintings often carry subtle narratives that reveal tensions of class, gender, and the subconscious.
Accessibility, Transportation, and Visitor Information
The Art House Gallery is open Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM throughout the exhibition, in addition to the special event dates. All works in the show will be available for purchase in person and online through the Art House Online Gallery.
The venue is fully accessible, with wheelchair access and options such as large-print materials and descriptive tours available by request. Visitors can find parking through SpotHero or plan public transit routes using the Transit App.
For details, directions, or inquiries, visitors may contact the gallery at [email protected] or by phone at 201-484-9595. More information is available on the Art House Productions website
