“GLASS BOTTLES & TOOLS”: The Arts Council of Princeton will present “Still Lives from a Mostly Stilled Life”, an exhibition of oil paintings by Princeton-based painter Joe Kossow, April 2 through April 30. An opening reception is on Saturday, April 2 from 2-5 p.m.

The Arts Council of Princeton will present “Still Lives from a Mostly Stilled Life,” an exhibition of oil paintings by Princeton-based painter Joe Kossow, April 2 through April 30. The public is invited to an opening reception on Saturday, April 2 from 2 to 5 p.m.

Kossow received a Master in Fine Arts degree from American University in Washington, D.C. in 1982. In 1984, he co-founded the Washington Studio School with a group of figurative painters. He taught at the Washington Studio School and local Washington area colleges for eight years. He was awarded the Elizabeth Greenshields prize in 1983. His work has been shown in the D.C. area, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and in Paris and Nancy, France.

“I love everyday objects, and things that show their age,” said Kossow. “So I often paint old bottles and tools, flowers, and fruit. My painting affirms the importance of looking, of perceiving, of drawing, of composing and finding a visual balance between drama and stability. Being in love with oil paint as a material, I tend to obsess over all the technical matters that make oil paintings interesting: edges; suggestions of planes, forms, and spaces; tones; impasto; and the emotion inherent in chiaroscuro and color. But mainly I paint because I have to. I tried not painting for a long while; it left a hole that nothing else really filled.”

He continued, “A word on the frames: many of the newest paintings were composed to fit in molded frames that were designed by Robert Kulicke (a wonderful painter in his own right, in addition to being a world-class frame maker). They were inspired by beautiful frames from art history — starting in ancient Egypt and working forward through centuries of European frames. Composing paintings to fit these shapes posed a series of interesting challenges, but the end result was worth it, and it’s great to honor Kulicke’s legacy in this way.”

Arts Council of Princeton is located at 102 Witherspoon Street. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free and open to the public.

This exhibition is held in conjunction with April ARTS, the Arts Council’s month-long celebration of art, culture, and the Princeton community held with support from Princeton University. Decentralized events — including the town’s inaugural Porchfest — afford Princeton the opportunity to once again embrace art and culture in a safe and deeply meaningful way. For a complete list of events, visit artscouncilofprinceton.org.