Local Award-Winning Artist Displays Mixed-Media Works at Manchester Library

Florence Zdanowitz discovered her love of art when she was given an assignment in fourth grade to draw a poster for Fire Prevention Week, back in 1941.

Today, the award-winning artist lives in Whiting and is being honored by the Friends of the Manchester Library with a public art display through May.

"Ever since, I have been painting, drawing and doodling in all kinds of media," Zdanowitz said. "I paint in acrylic, oil, and watercolor. Right now, I am in my mixed-media period." 

An avid reader who enjoys reading about research, Zdanowitz said that she is primarily self-taught, though she also took classes and workshops when she traveled the world in pursuit of art education from 1965 to 1989.

She took art classes in Lima, Peru, South Hampton, N.Y., Jacksonville, Fla., and at the Art Students League of New York.

Her focus now, mixed-media art, includes using many different mediums to make one piece.  

"I am borrowing my current technique — which uses watercolor, oil, and wax to create one painting — from the Egyptians from the 1500s," Zdanowitz said. "Primarily, it was worked on fabric, but I only work on Asian handmade rice paper called kinwashi."

Last October, Zdanowitz won first place in the Senior Art Exhibit for the state of New Jersey.  She first won at the county level and then went on to compete with 300 others at the state level.  She received first place in the Mixed-Media category for her painting “Butterflies Are Free.”

Alice Grega, member of the Art Committee of The Friends of the Manchester Library explained how Zdanowitz was chosen. 

“We send out feelers to many places like the artists guilds in different locations, to try to find out if anyone is interested in having a show,” she said.

The organization's vice president, Linda Junge, added that trained artists then choose which candidate's works will be displayed.

“The Art Committee, made up of trained artists, receive portfolios from the interested artists and then approve of which artist to honor,”  she said.

Zdanowitz' greatest accomplishment, she said, is her next unfinished painting. She said that she continuously strives to create more art and sees out new inspiration.

“Love and art are synonymous in my mind," she said, "because to me, they are one.”

The gallery is open to the public at the Ocean County Library's Manchester branch located at 21 Colonial Dr.