Arts council features three success stories from area schools

sussex county-The Sussex County Arts & Heritage Council is presenting the sixth in a series of success stories. Three women from area schools have been selected to show their art work at the Public Gallery on High Street in Newton. They are Kathy Milici of Newton, Debi O'Leary of Matamoras, Penn., and Andrea Appel Smith of Sussex. Success Stories VI is on the third floor of the gallery and can be seen 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and on Tuesdays from 5 to 7 PM. Kathy Milici is a graduate of Sussex County Vocational Technical School in Sparta, and began to develop her skill in calligraphy as an art student. She began doing private commissions and teaching shortly after graduation. Today, Milici has her own studio and business, 24 Karat Designs, in Newton. She does hand-rendered calligraphy of all kinds including wedding vows, poetry, quotes, monograms, place cards, certificates, menus and wedding envelopes. She has 12 examples of her work on display, seven of which are for sale. Milici is a member of the Sussex County Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Newton Chamber of Commerce, the Society of Scribes (NYC) and the International Association of Master Penmen, Engrossers and Teachers of Handwriting (IAMPETH). She teaches in the Continuing Education Program at Sussex County Community College and studies with other professional calligraphers. Andrea Appel Smith is a graduate of Vernon Township High School and earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Mason Gross School of the Arts/Rutgers University, New Brunswick. She is currently production manager at CAG Design in Hackettstown. Smith specialized in printmaking and is exhibiting 28 photographs and prints. She is showing one linoleum cut, one intaglio of an old woman, three large woodcuts, seven color wedding prints, four color prints, an animal commodity series of six, and a family personality series of five photo etching/intaglio prints. Debi O'Leary is a graduate of Butler High School and was voted "most creative" in her graduating class. She studied fine arts at Rowan University. She is currently in the A.A.S. program in Graphic Design at the Sussex County Community College where she was twice the winner of an SCCC Medallion Scholarship. O'Leary considers herself a portrait artist and works primarily on commission from customer's photographs. She does people and pets in oil, charcoal and acrylic. She is exhibiting five acrylics, three charcoals, two each in ink, oil and mixed media, and one each in oil pastel and digital design. Thirteen of her 16 drawings and paintings are for sale. In addition to portraits, she is showing still life work and landscape. Most of her work falls into the representational style.The public is invited to attend the closing reception in honor of the artists. It will be held on September 28 from 5 to 7 PM. Admission is free. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, call 973-383-0027, or e-mail arts-heritage@mercurylink.net.