Jersey Shore Magazine

j e r s e y s h o r e • F A L L / H O L I D A Y 2 0 2 1 49 T The Jersey Shore lost one of its most beloved artists earlier this year when Paula Kolojeski passed away at the age of seventy-two after a valiant battle with cancer. Paula created works of art of the Jersey Shore in pastels, and occasionally in oils, for over thirty years—capturing the reflective effects of light and life on the sand and sea. Since the 1980s, her tranquil landscapes graced the covers and pages of dozens of issues of this magazine as well as books published by Jersey Shore Publications. "I remember when I first met her at the old office in Point Pleasant Beach," said longtime JERSEY SHORE Magazine art director Judy Cardella. "She was so humble. What a nice person. And a great artist, too." Frank Finale, poet and author of the coffee table books To The Shore Once More, Volumes I-III, said, "Her pastel renderings will remain icons of the Jersey Shore, and the image on the cover of To The Shore Once More (Volume I) is forever burned into my consciousness." What is most remarkable about Paula is that she was a self-taught artist. She began painting still life in oil, then she shifted to pastel portraits and found her true niche in creating stunning landscapes of Jersey Shore scenery, especially iconic sights in Manasquan and Spring Lake. Paula's award-winning originals and prints adorn thousands of homes, businesses, public buildings, and collections worldwide and will remain her lasting legacy. Main Street Gallery in Manasquan represented her and is now the exclusive seller of her remaining original works and prints. "What always struck me about Paula was that no matter how many of her pastels and prints we sold across Main Street Gallery's forty-two years—and we are talking thousands—she remained completely unpretentious and modest… a soft-spoken, gentle soul," said Jennifer Burger, current owner of Main Street Gallery. "Paintings depicting local beach scenes can often lean a bit trite, but Paula's incredible mastery of the medium made hers anything but! Her technicality was flawless, making her work both beautiful and sentimental. I will miss her and her amazing talent so very much." Lea Colie Wight, founder and previous owner of Main Street Gallery, said, "Paula was one of the most gifted artists I've known. She was also humble, although possessing such undeniable talent. She had the singular ability to create pastels of great beauty while focusing on the beloved scenes of our local towns and beaches. I'm honored to have been her friend." On the pages that follow are just some of Paula's iconic images of the Jersey Shore that have appeared in this magazine and Jersey Shore Publications' books. of Paula Kolojeski continued on page 50 Paula Kolojeski

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