WEST WINDSOR – Mercer County Community College’s West Windsor Gallery will host Howard Schwartzberg: “The Classroom,” from October 19 through December 18. 

“The Classroom” features approximately 25 works by New York-based artist Howard Schwartzberg. In addition to recent work, Schwartzberg will exhibit pieces from the series Dear Lawrence Drawings 2019-2022 and Left (Behind) Student Paintings 2016-2017. Using techniques that blur the boundaries between sculpture and painting, the works display Schwartzberg’s experimental, process-driven approach to traditional materials and methods such as paint, canvas, and structure. 

Known for consistently “going against the grain,” as he likes to put it, Schwartzberg creates space to reimagine how materials interact, transform, and evolve. A deep connection to nature inspired his drive to investigate how canvas, paint, and shapes create an illusion of environmental earthwork. Schwartzberg currently has a large-scale installation at the University at Albany’s art museum, on view from October 3, 2026 through April 2, 2027. 

“I found Howard Schwartzberg’s work in 2018 or 2019, and what struck me wasn’t just the materiality, the way he lets canvas, bags, burlap, and color dictate form, perceived process, and actual production. It was also learning his story: an artist with momentum who chose, at the height of it, to spend decades teaching instead of showing. I recognize that commitment to serving others as part of the social mission of education and of the arts. For Howard, the classroom wasn’t a detour from the studio; it was an extension of it. Now that he’s returned his focus to exhibitions, we’re not just seeing new paintings; we’re seeing what decades of teaching did to a painter’s practice,” said Lucas Kelly, dean of the Division of Arts and Communication. 

Schwartzberg will give a lecture on his work on Tuesday, October 20, from noon to 1 p.m. in room CM 109. Later that day, an opening reception for “The Classroom” will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 pm in the WWC Gallery on the West Windsor Campus. Light fare and refreshments will be provided. For information about Howard Schwartzberg, visit www.howardschwartzberg.com. 

Gallery hours for this exhibition are Mondays/Wednesdays from 12 – 6 pm, Tuesdays/Thursdays from 10 am – 4 pm, and Fridays from 12 – 4 pm. 

For more information, please visit www.mccc.edu/gallery.

About Mercer County Community College
Established in 1966, Mercer County Community College is a publicly supported comprehensive institution that provides opportunities for higher education through an open-door admission policy. The scenic 292-acre West Windsor Campus was opened in 1972 to serve the needs of Mercer County residents. MCCC’s James Kerney Campus, located in downtown Trenton, serves as an educational and cultural hub for city residents that meets the challenging needs of thousands of students and community members seeking educational fulfillment and personal and career growth. The MCCC President is Deborah E. Preston, PhD. Visit www.mccc.edu for more information.

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Pictured is work from Schwartzberg’s Dear Lawrence Collection