Jackson Grove

About the Subject

“Jackson Grove,” a mixed-media collage that adorns the Ocean County Library Jackson Branch, is a tribute to the memory of James William Hyres (1930-2016). The Ocean County Library Foundation commissioned the piece.

Mr. Hyres was born in Lakewood, and was a lifelong resident of Jackson. His talents, skills, energy and vision benefited both communities, and Ocean County, during and beyond his lifetime.

An architect, Mr. Hyres practiced his profession through the James W. Hyres firm of Toms River, from 1955 until his retirement in 1999. As the Ocean County Architect (1966-1999), he designed the Ocean County Library’s Barnegat, Berkeley, Brick, Jackson, Lacey, Little Egg Harbor, Long Beach Island, Manchester, Plumsted, Point Pleasant Boro, Stafford, and Upper Shores branches.

He also created the designs of numerous government buildings in the county, including the Jackson Township Justice Complex.

"I begin my process by painting on papers and canvases. These paintings are fashioned in an abstract genre."

A graduate of Lakewood High School, with a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania, Mr. Hyres served as the Mayor of Jackson Township and as a member of the Jackson Township Committee, Board of Education and Planning Board.

Mr. Hyres also held seats on the Ocean County Planning Board and the New Jersey Pinelands Commission. He was a member of the Lakewood Rotary, Jackson Republican Club, and Jackson Township Volunteer Fire Company, Station 55. In 2006, he was inducted into the Lakewood High School Hall of Fame.

About the Artist

Matt Gabel, a native of Wayne, New Jersey, has numerous exhibitions to his credit throughout New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. He is a graduate of the School of Visual Arts, New York City.

To create a collage, he has said, “I begin my process by painting on papers and canvases. These paintings are fashioned in an abstract genre. I color categorize them and they act as my color palette in my next phases of work. The mediums used consist of oils, acrylics, watercolors, ink, crayon, enamels and metallics. The creation of my image on wood panel is the next step. I begin cutting and dismantling the abstracts to create my contemporary, figurative and landscape works. I use a process of inlaying the paper and canvas to make one cohesive, puzzle-like image. The completed art is then varnished and framed for hanging.”

For more information, visit https://www.mattgabelart.com/.