“Light From The Past: Early American Rugs From The Collection of Ronnie Newman” will be on exhibition in the Kresge Gallery at the Berrie Center on the campus of Ramapo College of New Jersey March 31-May 6. An opening reception from 5 to 8 pm and collector’s talk at 6 pm are scheduled Wednesday, March 31.

These early sewn and hooked rugs created in the humble dwellings of colonial and post-colonial America provided warmth and color to many a dark, low-ceilinged room. Survivors of the very best of these weavings, some dating from the Eighteenth Century, are some of the finest examples of American folk art. This show features yarn-sewn, shirred, appliquéd, embroidered and hooked rugs.

“A connoisseur of folk art with a discriminating eye, he [Newman} has amassed a stunning range of works. While these textiles have a powerful aesthetic appeal, they also have interdisciplinary teaching value, providing a sense of historic consequence within a framework of austere beauty,” said Sydney Jenkins, director of Ramapo’s art galleries.

Gallery hours have been extended for this exhibition: Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 1 to 5 pm, Wednesday from 1 to 9 pm, and Sunday 2 to 5 pm. For information, 201-684-7147.