Exhibit No. 9 gallery owner Tom White, center, discusses the artwork now showing at Antoinette Boulangerie in Red Bank. (Photo by Susan Ericson. Click to enlarge)

By SUSAN ERICSON

Curated art exhibits that could previously only be seen in Asbury Park at Exhibit No. 9 gallery can now also be enjoyed avec croissants and other treats onMonmouth Street in Red Bank.

Antoinette Boulangerie opened its doors last week to art and pastry lovers alike with in an exhibition titled “Dessert for the Eyes.”  The stylish opening reception, hosted by bakery owners Ayca User and her sister, Zeynep Ozdimer, featured works from around the globe, chosen by Exhibit No. 9 owners Tom and Lois White.

“The art in the gallery will change often, so it won’t always be the same thing on the walls,” User said, while guests snacked on decadent chocolate-covered strawberries and coconut macaroons.

Ayca User, center, with Lois and Tom White at the opening-night reception. (Photo by Susan Ericson. Click to enlarge)

Guests at the opening slowly walked up and down a hallway overlooking the courtyard of the Dublin House Pub, wine glasses in hand, while perusing the engaging mixture of art on display, including a print called “When Dreams Turn to Despair” by an artist known as Human Wreckage.

Tom and Lois White spent the evening talking about where the artists’ work, the process involved in producing the art, and their chosen mediums. They noted that one, Atle Østrem, was originally a street artist in Norway, but found that he was allergic to spray paint. He now uses acrylic paints, and his art sells for thousands of dollars.

If you would like a little international art flavor with your cheese danish or almond croissant, the art work in the hallway gallery is for sale, and can be seen during opening hours of the boulangerie. The exhibit continues through December 27.