By Karen Keene

The arts and nature are priceless gifts. They inspire us. They move us. They give us life in difficult times.

Jill Kerwick, an award-winning artist and longtime supporter of Monmouth Conservation Foundation (MCF) alongside her husband, Arthur Kontos, likens homes with no art to communities with no green space. She equates the wonder one feels when walking in the forest to the emotions evoked by viewing a painting. 

Arthur and Jill Kontos reside in New Jersey part-time at their preserved 40-acre farm in Middletown. Locals may know Fairway Farm and Artie and Jill - as gracious, repeat hosts of MCF’s Dinner Dance fundraiser - but may not know Jill Kerwick, the artist, and their farm’s rich history and ties to MCF.

A contemporary artist, Jill is interested in a heightened sense of awareness that involves humor and mystery. She is a painter and makes photo collages with her farm animals and the beaches of Costa Rica, where she and Artie also have a home. Jill draws inspiration from her surroundings, pulling colors she observes in real life objects or experiences for her paintings and working on landscapes from memory. Her father was an artist, and she often uses his paintings as elements in her collages. She considers herself to be a conceptual artist motivated by the process and enjoys learning and sharing the backstory of artworks. Her works may be viewed at www.jillkerwick.com or www.instagram.com/jillkerwick.

Jill has had many solo exhibitions including the Visual Arts Center, Summit, NJ; the Center for Contemporary Art, Bedminster, NJ; the Kimmel Center, Philadelphia, PA; and Beauregard Fine Art, Rumson, NJ. She gave a visiting artist lecture and exhibition at the CVA Gallery, Brookdale Community College (BCC). She holds a Master of Fine Art from NYU and a bachelor’s degree from Moore College of Art.

As an artist, Jill values never being bored. She feels there is always something to be done, whether stretching a canvas or researching color combinations, so she is constantly working. She feels strongly that creating drives inspiration, and she doesn’t wait to be inspired to begin. Similarly, there is an endless to-do list on a farm.

The Kontos’ Fairway Farm features scenic views of the Navesink River, lush, wooded areas, and rolling pastures for horses and Highland Cattle. You will also find diverse art elements and a playful petting zoo area with peafowl, guinea hens, chickens, pheasants, rabbits, goats, and donkeys – complete with whimsical, reclaimed housing for the animals. Artie and Jill both enjoy waking up early to walk or feed the animals and tending to their beloved livestock between work hours. They each have their own favorite pastimes on their farm – operating the heavy machinery for Artie and giving the animals healthy leftovers like fruit and crackers as treats for Jill. Artie leads a successful career in the financial sector, and Jill works out of her studios at the farm and their homes in Florida and Costa Rica.

Fairway Farm was preserved through a conservation easement donated to MCF in 2007 by the late Anne Haskell Ellis in her last will and testament. Previously part of Oak Hill Farm, then the Ellis Farm known to some as the Haskell Farm, formerly called the Aulde House, Fairway Farm is a breathtaking horse farm in the Navesink area of Middletown. Artie and Jill purchased the farm in 2010, naming it Fairway, and moved their residence there from nearby Fair Haven two years ago.

According to family members, the “Oak Hill Farm” name may originate from the majestic oak trees that crown the hilltop of the property or simply from the name associated with the original Riker family farm on Long Island, NY. In the late 1800s, Anne Haskell Ellis’ paternal grandfather, J. Armory Haskell, and his wife, Margaret Riker Haskell acquired property which included Oak Hill and adjacent Woodland Farms. The land was used for farming and to house a dairy until the 1950s when Mr. Haskell’s son, Armory L. Haskell, left the dairy business. Armory was an avid horseman, Master of Foxhounds, and founder of Monmouth Park.

Aulde House, named for the Scots-Gaelic “old” (as in “Auld Lang Syne”), was relocated to New Jersey from the Jackson-Riker farm in Long Island and served as the family’s residence on the farm for a half-century until Mrs. Haskell’s death in 1943. Her granddaughter, Anne Haskell Ellis, and Anne’s husband, John Ellis, purchased the house in 1956. The tract of land was essentially split apart, with most of the land to the east of the driveway staying with the original property, and the land to the west becoming Ellis Farm, although many still called it Aulde House.

Anne Haskell Ellis used the farmland to breed Welsh ponies at first, then in the early 1960s started LOTSOC (Long on Tradition, Short on Cash) Stables, a thoroughbred racing operation with her sisters Isabelle Haskell deTomaso and Hope Haskell Jones. The ladies’ cousin, Audrey Riker, joined in the 1980s and became their head trainer. Longtime Middletown residents will remember the “racing barn” as the barn on the top of the hill at the annual Monmouth County Hunt Race Meet.

Anne Haskell Ellis passed away in February 2006. As stipulated in her will, and with enthusiastic support of her family, 40 acres of farmland and surrounding woods was placed in a conservation easement with MCF. Her daughter Bambi remarked, “Everything Mom taught us reminds me that we are only the trustees of the land…it's only ours to hold for a brief moment in time, and then to pass on to the next generation.”

Arthur and Jill Kontos continue to be excellent stewards of the land, valuing its natural attributes and now rare farmland. They are generous philanthropists as well – supporting initiatives including conservation, children’s welfare, and the arts through the Arthur Kontos Foundation.

Passionate about conservation, Jill believes in keeping an optimistic approach to solving environmental challenges. Open space is critical to our quality of life, and everyone deserves access to it – her belief that aligns well with MCF’s work to preserve green space and create parks for all, especially those in underserved areas. The couple’s favorite area parks are Hartshorne Woods and Thompson (both beloved Monmouth County Parks, parts of which MCF has helped to preserve).

The preservation of the Farm ensures that the Middletown property will continue to serve as an important reminder of the rural and farming heritage of Monmouth County. And thanks to the Kontos’ generosity, MCF patrons and our greater community can enjoy Fairway Farm when they again host our signature fundraiser, Fall for Conservation, in autumn 2023!

Photos by Jill Kerwick