The longtime writer, critic, and musician discusses NJArts.net, Jersey City Times, and the artists helping shape one of New Jersey’s most vibrant creative communities.
For more than three decades, Tris McCall has been documenting the cultural life of Hudson County.
As a writer for NJArts.net and Jersey City Times, McCall has become one of the most recognizable voices covering visual art, music, and creative culture in New Jersey. Through exhibition reviews, artist profiles, concert coverage, and cultural commentary, he has helped introduce countless artists and organizations to new audiences while creating an important historical record of the region’s creative community.
During a recent conversation on Tarik Talk, McCall reflected on his writing process, his love for Jersey City, and the importance of paying close attention to the work artists put into the world.
Learning to Look Closely
One of the first things that stands out about McCall’s approach is his attentiveness.
When visiting artist studios, galleries, or exhibitions, he spends significant time observing details, asking questions, taking notes, and studying the work before forming conclusions. For him, this process is rooted in respect.
Artists invest not only time into their work but also emotion, vulnerability, and personal experience.
Because of that, McCall believes viewers have a responsibility to engage deeply with what they are seeing.
Rather than rushing through exhibitions, he approaches each show as an opportunity to understand what an artist is attempting to communicate and why that message matters.
That philosophy has become a defining characteristic of his writing.
Writing About Art Without an Art Background
Surprisingly, McCall does not consider himself formally trained in visual art.
Much of his understanding developed through years of visiting museums, attending exhibitions, speaking with artists, and teaching himself how to translate visual experiences into language.
For him, art criticism is less about academic expertise and more about honest observation.
His goal is not to tell viewers what to think.
Instead, he tries to communicate his genuine human response to the work while helping readers better understand what they are seeing.
That commitment to authenticity has made his reviews resonate with both artists and audiences throughout New Jersey.
The Creative Energy of Jersey City
Throughout the conversation, McCall repeatedly returned to one topic: Jersey City.
The city is more than a place where he lives.
It is his greatest source of inspiration.
He described Jersey City as a community filled with ambitious artists, independent galleries, creative organizations, musicians, writers, and cultural leaders who continue to produce exceptional work despite often being overshadowed by nearby New York City.
According to McCall, the quality of work being created in Jersey City frequently rivals anything found elsewhere in the region.
Yet many people remain unaware of what is happening here.
That disconnect motivates much of his writing.
By documenting exhibitions, highlighting artists, and covering cultural events, he hopes to bring greater attention to the extraordinary creative ecosystem developing throughout the city.
Art150 and Jersey City’s Studio Community
During our conversation, we discussed the important role that artist communities play in supporting creative growth.
Among the spaces highlighted was Art150, located at 150 Bay Street in Jersey City, one of the city’s largest artist studio communities. Home to painters, photographers, sculptors, printmakers, and multidisciplinary artists, Art150 has become a significant gathering place for creative exchange and collaboration.
McCall has visited numerous studios throughout the building and written about exhibitions featuring artists working there.
For him, spaces like Art150 are essential because they allow artists to share ideas, challenge one another, and create opportunities that might not exist in isolation.
They also help strengthen Jersey City’s identity as a serious destination for contemporary art.
Why Criticism Matters
At a time when thoughtful arts criticism is becoming increasingly rare, McCall believes it remains an important part of a healthy creative community.
Artists want engagement.
They want dialogue.
They want people to spend time with their work and respond thoughtfully to it.
Criticism, when approached respectfully, helps create those conversations.
A review can introduce new audiences to an artist’s work, encourage discussion, and provide context that deepens appreciation.
More importantly, it signals that people are paying attention.
For many artists, that attention can be incredibly meaningful.
A Love Letter to New Jersey
Although McCall is known primarily as a writer and critic, he is also a musician and novelist whose creative work is deeply connected to New Jersey.
Whether writing about visual art, performing music, taking photographs, or discussing his novel The Trespassers, he continually returns to the landscapes, communities, architecture, and cultural history of the state.
New Jersey, he explained, is not simply where he lives.
It is his muse.
That connection influences everything he creates and everything he chooses to write about.
Looking Forward
As Jersey City’s cultural landscape continues to evolve, McCall remains optimistic about its future.
He hopes to see more dialogue, more engagement, and greater recognition for the artists helping define the city’s creative identity.
Most importantly, he hopes people continue paying attention.
Because for McCall, every artwork, every building, every neighborhood, and every creative project contains a story waiting to be discovered.
The challenge is simply slowing down long enough to see it.
About Tarik Talk
Tarik Talk is a podcast hosted by Tarik Mendes — a Brazilian artist and cultural explorer — dedicated to uncovering the magic of art through intimate, in-depth conversations. Each episode goes beyond the surface, exploring the creative processes, personal stories, and cultural forces that shape the art world.
From emerging artists and gallery owners to curators, musicians, actors, and journalists, Tarik Talk brings together voices from across the creative spectrum to reveal how art connects us all. Every conversation is an invitation into an exclusive, thoughtful space where discovery and connection drive the dialogue.
New episodes available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen. Follow @tariktalk for guest images and episode highlights. Follow @tarikmendes for Tarik’s latest adventures.