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Introducing Tina Kerekes, a completely badass and RAD force in our little city of Asbury Park.
When I first met Tina, I was struck by her style. She wore a patterned vintage suit with a rocker tee and Bowie-inspired boots, paired with her funky hair and damn cool vibe.
Tina described herself as a self-proclaimed tri-state gypsy. Jersey is home, but she moved around quite a bit with her single mom, from Neptune, NJ to Long Island, Philly and Venice, CA, before making Asbury Park home in 2003.
When I asked Tina what she loved most about Asbury, she said, “we have damn good bones and there’s a little of this black magic feel to it. You see the architecture and the old Victorian homes and you can feel the energy of the artists. In this city, we are surrounded by creative people whether it be sculptors, musicians, writers…they came here to get away from any city they were in so they could create.”
Tina hoped that spirit would stay with Asbury as the city continued to develop. “What is the history of Asbury? What is our community really all about?” she asked. She wanted developers to think about those questions while building new condos and structures throughout the city.
At the time of our Hand Project shoot, walking into the Danny Clinch Gallery, aka Transparent Clinch Gallery, adjoining The Asbury Hotel meant finding Tina at the helm. A master sewer, art teacher, fashion mentor and gallery manager, Tina also has a background in fashion design and merchandising.
When I asked Tina about CMD jewelry, she told me, “It’s structural, there’s a sense of architecture to them. Whoever is wearing your jewelry, it literally becomes a part of them. It's rich in the way there’s a lot of energy coming off of it.” Tina, that’s truly the ultimate compliment. She loves the square rings, and I was ecstatic that she gave me permission to style her with a new stack ring set.
She's a real community gal, incorporating an “all are welcome” mentality into what she does. At the time, she mentored young people in sewing and through internships at the gallery, while also hosting fundraisers for local charities, music foundations and the Boys & Girls Club. What had started as a three-month gallery pop-up had become a central hub in the community, filled with Danny Clinch’s incredible photography and tons of beautiful mid-century modern furniture thanks to Tina and her boyfriend.
I literally drooled over the four David Adjaye Skeleton Chairs when I popped in to interview Tina. Between the art, furniture and people, the whole place felt distinctly Asbury.
The Hand Project was created to celebrate the people, hands and personal styles that make our Asbury Park community what it is. Looking back at these photographs now, Tina feels like exactly the kind of person I hoped to capture when I dreamed up the project.
What an honor to have you as a part of The Hand Project, Tina. You’re a force. Much love, my friend.
Colleen
© Colleen Mauer Designs. All rights reserved.
Published: August 5, 2022
Updated: August 21, 2026
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