Exhibit: Personal Expression, Community Connection

Walking down the halls of the Wyckoff Family YMCA, there is sound from behind every door as swimming lessons, yoga classes and karate instructions take place. But up on the walls, there is something that makes no sound at all—yet seems to speak a thousand words. That something is the artwork of local painters Marcie Cooperman and Liron Sissman, which is currently on display.

The exhibit, which debuted on Sept. 8 and will remain open to the public for viewing until Oct. 7, can be seen during regular operating hours at the Y, which is located at 691 Wyckoff Ave. All paintings are for sale, with a portion of the proceeds being donated to the facility.  

Cooperman was a mere 6 years old when she discovered her love for painting. "I just loved holding the brush in my hand (and) confronting the waiting canvas," she says. "I (still) get a rush of energy when I sit down to work."

An expert in color theory, Cooperman adds: "I'm in love with colors… (and) I still always try to use some version of red, yellow and blue (the primary hues) together in each painting."

True to her word, each of Cooperman's paintings—done both in oil and watercolor gauche (which is an opaque form of watercolor paint capable of intense colors)—are infused with beautiful and unique color combinations that seem to make them float right off of the canvas. "I try to limit my painting to something that really grabs me," Cooperman said. "It's not about making money, it's just about what I need to express."

Sissman was slightly older when she fell in love with painting. Viewing a Rembrandt exhibit in Holland at the age of 11, Sissman said, "The depth of the emotions Rembrandt portrayed (in his work)... struck me more than anything I have seen before or since."

In that same vein, Sissman uses form, color and texture to convey emotions in her subjects. "I use flowers as visual metaphors conveying many themes," she said. "The fragility of flowers, coupled with their ephemeral beauty, intriguing delicacy and striking color, attract sensitivity and amplify the drama. The fleeting existence of flowers triggers urgency." 

In addition to flowers, Sissman recently began painting landscapes, as well. "I became interested…when I realized the symbolism of water as representing life and serenity. My compositions often depict a body of water seen through a screen of trees." As with flowers, Sissman notes that her landscapes "are not merely intended to reflect nature but rather to project an inner reflection (or) metaphorical journey."

Cooperman is currently working on a textbook titled "Color and How to Use It," which is set to publish in 2010 by Pearson Prentice Hall for use in higher education design schools.

Sissman's how-to book called "Getting Your Art Into Corporate Collections: Why It Pays, How To Do It, Who To Contact" is currently available for immediate download at http://www.artistadvisory.com.