“Life is always uncertain. Out of a riot of lines, spaces and colors comes a titillating surface that beckons the viewer to relax and enjoy the journey. Simplicity and density are woven together in grafiti-esque drawings and paintings saturated with luminous and rich harmonies.” Julie Courtney, Independent Curator
The quote above was written over 15 years ago and still holds true. After 30 years of continuously creating art I often wonder what new insights I bring to my work. I tell my students that we each have our own ”circle” in life. As we grow and have many experiences we venture out of our personal circle, but always return to make our circle deeper and more varied; there are additions, ruts, grooves, colors and marks that enhance one’s space.
My art is a chaotic blend of chance and careful planning which is an apt metaphor for life. Each painting or pastel drawing is a map leading to an adventure of color, mark, and space. The making of the mark whether expressive, aggressive, lyrical or exuberant is crucial. There are references to nature but my primary interest is in capturing the feeling. I embrace the unpredictable interferences as interruptions to the luscious color and controlled lines. Taking risks as part of my creative process energizes my work and keeps it fresh and exciting.
Artist Biography
Val Rossman has been working as a professional artist for over 30 years. During her career she has had more than 21 one-person shows and been in numerous group shows in Philadelphia, Delaware, Vermont, New Jersey, Florida and New York. She has won several prizes, including the Award for Excellence at The State Museum of Pennsylvania, and at the Cheltenhan Art Center Annual Painting Show. In addition, she has been on the faculty of Main Line Art Center for the past 20 years as a teacher of abstract art. She has lectured at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and done a workshop at the River Arts Center in Vermont. Her work has also been seen on Bravo Cable Television.
Rossman’s work has been collected by both individual and corporate clients in the U.S. and abroad. Some of these include Blue Cross of Greater Philadelphia, AT&T, United Pacific Life Insurance, MasterCard International, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Bank, Wharton School at University of Pennsylvania and Hebrew University.
Val Rossman has been creating drawings and paintings in her studio in Philadelphia for the last 25 years. Her work has gone through various stages, however, her wonderful sense of color combined with a lyrical and often whimsical mentality have always infused her drawings with a lush and personal aura. The combination of rich and unexpected hues and gestures with sometimes questioning formats give the work an unforgettable presence.
In addition to her career, Val is married to Louis Rossman, a renowned Endodontist. They have two children, Lexy, age 32, and Benjamin, age 26, and son-in–law, Patrick, age 33. The family enjoys many outdoor activities together such as skiing, rock climbing and traveling.
Education
1976 Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA MCAT
1974 Tyler School of Art, Elkins Park, PA BFA
Awards & Honors
2015 Art in the Wilderness, Aspen, CO
2012 Vermont Studio Center Residency
2009 Vermont Studio Center Residency
1994 Award for Excellence in Drawing, Artists Equity Triennial, Philadelphia, PA
1992 Bravo Television Competiton, National Arts Club, New York, NY
Residencies
2012 Vermont Studio Center Residency, Johnson, VT
2009 Vermont Studio Center Residency, Johnson, VT
Bibliography
2017 Lear, Len, Chestnut Hill Local, March 2017
City Suburban News, February 2017
2016 Jenkins, Mark, "Holiday Group Show," The Washington Post, Longview Gallery, January 2016
2011 Donohoe, Victoria, "Project Shows How Art is Made," Philadelphia Inquirer, October 2011
Guthrie, Margaret, "Main Line Art Center Connects," Flying Kite, January 2011
Awodey, Marc, "Hue for Two," Seven Days, February 2011
2010 Donohoe, Victoria, "Color at Rosenfeld," The Philadelphia Inquirer, September 2010
2007 Dormont, Linda, "Steel Gardens," Art Matters, April 2007
2005 Sozanski, Edward J., "Memorable Encores," The Philadelphia Inquirer, January 2005
Rovner, Ruth, "Exercising Her Artistic Imagination," Main Line Times, January 2005
Walls, Wanda, "Inside the Spectrum of Color," Art Matters, January 2005
2002 Sozanski, Edward J., "Pastels at Rosenfeld," The Philadelphia Inquirer, February 2002
1995 Sadler, Robert H., "The Artist As Athlete," The Jewish Exponent, October 1995
1992 A Women's Personal Journal, Running Press, 1992
"Artsbreak," Bravo National Television Network
Collection
The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel Blue Cross of Greater Philadelphia, PA American Telephone and Telegraph United Pacific Life Insurance Schnader, Harrison, Segal and Lewis, Philadelphia, PA Yasuda Corporation, New York, NY Arco Chemical Corporation Community College of Philadelphia, PA Barrack, Rodos, and Bacine, Philadelphia, PA MasterCard International Headquarters, Purchase, NY The Vanguard Group World Headquarters, Valley Forge, PA Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi Bank; Rockefeller Center, NY Zuckerman Honickman Corporation, Philadelphia, PA Lankenau Hospital, Wynnewood, PA
Professional Experience
2016 - present Instructor, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA
2016 - present Instructor, Woodmere Art Museum, Chestnut Hill, PA
1994 – 2016 Instructor, Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA
2003 Visiting Instructor, River Arts, Morrisville, VT
1992 Visiting Lecturer, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA
1976 - 1982 Art Therapist, Einstein Medical Center and Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
Exhibitions
Solo
2017 Making A Mark, Gross McCleaf Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2015 Hues and Gestures, West Branch Gallery, Stowe, VT
Earth Air Color, Paintings and Drawings, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2013 Paintings on Aluminum and Pastel Drawings, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2011 Recent Paintings and Drawings, Windsor Whip Works, Binghampton, NY
Extravagant Color, West Branch Gallery, Stowe, VT
2010 Acrylic on Metal and Pastel Drawings, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2007 Recent Work, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2005 Recent Work, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2002 New Pastel Abstractions, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2000 Recent Drawings, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
1998 Mixed Media Monoprints, Delaware Center for Contemporary Art, Wilmington, DE
Recent Work, Philadelphia Art Alliance, Philadelphia, PA
1997 Mixed Media Monoprints, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
1995 Pastel Drawings, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
1994 Pavilion Gallery, Mount Holly, NJ
Kirkbride Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
1992 New Paintings, Gross-McCleaf Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
1989 New Work, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
1988 Pastel Abstractions, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
1987 New Work, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
1986 Glassboro State College, Glassboro, NJ
1982 Woodmere Art Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
Temple University, Sugarloaf Conference Center, Philadelphia, PA
1981 New Paintings, Scherer Gallery, Marlboro, NJ
1980 Philadelphia Art Alliance, Philadelphia, PA
Group
2016 On Paper, Gross McCleaf Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2015 Affordable Art Fair, New York, NY
2014 Outer Limits, Art in City Hall, Philadelphia, PA
Jewels and Treasures, Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA
Small Works Show, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2013 Abstact Invitational Show, Wayne Art Center, Wayne, PA
Louisa Gould Gallery, Martha’s Vineyard, MA
Art of the State: Pennsylvania ’13, the State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA
2011 C3: Create. Connect. Collect, Main Line Art Center, Haverford, PA
2010 Small Works Show, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2009 Landscape Revisited, West Branch Gallery, Stowe, VT
Small Works Show, Rosenfeld Gallery, Philadelphia, PA
2008 Red Dot Art Fair, New York, NY
2005 Noyes Museum of Art, Oceanville, NJ
Kimmel Center, Philadelphia, PA
2004 West Branch Gallery, Stow, VT
The Philadelphia Foundation
1998 Pastel Invitational, The American College, Bryn Mawr, PA
1996 Art of the State: Pennsylvania ’96, The State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, PA
1994 Artists Equity Triennial, Philadelphia, PA Award for Excellence in Drawing
Annual Awards Exhibition, Cheltenham Art Center, Cheltenham, PA
1992 Katharina Rich Perlow Gallery, New York, NY
Bravo Television Competition, National Arts Club, New York, NY
Members Gallery, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA