A Fine Balance

Val Rossman’s bold work is characterized by colorful, graffiti-like pastel scribbles that show homage to a cheerier version of Cy Twombly or even Kandinsky’s later work.  While Rossman is best known for her seductive abstract pastels on paper, she also works with oils on steel, as well as mixed media. With a color palette that ranges from brilliant to subdued, her work has a freedom that is unmistakable.  After working as a professional artist in the region for almost 30 years, what Rossman once saw as a bohemian pipe dream has turned into her life’s work - and she wouldn’t have it any other way.  She lives a rather conventional lifestyle with her family in the suburbs of Philadelphia, but retreats to her studio in an edgy part of the city to create her work and seek inspiration.  

Rossman is also an avid runner, which is where she draws a great deal of inspiration. For more than 25 years, she has begun each day with a run. While running, Rossman reflects and looks for the random patterns in both nature and architecture. Whether it’s the color of the sun rising, a rainy day or even the grunge of an alleyway, these often serve as the visions on which her artwork is based, as evident in “Hanging Garden,” an oil-on-steel piece. Rossman’s attraction to working with steel first began when she saw Gerhard Richter’s oil-on-aluminum panels several years ago. “Hanging Garden,” suggests a memory of patterns and color found in nature that has been reconfigured in the studio.

“I want to make order out of chaos.  I create spaces, worlds, or environments to retreat to and exist in,” says Rossman. “I am always juggling the fine balance between beauty and grit.” This need to find a balance is illustrated by the duality of her lifestyle, as well as through her artwork. Her recent pieces range from beautiful, flowery abstractions to darker, more complex works. For instance, a pastel work, “Begonias,” is a prime example of Rossman’s lighter side. The piece is objectively stunning with its warm, vibrant colors and a sense of movement that leaves the viewer with a fanciful feeling. By contrast, the piece “Wishful Thinking” shows a thought-provoking side of the artist. This work features vigorous mark making and layered abstractions that evoke a sense of anxiety and confusion.

Whatever the style, Rossman’s use of color and line is remarkable. “I love color, line, shape and space.  Bringing everything down to basic concepts and then having the ability and flexibility to rearrange it in infinite possibilities again is what I enjoy doing,” she explains. Rossman has been sharing her talent by teaching at the Main Line Art Center in Haverford, Pa. since 1994. She currently teaches a class in abstraction, in which she offers a strong foundation of the basic theories of color, composition and technique while encouraging students to experiment.

Rossman received her BFA from Tyler School of Art in 1974 and then went on to complete a master’s degree in Creative Arts Therapy at Hahnemann Medical College. She worked as an art therapist for several years before moving to teaching. Additionally, she has held juried positions at the Philadelphia Sketch Club Annual Pastel Show and has also appeared on "ArtsBreak", a program on Bravo: The Film & Arts Network.

Rossman’s work has been widely exhibited throughout the Philadelphia area. She now has 19 solo exhibitions under her belt and has participated in countless group shows.

Her most recent show, a culmination of two years of work, was exhibited earlier this year (April 1-29) at the Rosenfeld Gallery in Old City, Philadelphia, where she has been represented for over 20 years. Her work is also part of several private and public collections, both locally and internationally.

For more information about Val Rossman, visit her Web site at www.valrossman.com. Her work is on permanent display at the Rosenfeld Gallery, 113 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, www.therosenfeldgallery.com. For class information, contact the Main Line Art Center at 610-525-0272 or on the web at www.mainlineart.org.