Artist featured in one-man show

For as long as he can remember, Irwin Goldman has always been an artist. Ever since he was a little boy growing up in Brooklyn, Goldman was constantly thinking of things to sketch and paint. At age six, he began to take courses and studied with other artists. Art was in his blood. “I’ve been painting forever,” says Goldman, now 70 years old and a North Bergen resident of 15 years. However, there was something else that was a part of Goldman’s fabric growing up – and that was fabric. He spent better than three decades working in New York’s garment industry, never giving his art a chance to truly flourish. “I always found time to paint,” Goldman said. “I just didn’t have a lot of time. Painting was always something that I loved to do. I was always toying with the idea of giving it all up and becoming an artist full-time.” In his job, Goldman spent a lot of time traveling all over the country, especially the Midwest. “I’d go to places like Nebraska and Iowa and I would love to look at the horizons,” Goldman said. “Being from Brooklyn, we didn’t have much countryside there. But in the Midwest, I would love to see a cluster of trees on the horizon, then I couldn’t wait to get home and sketch it all out. I wanted to put everything I saw down.” Goldman said he also spent a lot of time on beaches, studying the horizon line and sketching down those memories as well. But there was always the job to go back to. There never was time to fully concentrate on the art. Finally, about 10 years ago, Goldman walked away from the garment industry and became an artist full-time. “It wasn’t a sudden decision,” said Goldman. “I spent too much time in my life trying to sell someone else’s products. I wanted to sell my own and I was determined to make it a go. I wanted to be able to spend my days painting, so I did it.” Goldman specializes in horizon line settings, using acrylics to form a three-dimensional effect on a two-dimensional canvas. His works became very popular and soon he was in shows nationwide. “I’ve done shows in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Ohio,” Goldman said. “I try to do three shows a month, so that keeps me busy. And I love my work more now, because I sell a lot of paintings.” Goldman’s popularity has grown so much that he will be the featured artist at an upcoming show entitled “On the Road to the Horizon,” running April 2 through April 23 at the Jewish Community Center on the Palisades in the Waltuch Gallery, 411 East Clinton Ave., Tenafly. There will be a reception to meet Goldman on April 2 from 1:00 p.m. to 3 p.m. The show will feature Goldman’s acrylic creations focusing on the horizon lines of the countryside and beach scenes. Goldman was hard at work this week in his Union City studio, preparing for the show. “I’m very excited about it,” Goldman said. “I can hardly wait. I love the comments I get from fellow artists and patrons of the shows. You never get tired of people telling you how great you are.” It hasn’t been easy for Goldman to get to the point of owning a studio for the last 10 years. In fact, when he was preparing to open his first studio in Edgewater, a fire engulfed it. “I lost everything,” Goldman said. “My textbooks, my notes, my photographs, my paintings. I could have been upset about it, but that night, I went out and re-supplied myself and went right back to work.” Goldman’s wife, Gloria, acts as the business manager and arranges Goldman’s busy schedule. “Now, all I do is paint,” Goldman laughed. “It makes things easier that way.” But the schedule is hectic. Goldman just returned from five different shows in Florida, where he sold about 20 paintings. “I love what we’re doing,” Goldman said. “If I’m not painting at my studio, then I’m traveling, hanging out with fellow artists, meeting patrons. It’s really a nice life.” The Waltuch Gallery is open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is closed on Saturday. Admission is free and is open to the community. For further information, contact the JCC on the Palisades at (201) 569-7900.