By Laura Lane
North Merrick artist Irwin Berson¹s portraits do that for me too, but so do his landscapes. The faces he chooses are often not beautiful, more akin to people you¹d want to meet if only to hear the story of their life. Those faces, so chock-full of emotion, cry out that there¹s much to tell, the landscapes a reminder that I really need to travel more.
For the month of January, the East Meadow library will be showing Berson¹s sketches, watercolors and acrylics in their gallery. When I stopped by to see the show, I had the privilege of speaking to the artist, a now retired art director of a midtown advertising agency.
Although Berson¹s career as an artist is not a long one, he realized when he was in the fourth grade that he had talent. Assigned a book report on General Custer he decided to draw a picture of the famous soldier on the cover. When Berson¹s teacher asked him who drew the picture he told her. The vehemence of her refusal to believe him led the boy to a career in art.
Berson¹s education included attendance at the School of Art and Design, The School of Industrial Art in Manhattan, and Pratt. Berson worked for many years in the magazine and ad agencies.
Although he began painting in his 30¹s he stopped a few years later. Berson, now 72, only began painting again when he was 62.
He¹s won many awards during his short career as an artist, though it¹s difficult to get him to speak of them or acknowledge that he is talented.
³I have a box full of ribbons,² he reluctantly admitted. ³And I got first prize in a Nassau County show which is all nice but winning isn¹t that important to me. Judges do have prejudices.²
His work compared to the Old Masters by art critics, Berson admits artists Thomas Moran, Homer and Turner influence him. But I only got this information from him after pressing him. Berson doesn¹t like to talk about himself. He¹d rather discuss his works.
³Sometimes you see a face that grabs you and you have to do it,² said Berson while showing me an acrylic painting of a striking elderly man who appears to be down on his luck. ³I try to get a feeling in everything I do. And natures fantastic to paint.²
Berson travels extensively with his wife and he always brings along his camera. They¹ve been to the Grand Canyon six times, the subject of several of his works, and throughout the United States and Canada.
When Berson takes photographs, he will often take several shots at different angles of the same subject. He¹ll later paint a landscape by incorporating what is most interesting from those photographs.
Berson has a passion for clouds too. He¹s got a box filled with the photographs he¹s taken of clouds, which he incorporates into different paintings.
The artist has many other types of photographs too, some he¹d taken years ago. Photography has always been the beginning of his inspiration for what he creates later on canvas.
³When I was still working I always took a lot of pictures when I traveled because I thought one day I would paint,² said Berson. ³I even took photos in 1958 when I was in Korea of women. I always liked faces.²
Comments about this story? Llane@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 236.
