Artful Healing Galleries

Galleries

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MARILYN ROSE - LANDSCAPE #5

Artist Hometown: West Caldwell
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, DiFlorio Family Welcome Center Waiting Room C2001

Artist Bio:

Marilyn Rose has lived in New Jersey for the past 30 years. After establishing a career in graphic design, she rediscovered her passion for fine art.

Her work, both her large abstract landscapes and more figurative watercolors, display a vibrance and exuberance that invite the viewer to participate in the creative process.

Marilyn was recently selected to participate in the Bryant Park Painter in Residence Program to paint landscapes and iconic feature of the New York City park.

“Patience, faith and courage are important to art, just as they are important to healing.”

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NANCY ALTER - CHECKERBOARD FIELDS

Artist Hometown: Cherry Hill
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Location in MD Anderson: First Floor, Radiation Women's Sub-Waiting Room C1082

Artist Bio:

A graduate of Cherry Hill High School, Nancy Alter had a long and successful career in the corporate world before returning to her true love – art – in 2004.

After being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Nancy found that creating art provided her with a path to healing and allowed her to express her physical challenges in a positive way. Nancy’s art is influenced by the natural world, to which she feels deeply connected. She hopes viewers recognize something in her work that appeals to them internally, either by bringing comfort and understanding, or eliciting conversation.

Nancy’s father was a patient at Cooper University Health Care and her family expressed gratitude for the compassionate care he received.

“I am inspired by how big a sky can look, by the colors and movement in the natural landscape. My goal is not to provide a realistic representation of a scene, but rather to provoke an emotional response.”

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ARTHUR BRENER - SQUARE #3

Artist Hometown: Haddon Township
Medium: Serigraph
Location in MD Anderson: First Floor, Hallway Corridor, Outside Radiation Exam Room 3 C1022

Artist Bio:

Arthur Brener has been creating silkscreen prints since the early 1970s.

He cuts all of his own stencils and prints all of his own prints. Using water-based and acrylic inks, Arthur achieves the dense, bright, rich and splashy colors that give his graphic designs and silkscreen prints his signature touch.

Arthur has had a career in advertising, marketing and magazine publishing, all of which have had a significant influence on his work.

“I admire and am inspired by Miro and Calder. I hope that my prints evoke the same kind of joy I experience when I look at the work of these two great artists.”

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ALICE STEER WILSON - OCTOBER ON THE MARSH

Artist Hometown: Moorestown, Merchantville, Cape May
Medium: Watercolor
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, Multidisciplinary Clinic, Hall A, Outside of Exam Room 1 C2015

Artist Bio:

Alice Steer Wilson’s passion for art began when she was a child growing up on an Ohio farm and was fed by childhood summers on Long Island Sound.

She mastered a variety of media and genres, including oil and watercolor still life, portraits, charcoal portraits, and plein air landscapes for which she is renowned.

Formally trained at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Alice taught drawing and painting throughout the region.

Alice lived in Moorestown, Merchantville and Cape May from 1950 until her death from breast cancer in 2001. Her art was the fuel that kept her going during her battles with the disease.

Three of the paintings in the Cooper collection were created during Alice’s remission from 1996 to 1999.

“My mother and I were grateful for the expertise and support we received at Cooper. It is thrilling to imagine her work resting on the walls of the new cancer building, providing inspiration, hope and gentle release for families walking this path.” (Janice Wilson Stridick, daughter of Alice)

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ALICE STEER WILSON - FAVORED FLOWER

Artist Hometown: Moorestown, Merchantville, Cape May
Medium: Watercolor
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, Multidisciplinary Clinic, Hallway Corridor

Artist Bio:

Alice Steer Wilson’s passion for art began when she was a child growing up on an Ohio farm and was fed by childhood summers on Long Island Sound.

She mastered a variety of media and genres, including oil and watercolor still life, portraits, charcoal portraits, and plein air landscapes for which she is renowned.

Formally trained at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Alice taught drawing and painting throughout the region.

Alice lived in Moorestown, Merchantville and Cape May from 1950 until her death from breast cancer in 2001. Her art was the fuel that kept her going during her battles with the disease.

Three of the paintings in the Cooper collection were created during Alice’s remission from 1996 to 1999.

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ALICE STEER WILSON - SUMMER'S END

Artist Hometown: Moorestown, Merchantville, Cape May
Medium: Watercolor
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, Multidisciplinary Clinic, Hallway Corridor, Outside of Consult Room C2010

Artist Bio:

Alice Steer Wilson’s passion for art began when she was a child growing up on an Ohio farm and was fed by childhood summers on Long Island Sound.

She mastered a variety of media and genres, including oil and watercolor still life, portraits, charcoal portraits, and plein air landscapes for which she is renowned.

Formally trained at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Alice taught drawing and painting throughout the region.

Alice lived in Moorestown, Merchantville and Cape May from 1950 until her death from breast cancer in 2001. Her art was the fuel that kept her going during her battles with the disease.

Three of the paintings in the Cooper collection were created during Alice’s remission from 1996 to 1999.

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YUXUAN ZHEN - GREEN CYMBIDIUM ORCHID

Artist Hometown: Cherry Hill
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, Hallway Corridor, Entrance of Multidisciplinary Clinic C2059

Artist Bio:

The intricacies of the flowers that are highlighted in Yuxuan Zhen’s oil paintings are meant to symbolize the inner workings of life today.

The green cymbidium orchids in this piece represent elegance and graciousness. The green in the painting reflects health, resilience, good fortune and youth. Further, green orchids among a diverse mixture of shapes and hues convey a message of optimism and renewal.

Yuxuan started her career as an artist focusing on traditional Chinese painting. She has an MA in art education from Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky and has lived in Cherry Hill since 2008.

“To an artist, each painting exhibits a distinct symbolism from the inner soul. For me, each painting portrays an inner meaning embedded in society.”

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LEON WESCOAT - HIDDEN CREEK

Artist Hometown: Absecon
Medium: Oil
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, Multidisciplinary Clinic Hall D, Outside of Exam Room 6 C2205

Artist Bio:

Leon Wescoat, III was born and raised in a tugboat family spending much time throughout his youth towing up and down the East Coast. His dad and grandfather taught him to appreciate maritime settings and that love has carried over into his adult life.

With a quarter century of artwork to his credit and no formal training, he creates images from memory and blends oils to capture every intricate detail of each subject. As a member of the American Society of Marine Artists he is able to spread his love, knowledge and respect of the Sea and all of its treasures through exhibits and juried shows.

Leon’s love of the water and outdoors allows him to portray marine life and lush landscapes.

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NANCY ALTER - WESTERN SKY

Artist Hometown: Cherry Hill
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, Multidisciplinary Clinic, Hallway Corridor, Outside Office C2008 (Near Check-Out)

Artist Bio:

A graduate of Cherry Hill High School, Nancy Alter had a long and successful career in the corporate world before returning to her true love – art – in 2004.

Nancy’s father was a patient at Cooper University Health Care and her family expressed gratitude for the compassionate care he received.

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KASSEM AMOUDI - RISING IN LOVE

Artist Hometown: Camden
Medium: Acrylic on Board
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, DiFlorio Family Welcome Center Waiting Lobby

Artist Bio:

For Kassem Amoudi, painting is a continuous discovery.

The Jordanian-born artist treats paintings as beings that have their own lives, feelings and needs. He listens and responds, allowing them to be what they want to be.

Kassem earned his MFA from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, where he taught painting since 2000. He also leads painting courses at the Woodmere Art Museum, Main Line Art Center, Wayne Art Center and Perkins Center for the Arts.

Kassem moved to Camden in 2003 and lives just two blocks from Cooper University Hospital.

“Life, with its opposites, with its contrast of light and dark, joy and sorrow, inspires me, as does the process itself.”

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ARTHUR BRENER - LITTLE BOXES

Artist Hometown: Haddon Township
Medium: Screenprint
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, Multidisciplinary Clinic Hall B, Outside Exam Room 7 C2031

Artist Bio:

Arthur Brener has been creating silkscreen prints since the early 1970's.

Arthur has had a career in advertising, marketing and magazine publishing, all of which have had a significant influence on his work.

“I admire and am inspired by Miro and Calder. I hope that my prints evoke the same kind of joy I experience when I look at the work of these two great artists.”

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PAT BRENTANO - LANDSCAPE

Artist Hometown: Westfield
Medium: Cut Paper Collage
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, Multidisciplinary Clinic Hall D, Outside of Exam Room 8 C2203

Artist Bio:

Pat Brentano has lived in New Jersey for 30 years.

Pat’s work is focused on connecting people with nature in an effort to make people better stewards of the planet’s natural resources.

Pat earned her MFA from the Tyler School of Art and taught at Kean University. She has collaborated on sculpture installations with several New Jersey environmental organizations, including The Nature Conservancy and Jersey Audubon.

“I have a deep desire to reconnect people to nature. Through my work, I hope to remind people that we do not own nature. We are a part of it.”

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DEB STRONG NAPPLE - LANDSCAPE

Artist Hometown: Somerville
Medium: Mixed Media
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, Multidisciplinary Clinic Hall A, Outside Exam Room 4 C2016

Artist Bio:

Deb Strong Napple is a three-time cancer survivor with a deep appreciation for the beauty and joy that art can bring, especially during a difficult time.

After college, Deb married a Navy man who took her traveling around the world, but when he retired, they returned home so that she could attend art school.

Deb’s etchings, woodcuts and paintings are her interpretations of what it feels like to be in a specific place, at a specific time. Her journeys around the globe opened her eyes to the beauty the world holds and sparked a desire to share that beauty through art.

Deb was born in Somerville, and later moved to Hopewell, where she graduated from Hopewell Valley High School in 1979.

“When I was undergoing treatment for my cancers, the hardest time was always the waiting – whether for a procedure, a test or for the doctor to deliver the news. Art helped me through the waiting, and I hope it can help others too.”

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PHILIP J. CARROLL - PINE BARRENS

Artist Hometown: Collingswood
Medium: Oil on Panel
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, Hallway Corridor, next to East Stair Tower CS2-L2

Artist Bio:

Collingswood resident Philip J. Carroll is a New Jerseyan through and through, having lived in the Garden State all his life.

Philip is a graduate of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and studied art history at the University of Pennsylvania. Today, he teaches watercolor painting and serves as Curator of Exhibitions for the Perkins Center for the Arts in Moorestown.

Cancer has claimed the lives of Philip’s father and mother-in-law, and his sister is a two-time breast cancer survivor.

“I do not choose the subjects I paint. They choose me. I just happen upon them in my endless wandering for inspiration, and they appear when I least expect them."

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BRUCE GARRITY - FALLS

Artist Hometown: Penns Grove
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, Top of the Tree of Hope Stairs

Artist Bio:

Though he was born in Philadelphia, Bruce Garrity spent most of his childhood living in Alaska. It was there that he developed a love and appreciation of nature, which inspires his artwork today.

Bruce received a BFA in painting and drawing from the University of Delaware and an MFA in painting from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.

Bruce has taught studio art and art history at Rutgers University in Camden since 1997.

Bruce’s connections to Camden and New Jersey run deep. Both of his parents were born and raised in New Jersey, and his father’s family is from Camden. His father and his grandfather worked in the Camden shipyards.

“My work is a synthesis of painterly realism and modern outlooks, which I suppose people would call post-modern.”

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LIESL OBERFELD - GARDEN COLLAGE

Artist Hometown: Camden
Medium: Photography
Location in MD Anderson: First Floor, Hallway Corridor, Outside Administration Office C1043

Artist Bio:

A self-taught photographer, Liesl Oberfeld photographs natural and man-made objects with the hope that the beauty she sees in everyday items will inspire others.

Through her digital photography, she aims to create images that help viewers feel joyful, calm, peaceful and contemplative.

Liesl lives with multiple sclerosis and finds that creating and viewing art brings her peace when she is feeling sad or frustrated.

Liesl moved with her family to South Jersey when she was 4 years old. She has lived and worked in Camden since 2009.

“When people view beautiful images, they often feel a sense of peace. My goal in life and art is to make the world a more positive and peaceful place.”

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BEVERLY GOLEMBESKI - ROSES ARE..YELLOW AND ORANGE

Artist Hometown: Seaside Park
Medium: Watercolor
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, Multidisciplinary Clinic Hall B, Outside Exam Room 10 C2028

Artist Bio:

Beverly Golembeski was born in Camden with a paintbrush in her hand.

After graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School, she attended Montclair State University where she studied fine arts.

Beverly’s work has varying personalities as seen in her watercolors, acrylics, and décor items. She finds that watercolors offer a range of creative possibilities that make painting adventurous. She will often combine transparent and opaque watercolor with pen and ink or pastels in one piece.

“My mother was treated for breast cancer at Cooper many years ago. To have my artwork hang on the walls of the new cancer center is a tribute to her as well as to the city where I spent my childhood.”

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JOYCE HARRIS MAYER - CIRCLES IN A SQUARE

Artist Hometown: Medford
Medium: Mixed Media
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, Multidisciplinary Clinic Hallway Corridor

Artist Bio:

Joyce Harris Mayer studied at the New York City Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences, and in the 1960s worked as an art director in magazine and book publishing, becoming one of the first female art directors in the country.

Joyce moved to Medford in 2003 to be closer to her son in Cherry Hill.

Illness forced Joyce to put down her paints and brushes, but she discovered her new media in the computer by using the empty screen as a blank canvas to create abstract images.

“Visual art is a nexus for emotion and thought. It is among the great intellectual achievements of humans and separates us from all the other creatures on this planet.”

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STEVE KUZMA - AUTUMN LAKE

Artist Hometown: Ventnor
Medium: Mixed Media
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, DiFlorio Family Welcome Center Waiting Lobby, Behind TV C2001

Artist Bio:

Steve Kuzma is a full-time artist, illustrator and educator with more than 30 years of professional experience.

His work conveys a strong contemporary style with impressionist brushwork and avant-garde layering techniques that use watercolor, water-mixable oil and pastel.

Although born in Philadelphia, Steve now lives “down the shore” in Ventnor. He graduated from Parsons in New York City and studied in Italy and France. His clients have included New York Times, TIME, HarperCollins, ABC, CBS and NBC.

Steve was recently awarded a Pollock-Krasner Foundation grant for artistic merit.

“My art combines a love of nature with a strong spiritual sensibility. Through my work, I aim to create a blissful connection to the human soul.”

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TONY LASALLE - SUNFLOWERS OF THE SOUTH

Artist Hometown: Lambertville
Medium: Acrylic
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, Multidisciplinary Clinic, Corner of Hallway Corridor A

Artist Bio:

Tony LaSalle uses acrylic on canvas to paint subjects that include small, stylized portraits, crowds of people, and massive bountiful gardens.

Tony has an MA in education, administration and supervision from Rider University in Lawrence Township, New Jersey. He is a professor on the faculty at Delaware Valley College and maintains a studio in Lambertville.

“My purpose in making art is to heal. That is the result of the process of painting for me.”

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BARBARA MARCH - UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Artist Hometown: Marlton
Medium: Mixed Media
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, Multidisciplinary Clinic, Hallway Corridor, Outside Office C2036

Artist Bio:

To Barbara March, painting is a spontaneous journey of colors and images deep within her mind. She never knows the outcome until the painting is complete.

Mixed water media is her preferred means of expression, allowing her to create brilliantly colored paintings in a mostly non-objective way.

A longtime New Jersey resident, Barbara lost her father to lung cancer when she was just 10 years old. Her daughter is a cancer survivor.

“I hope my artwork inspires an overall feeling of well-being and happiness, a feeling that pulls viewers in, urging them to stay longer.”

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VINCENT NARDONE - SPIRITS OF BACCHUS

Artist Hometown: Brick Township
Medium: Acrylic on Canvas
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, Entrance of Multidisciplinary Clinic, Hallway Corridor C2059

Artist Bio:

Vincent Nardone can often be found working on location with a palette knife and acrylics as a plein air painter, his work inspired by the back bays and shorelines of New Jersey.

Born and raised in the Garden State, Vincent currently lives in Brick Township. As a child, he attended school in the Maplewood school district and later returned to work as an art teacher for nearly 30 years.

After attending Montclair University, he earned his MFA from the University of Southern California and studied abroad in Paris and Florence.

Vincent is the president of Audubon Artists, and the vice president of Allied Artists of America.

“The raw power of nature’s rhythms is a magnificent force for sparking creativity and generating ideas, reasons why I enjoy painting on location.”

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LESLIE ASHTON MARTEL - PINK HAT, NORMA, CHACHACHA

Artist Hometown: Cape May
Medium: Acrylic on Board
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, Multidisciplinary Clinic Hallway Corridor, Across from Workroom C2021

Artist Bio:

As a 10-year-old little girl, Leslie Ashton Martel wandered into an art studio, started taking lessons and was instantly transported into the world of creativity.

Leslie had lost her father to leukemia two years earlier, and she discovered that art helped her cope with her feelings and ultimately changed her life.

Leslie majored in interior design at Endicott College and became the first person to create the process of painting on sisal rugs. She founded a design studio and her rugs are displayed in homes and palaces throughout the world.

After selling her studio 13 years ago, Leslie became more actively engaged in watercolor painting. Today, her work encompasses all forms of aqua media with added elements of collage and acrylic.

“I hope my work inspires joy and curiosity when viewers see the lush, vibrant colors of my pallet and the playfulness of my subject matter.”

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JIM AND LYNN LEMYRE - OASIS

Artist Hometown: Mount Holly
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, Multidisciplinary Clinic, Hallway Corridor

Artist Bio:

Jim and Lynn Lemyre are collaborative surrealist artists, who paint landscapes of the imagination on canvas and panel.

Their collaboration started almost immediately after meeting at Rutgers University where Jim studied fine art and Lynn studied art history. As their relationship developed, they became so close that they felt comfortable working on each other’s paintings.

As husband and wife, they are active in their Mount Holly community and through the Main Street Program, have been involved in creating murals throughout the downtown area. Lynn is also the director of Artworks, a non-profit art center in Trenton.

“When art has a soothing or peaceful quality, it can facilitate healing and well- being by reducing stress.”

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MARIE NATALE - POPPIES 3

Artist Hometown: Egg Harbor
Medium: Watercolor
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, Multidisciplinary Clinic, Hall C, Outside Exam Room 17 C2043

Artist Bio:

Born and raised in New Jersey, Marie Natale has had a lifelong love affair with creativity and art.

Marie, encouraged by a teacher who recognized her early potential, started painting at the age of 12. She further honored her talent, earning a master’s degree in Art Education from Rowan University.

She has been painting ever since. Marie taught in the public school system for 10 years and currently teaches adult students at community centers and art guilds up and down the East Coast and abroad.

Marie’s watercolor paintings are filled with color and light and deeply influenced by life in a seashore community.

“I’m inspired by the beauty and charm of New Jersey, but what inspires me most is how the beauty of art can take a viewer to the healing center within themselves.”

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MARILYN ROSE - ABSTRACT #6

Artist Hometown: West Caldwell
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Location in MD Anderson: First Floor, Radiation Patient Waiting Room, next to Coffee Station C1004

Artist Bio:

Marilyn Rose has lived in New Jersey for the past 30 years. After establishing a career in graphic design, she rediscovered her passion for fine art.

Her work, both her large abstract landscapes and more figurative watercolors, display a vibrance and exuberance that invite the viewer to participate in the creative process.

Marilyn was recently selected to participate in the Bryant Park Painter in Residence Program to paint landscapes and iconic feature of the New York City park.

“Patience, faith and courage are important to art, just as they are important to healing.”

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DOLORES POACELLI - STILL LIFE IN AQUA

Artist Hometown: Collingswood
Medium:
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, Multidisciplinary Clinic Hall D, Outside of Exam Room 3 C2213

Artist Bio:

Dolores Poacelli is a longtime Collingswood resident with a studio in Philadelphia’s Italian Market, where she has worked for 27 years. She was a recipient of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts Fellowship for painting.

Using a mix of materials and playing with proportion, Dolores creates excitement through the relationship of color, shape, texture, and proportion.

Dolores’ pieces employ color to create energy and evoke through drawing, collaging and painting layers until they become their own reality.

“Although my work is influenced by the human form and science, it is abstracted essence. Not a novel, but a haiku.”

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LINDA RAMSAY - BLUE WATER LILIES

Artist Hometown: Wenonah
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, Multidisciplinary Clinic Hall C, Outside of Exam Room 16 C2041

Artist Bio:

Linda Ramsay grew up in the Garden State and currently resides in Wenonah, where her studio is located. She received her BFA from Rutgers in 1979.

Linda’s oil paintings are impressionistic and influenced by the Jersey Shore and the Jersey Pine Barrens. Much of her work is inspired by her time on Long Beach Island, where she maintains a second studio.

As evidenced by this piece, Linda enjoys painting the changing colors, reflections and shadows of the bay, sky and wetlands, and strives to capture the mood and energy that nature provides.

“I want my work to elicit memories and create a peaceful mood. I am especially drawn to painting images that evoke memories of South Jersey and the Jersey Shore, special places that many of us hold close to our hearts.”

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MARILYN ROSE - LANDSCAPE #1

Artist Hometown: West Caldwell
Medium: Oil on Canvas
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, Hallway Corridor, Entrance of Multidisciplinary Clinic C2059

Artist Bio:

Marilyn Rose has lived in New Jersey for the past 30 years. After establishing a career in graphic design, she rediscovered her passion for fine art.

Her work, both her large abstract landscapes and more figurative watercolors, display a vibrance and exuberance that invite the viewer to participate in the creative process.

Marilyn was recently selected to participate in the Bryant Park Painter in Residence Program to paint landscapes and iconic feature of the New York City park.

“Patience, faith and courage are important to art, just as they are important to healing.”

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DAVID AHLSTED - BLUE FLAGS, OSWEGO RIVER

Artist Hometown: Egg Harbor City
Medium: Oil on Board
Location in MD Anderson: Second Floor, Entrance of Multidisciplinary Clinic, Hallway Corridor C2059

Artist Bio:

David Ahlsted is a realist painter, though his work tilts slightly toward the abstract as he searches for beauty and surprises hidden in ordinary things.

David is a professor emeritus at Stockton College, and also served as a professor at Skidmore College and his alma matter, Indiana University, where he earned his MFA.

His work is permanently installed in the New Jersey State Capitol.

David has lived and worked in southern New Jersey for more than 35 years.

“When my wife was a patient at Cooper, we both were impressed by the exceptional care she received. We also recognized the important role of art in helping people get back on their feet again.”

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