Monica Shulman is a Dobbs Ferry-based artist whose gestural abstraction is, in her opinion, a form of storytelling. Rooted in the traditions of abstract expressionism, Shulman’s world is best described as colorful and rhythmic. Her paintings reflect an evolving universe where communication is less concrete.
However, not everything in their world is so “fluid”.
The former lawyer speaks three languages (but said she needs to brush up on her French). She began her career as a fine art photographer, an experience that gave her “a strong sense of light, structure and subject matter,” she said.
A largely self-taught artist, she creates sculptural surfaces with her heavily layered impasto technique, and her paintings demonstrate a compulsive energy and the dynamic tension between, in her own words, “reckless abandon and careful restraint.”
In the collection of oil paintings, The Storm We Weathered, which she created in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, Shulman explores themes of self-reflection, the human condition, community and her own identity. She explains that her materials, oils and pastels, are active participants in her work. If that sounds too intellectual, in reality, like all of Shulman’s work, they are paintings that are full of life, color and a certain amount of form. And – to put it simply – they are both commercial and extremely social.
As a first-generation American, she is strongly connected to both her Cuban and Argentine roots.
She and her husband have two children, a 14-year-old daughter and an 11-year-old son (as well as their “third child” – their 7 ½-year-old Cavapoo). When asked how she balances her personal life with the discipline of being an artist, she said she simply tries to use her time and attention “in a purposeful way.”
“My family and our home are my priority and my children need me. That’s why I’m focusing on that at this stage of my life.”
Nevertheless, she loves her work and is ambitious. “There are times when I am very busy and pulled in many different directions.”
With a studio at 145 Palisade St. in Dobbs Ferry, she is refreshingly open about “commerce” – which is, of course, essential for any successful artist. She has worked with private collectors, art dealers, television producers, interior designers, bloggers, influencers, real estate developers, galleries, curators, shop owners and more, and is always happy to talk about collaborating on artistic projects.
She promotes her art primarily on social media and also sells many works through word of mouth, galleries, art dealers, retail stores, and on various websites and platforms such as Chairish. She also spends a lot of time networking, both online and in person.
“Most of my clients are private collectors,” she said, “but my long-term goal is to be represented in corporate collections.”
She has been featured in various publications including The Washington Post, Popular Photography, Create Magazine, and Art Seen. She was inducted into the National Association of Women Artists (NAWA) in 2022 and her work has been shown at NAWA, the American Academy of Arts and Letters, the National Arts Club, the New York Mercantile Exchange, all in Manhattan, the Pulse Art Fair in Miami, and Frieze Los Angeles, among others.
“Abstraction feels liberating and there is no set narrative, so the story can change at any time and that’s OK,” she said. “I work to evoke a vivid, emotional response, but also leave an impression of uncertainty.”
While that may be true, neither Monica Shulman’s artistic talent, nor her business acumen, or, it seems, her success in anything she undertakes, are assured.
