Left: Joyce Lieberman: Light 'n' Airy, oil on canvas. Top Right: Joyce Lieberman: Night & Day, oil on canvas. Bottom Right: Joyce Lieberman: Summertime, oil on canvas.

Art In Motion

Former Detroiter creates still lifes that "move."

Suzanne Chessler

design patterns to pull viewers around the
canvas and back to the floral."
Lieberman, who has lived in California
oyce Lieberman paints lots of
for 24 years, has built an extensive career
floral and fruit images, but it
with thousands of paintings and collages
would be wrong to label her a
now hanging in hotels, corporate offices
still-life artist. The perspective of her work and private homes across the country.
suggests movement, and the title of her
The placement of her vast projects
new exhibit, "UNStill Life does the same.
reaches from the Saginaw Art Museum in
Twelve of Lieberman's unstill lifes are
Michigan to the Hilton Hawaiian Village in
being shown through Feb. 11 at the Print
Waikiki. Her works also have appeared on
Gallery & EverythingArt in Southfield. ' the sets of many Hollywood films.
"The exhibit is a collection of images
"I work full time as an artist:' says
on canvas:' says Lieberman, 52, who lives
Lieberman, who earned a bachelor's
in California but grew up in Huntington
degree in art from the University of
Woods. "Several of the paintings are verti-
Michigan and a master's from the
cal with collage elements. Others are hori-
University of Texas. "When I moved to
zontal pieces.
Los Angeles, I found work as a teacher in
"Instead of having a horizon line or
Orange County and met a lot of art con-
table setting, paintings have kind of an
sultants and gallery owners who helped
infinity-type loop, and that gives them
me find clients"
motion. Central floral bouquets have
Lieberman — influenced by the styles

Special to the Jewish News

of Matisse and Chagall — uses color,
texture and shape to create happy and
upbeat projects, which also include pet
portraits. Her interest in art began while
doing murals in seventh grade at Norup
Junior High in Oak Park and intensified at
Berkley High School, where the teaching
staff was very supportive.
"A gallery I'm involved with in Orange
County last year asked me to do a tze-
dakah box for one of their charities:'
says Lieberman, who was confirmed at
Temple Emanu-El in Oak Park. "I also
helped curate shows for the University of
Judaism."
Lieberman, a participant in solo and
group exhibits, gets back to Michigan
about once a year to see the family of her
husband, Jim Juback, who works in adver-
tising. Her mom, Marilyn Lieberman, lives
in Florida. Her dad, Harry Lieberman, is
retired in Arizona.

"I get a lot of work done in the morn-
ing," says the artist, who has a home
studio and enjoys taking long walks and
doing yoga. "I keep things set up so I can
get right back to my painting later in the
day.
"My goals include doing more, getting
bigger commissions and always showing
better. I do get personally engaged with
some of my work and keep it for my own
space just because I like what I see." ❑

"UNStill Life" will be on view
through Feb.11 at the Print Gallery &
EverythingArt, 29173 Northwestern
Highway, in Southfield. Gallery
hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Mondays-
Saturdays. (248) 356-5454.
For more information on Joyce
Lieberman and her art, go to
www.joycelieberman.com .

January 17 • 2008

B9