presenting the torchbearer of “Trianglism,” a form that he hopes does for three-sided art shapes what cubism did for four

by Gilda Rogers

The magnetism Howard Schoor exudes is a heady mix of accomplishment, assuredness, and a sense of adventure. At 78, this Renaissance man still basks in the sunshine of his Jersey Shore studio, but come October, will return to his Jupiter, Florida residence where he first discovered an affinity for the paint brush.

Schoor keeps reinventing himself. After helming engineering firm Schoor DePalma for 40 years, and before he took a leap into the art world, Schoor founded Community Bank in Shrewsbury in 1997. His artistic debut is slated for this fall, when his online gallery is scheduled to launch amidst a novel branding campaign. With names like “Hot Pink,” reminiscent of cotton candy, the exhibition of 24 oil-on-canvas works by Schoor, curated by Ruby Edelman, is theatrically abstract and compelling. Also a philanthropist, Schoor will donate 25 percent of the on-line receipts to the American Heart Association, Collier High School in Marlboro, and Mary’s Place-by-the-Sea in Ocean Grove, the last a place of respite for women battling cancer.

An avid art collector, Schoor frequents Manhattan’s Whitney Museum of American Art, the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and most recently the Museum of Modern Art.

“I was semi-retired and started painting during the winter of 2016 in Florida,” Schoor said. “The more I got into it, the more I enjoyed it.” The question of whether the former engineer was talented as an artist, however, was answered one day when he found himself gazing upon a favored piece in his collection by abstract artist Frank Stella, from Stella’s “Protractor” series. Schoor pondered if his ability was as good as a master like Stella, whose work has sold at auction for $600,000 and up. Schoor’s confidence was solidified upon completing a painting entitled “Bedroom Blues.”

“I thought it was comparable to the Stella, and I liked it better, so I decided maybe I have some talent,” he said, admitting that being an artist comes with a measure of ego.

A signed and numbered limited-edition giclée reproduction of his “Real Simple,” a fusion of muted grays, blues, and coarse brown mustard, will be available for $275 on his online gallery.

To create his distinctive style, Schoor took what he knew—civil engineering—and transformed into what he terms a “Trianglist” artist, doing with triangles what Picasso did with cubes. Schoor has become Trianglism’s torchbearer.

“I’ve been wedded to these triangles for so long that they became a part of me…fully internalized,” Schoor said. “After nearly five decades, they just started coming out.”

Schoor’s signature style is three-sided shapes of varying sizes—seen in both foreground and background, and at times seeming to disappear into the canvas. Color, sequence, and texture permeate each piece.

Determined to make his mark, Schoor, will return to the Jersey Shore next summer armed with new creations for his first live show at the Asbury Hotel, scheduled for June.

Asked how this son of a clothing salesman feels about taking the family name to new arenas, Schoor said with a smile that “Wonderfully. I’ve accomplished more in life than I’ve ever dreamed possible.”

Howard Schoor Art
603 Mattison Avenue, Suite 321, Asbury Park / 732.740.8797
howardschoorart.com