Growing up in Glen Cove on Long Island, Vivian Altman declared herself an artist at a very young age and never looked back. As a young girl, her artistic process began with frequent excursions to New York City Art museums. She later earned her BFA in painting from SUNY New Paltz where she graduated cum laude, and her MA in studio art and art education from NYU. During her years of study, Vivian was greatly influenced by the Abstract Expressionism movement. Vivian felt instantly attracted to their expressive qualities, and how these artists emphasized free, spontaneous, personal and emotional expression. 

Vivian spent 20 years teaching elementary art in the Newburgh City School District. Throughout her teaching career, she continued to be a prolific painter and exhibited extensively in both group and solo shows in the Hudson Valley and surrounding areas. As an abstract artist, Vivian’s signature style used vibrant colors and rich textures, with one of her art reviews describing her paintings as “bold and sumptuous.” Her last exhibit took place in June 2016 at the Beacon Artist Union gallery in Beacon, NY. Following this show, her passion for art inspired her to continue painting until she passed away from cancer in March 2017. 

Vivian’s works live in private collections at The United States Military Academy at West Point, NY, State University of New York at New Paltz, and Sobrevivir/A Will to Live in New York.