Artist Debuts Larger-Than-Life Paintings at Van Gogh's Ear

Jonathan Dayton High School graduate Stephen Chase Cohen a.k.a 'Stove' has been selected as the artist of the month for July at Van Gogh's Ear Cafe, located at 1017 Stuyvesant Ave. in Union.

The 21-year-old, who's been drawing since childhood, explained that he has always loved to doodle and create cartoons.

"I remember when I was about five I got yelled at for drawing with crayons all over the walls," he recalled. "I could not help it, I was just being myself."

Thanks to the unwavering support of his parents and the advice of Dayton's art teacher Barbara Delikaris, Cohen said he has remained true to his life-long passion and his craft. 

"She had taught me to 'always be myself' when becoming an artist," he said of Delikaris' advice, given in Dayton's art room, dubbed 'The Dungeon.' "To this day, it is the most valuable advice anyone can offer." 

The artist happily shares this insight as well as the story behind his unique nickname and even his work itself. 

"My friend Charline Tetiyevsky called me 'Stove' in high school for some reason which I don't know," Cohen said. "I always enjoyed it, though, and it stuck with me. It made me smile. So I decided to share this signature with everyone, because I want them to laugh as well."

Cohen is excited to be able to bring his latest creations, which include a larger-than-life self-portrait, to a wider audience through his current exhibition. Thus far, his work has been well-received, he said. Not hidden behind glass and unadorned by frames, the paintings are inviting to the touch and that's exactly what the artist is encouraging viewers to do.  

"I dropped in to Van Gogh's Ear Cafe on a Sunday night and a couple was talking about the art," he said. "They seemed impressed and they were really thrilled that they can touch the paintings. In addition, I have been contacted by several local art galleries to possibly exhibit my paintings."

Cohen, who returns to Penn State this fall for his final semester, said while he has not priced his work, he is open to hearing any offers from interested parties. 

So what's Stove cooking up next?

"Me and my life-long friend, Ross Fish, are working on paintings that create sound when you touch them," Cohen explained. "Our goal is to get everyone engaged in the art by using various senses of the body - visual, sound, and feel. I get extremely excited thinking about it. Ross and I work great as a team because everything is completely natural to us, and we are inspired by a similar process." 

The artist, who added that his sketch pad is his constant companion because "new ideas for paintings are always on the rise," said he has realized that in order to feel fulfilled and happy, he needs to continue to create and is grateful to his parents for their unflagging encouragement and their literal 'heavy lifting.'

"I would like to thank my parents for always supporting me and pushing me to pursue the arts," he said. "They are always extremely helpful. I could not have done the show without them. They were the ones who helped me set up the heavy canvases," he said.

To view Cohen's work, visit Van Gogh's Ear Cafe.