Brian Mccormack

In Memoriam

Brian J. McCormack

Beloved artist Brian Joseph McCormack passed away suddenly on the evening of Saturday, March 9th, 2024 at the age of 71. Born January 22, 1953 in Honesdale PA, this baby was said to be gifted with the Irish blessing of a divine veil or caul, as it laid gently over his face. He was the youngest child of four, from parents Edward and Lenora McCormack. In the late 1950’s, the family relocated to the rural community of West Milford NJ, where Brian honed his creative skills catching crayfish and salamanders, digging for fossils in the backyard sand pit, teaching himself to play guitar, and making art. In high school, Brian hated sports but loved jazz. He excelled in art class under the guidance of teacher Joan Jones and created marionettes from sawdust, glue, and paint, as well as a decorative box theater, which travelled throughout the community.

At age 18, Brian moved to Montclair NJ and worked odd jobs to pay for living expenses while attending the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Arts. There, he focused on fine and commercial art under the instruction of watercolorist Joe Rossi and illustrators Charles Waterhouse and Don Brown. Later, while attending Montclair State University, he discovered abstract expressionism and befriended William

Pope L. who stirred Brian’s interest in performance art and the avant-garde. They formed a post-punk Afro-New Wave band known as Jon Waine, performing in many clubs during the early 1980’s including CBGB in NYC.

Brian’s adventurous spirit would tackle any situation he encountered. He wore a variety of hats during his life, including: janitor, surveyor, house painter, printmaker, designer, illustrator, musician, muralist, sculptor, watercolorist, animator, house builder, gallerist, curator, mentor, and dedicated, loving father and husband. In 1995, Brian was hired by Macy’s Float Studio, where he designed floats and balloons for the Thanksgiving Day Parade, which he always regarded as a dream come true. For Caitlin and I, and all those who loved him, he will always be our precious dream come true.

Brian is survived by his wife Joan, daughter Caitlin, sister Lynn Corrigan and her children Thomas, Vincent, Regina, Stephen, and their families, brother-in-law Fred DeLuca, niece Megan, nephew Brendan and his family, Aunt Marilyn Zekaria, cousin Deborah Brown, sister-in-law Kathleen Wozniak and her husband Michael, niece-in-law Jennifer Luizza and her family, second cousins Craig and Elaine Curry and their family, and chosen brother Vincent Diorio and his wife Lisa.

There will be a celebration of Brian’s life on Sunday, April 7, from 2 to 5 pm at Hamilton Street Gallery, located at 6 Hamilton Street, Bound Brook NJ, 08805. Parking is available at the Municipal Lot on Main Street, across from the Dunkin Donuts. For more information, please call 732-748-2092.

~ in lieu of flowers, please forward donations to The Jane Goodall Institute ~

https://janegoodall.org/