Art-perusers who meander into Melanee Cooper Gallery during a trip through River North's Gallery District will be immediately struck by cheery colors and an even more cheerful ambiance. Straying from contemporary art that pursues lackluster and melancholy subjects, Melanee Cooper instead features work of vivid, bold subject matters.

Rotating exhibits every six weeks, the progressive gallery tends to display paintings with both visual and physical texture. Picture bright images of daisies shellacked on top of hot pink acrylic or stripe upon iridescent stripe until the medium actually becomes three dimensional.

Art history enthusiast Melanee Cooper debuted her space in 1988 and has since racked up a repertoire of 10 represented contemporary artists from across the country. Such painters include Susan Hall, notorious for her shadowy images of human bodies, and Kathleen Waterloo, a veritable modern-day Jackson Pollock.

A member of the Chicago Art Dealers Association, Melanee Cooper Gallery often partakes in local philanthropy events and fundraisers, such as a winter gala in conjunction with Loyola University featuring an exhibition about the Dalai Lama.

I suggest using the contemporary art haven as a remedy to heal a gloomy mood; even a quick survey of Cooper's space and its work is enough to lift the spirit.

Centerstage Reviewer: Carly Schwartz