Karen Cooper
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Just Like Riding A Bicycle

by Cooper on 7/29/2010 9:41:26 PMComment on this
Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Jefferson, Iowa.  Jefferson is a fortunate town.  It just happens to be on the RaccoonRiverValley Bicycle Trail.  http://raccoonrivervalleytrail.org  It's one of those great trails that used to be a railroad line, that ran from DesMoines out to Jefferson.  We made the ride down to the "Winkleman Switch" tonight, just a short jaunt but very enjoyable. 

As we rode I was thinking about school starting again, and with that, the life drawing group I study with on campus at IowaStateUniversity.  And THAT made me think about the old phrase "just like riding a bicycle".  Surely my thought process is clearly visible?  Let me explain.  When people talk about a learned skill that's never forgotten, they say it's "just like riding a bicycle" meaning once you learn it, you've got it.  You never forget it.  You can ride a bicycle nonstop through your youth, take a ten year break, decide to start again, and get right back on and do it.

Now, what on earth does THAT have to do with art, you ask?  Actually, I think art is the negative value for that old saying.  The life drawing group I went to when we lived up north was a bit seasonal at times, various gaps in scheduling.  We were always a little surprised when we got back on schedule and everyone had to whine a little bit about being rusty.  It WASN'T "just like riding a bicycle"  We found we could not immediately start right back in where we left off.

Dare I say that artists CAN'T share that phrase with bicycle riders?  Do you really think you can paint/draw/create whatever for a year, stop for a while, and then start right back up where you left off?  Maybe it depends on where you want to go with your art.  If you are wanting it to grow and develop, I don't think it works to say it's "just like riding a bicycle".  I would venture that continued growth requires nonstop practice.

Surely we need a bicycle painting here, don't you think?

  Road Ride, acrylic painting on a 36 x 24 inch canvas. 

Yes, this is an older painting of mine, but it is doubly appropriate for this blog post!  Not only have we already talked about the phrase "just like riding a bicycle", but this is RAGBRAI   http://ragbrai.com   week in Iowa.  15,000 people riding their bicycles from the Missouri River on the western border of Iowa to the Mississippi River on the east.  Road Ride is hanging at the Clear Lake Art Center currently, as Clear Lake was one of the "night camp" towns for this year's RAGBRAI.  The painting, you ask?  Painted the year RAGBRAI had a "night camp" in our previous hometown of Spencer, Iowa  (2007)  What a party.  Thanks for stopping by. 

Later, Cooper

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That Blog Post? (yawn)

by Cooper on 7/27/2010 9:33:10 PM1 Comment
Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio, in a sweltering Jefferson, Iowa.  Normally I am a "throw open the windows and let the fresh air in" kind of person, but today is one of those days when there is none.  So I had a little moment of concern about an hour ago, when the thermostat started inching it's way back up, even though the air condtioner was running full blast.  I had done the bad thing:  ran the dishwasher and the oven.  I knew better, but raw zucchini bread isn't worth much, and the dishes have to get clean somehow and it takes hot water no matter which way.  Anyway the subject of the day has nothing to do with any of that.  Instead we need to talk about writing a blog post.

More specifically, Writing An Enjoyable And Readable Blog Post.

A newsletter came in the mail the other day.  The real kind of mail, like a mailman with two feet, instead of the internet with a webhost.  A group of kids had been to a youth retreat and some of them wrote brief notes of their adventures to publish in the church newsletter.  So, good kids, good event, all good.  I have to address writer of note #3 however.  "Honey, your note was so stiff and dry, I could not for the life of me, bring myself to read the whole thing".

How many of us write our blog posts as good artists, good events, and then bore our readers to a point just this side of comatose?  How many fair-weathered readers never get to the conclusion of our posting because it's just unbearable?

I found a handy little list of blog writing tips, that's a good place to start, eh?  I picked out my favorites :)

1.  TITLES ARE IMPORTANT!

Is it too much to ask that a title be informative, to the point AND clever?  There seem to be a rash of blog posts lately written by members of that club that label all their paintings "untitled", however with their blog titles, it seems to be more a consensus of boring us to pieces.  Quite possibly a post titled with the name of your most recent painting "Butterfly on Asclepias" will cause someone to send the blogging sheriff and his posse knocking at your door with a pair of handcuffs.  Bear that in mind.  A good title should pique our curiosity, shouldn't it?

2. Make Lists
Lists are easy to read, aren't they?  See?  You are reading one now.

3.  Spices 

Spices, yes, really.  I am talking about the punctuation kind---you know, bold, italics, all-caps, that kind of spice.  But think about the culinary kind of spice (since I knew you already were)  What happens when you throw too much basil in that pasta sauce?  (I know, I know, that's next to impossible, but try to imagine)  It takes away the magic when you over-do.  Surely you've heard the phrase "less is more"?  Use those italics to give it some zing---it only takes a LITTLE.

4.  Give Them A Pretty Picture 

Do you remember going to the library when you were a little kid?  Did you pick the books that didn't have any pictures?  How about the ones that only had black and white pictures?  Now, let's be honest here:  we all love text that's accompanied by an enjoyable image.  In fact, I still pick the books with nice pictures, Renoir, Morisot, Degas, to name a few  :)  Your readers are quite probably still kids at heart.  They probably still like colorful pictures.  Share one with them now and then.  Look how easy it is:

  Sidewalk Traffic, an acrylic painting on a spiffy little 20 x 24 inch canvas.  Just off the easel and available in my portfolio.  

 5.  Chop Off That Paragraph 
Shorter paragraphs.  Let me repeat that:  SHORTER PARAGRAPHS!  I read a lot of blogs.  If someone writes a blog where the paragraph is so long it runs off both the top and the bottom of the screen, I give up.  Is it human tendacy to think we'll never get to the end, if we can't see it?  And if we think we'll never see the end, we start to be concerned about how much time this is taking, and can we really devote that much time to reading this person's thoughts?  Shorter paragraphs.  Please.

6,7,8...AllThatOtherStuff...10,11,12...

I suppose you are wondering where I put the paragraph about SEO, and the paragraph about linking, and I suppose there should have been mention here about vital content, and something about writing famously so everybody reads your blog post no matter what, but seriously, aren't there enough people out there telling you all of that?  And right up at the top of this, I clued you in:  I am after the enjoyable post.  An informative, educational writing is only worth something if we enjoy it enough to stick with it.  If you are like the kid who wrote that stiff little dried up paragraph in the church news letter, it really doesn't matter what vital content you include, because most of us won't make it all the way to the conclusion of your article.  We'll have clicked away.  So please, keep on sharing good information, but give it some life while you're at it.  Make it a joy to read.  Thanks for stopping by.

Later, Cooper

 

 

 

 

 

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Brag

by Cooper on 7/20/2010 9:04:46 AM1 Comment
Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper Studio, Jefferson, Iowa.  It's brag day.  Even if I am a little behind schedule with it.  A picture is worth a thousand words, right?  How about this one:



I was at the Linn Creek Arts Festival this past weekend, and important people liked my work :)  The photographer almost missed her, but you'll note the art center director holding the "envelope" at the lower right?  Yeah, best of show ribbons are nice, the ones that come with "envelopes" are even nicer!

I am traveling again this weekend---Clear Lake Art Sail (Clear Lake, Iowa)  A delightful little show in a park by a lake.  You should come.  Hours are 10am-4pm, Saturday, July 24th.

Time to go sling some paint around on a canvas.  Thanks for stopping by.

Later, Cooper

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Wannabees

by Cooper on 7/13/2010 9:07:56 AM1 Comment
Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Jefferson, Iowa on a gorgeous Tuesday, July 13th.

I just read the latest "painter's keys" newsletter from Robert Genn.  Most of it was about the age old problem of knowing when it's time to stop on a painting, how to avoid working a painting to death, literally and figuratively  :)

The article included a statement that really stopped me:

"I find our world to be loaded and cocked with creator wannabees. We artists represent the last bastion of the hand of man."

I would love to sit down and have a cup of coffee and converse with Mr Genn about his thoughts given there.  To me, the contrast between the wannabees and the creatives is especially stark.

I just returned home from KraslArtFair, St Joseph, Michigan.  (yes, it's a wonderful event)  Lately, at art fairs, I've noticed my work attracting more young people---maybe it's what I'm painting, or the way I'm painting, or is it the "creator wannabee" factor?  Quite possibly it's the compilation of all three.  Is it the next generation looking ahead and contrasting automated versus creative?  I try to always encourage:   practice, practice, practice, and never stop with the studying.  I balance it with:  it's hard work and you have to have the determination to persevere.  And as they walk away romancing the life of an artist, I wonder which side of that contrast line between wannabees and creatives they will end up on?

Ok, so we'll rename today "philosophical Tuesday" :)  but now it's time to go paint.  Thanks for stopping by.  Have a lovely day.

Later, Cooper

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Maps

by Cooper on 7/8/2010 8:34:54 AMComment on this
Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio, on a SUNNY beautiful day, in Jefferson, Iowa.

There's probably minimal painting happening in the studio today, as it's time to pack again.  This weekend I am showing my paintings at KraslArtFairOnTheBluff, in StJoseph, Michigan.  If you feel the need to give yourself a treat, go there---there are not many spots on the map as beautiful and relaxing as the park overlooking LakeMichigan.  There is a perfect hotel, The Boulevard Inn, right next to the park.  I have plans for someday when there is a blizzard heading east from Nebraska:  I will grab my husband, load us into the car, drive to that hotel (hopefully staying ahead of the storm) move into an upper floor room, and watch the storm come across the lake.  I think it will be an exceptional sight.  :)

Anyway, maps.  When I travel to art fairs, I am pretty picky about maps.  I learned quite a while ago that saving paper does not rate, when compared to having mapquest directions to my location printed off in LARGE ENOUGH TYPE to read sans glasses.  Tollway traffic through Chicago does not approve of people stopping to read the fine print on their maps.

And then, maps of the art fair sort.  Last summer there came an aha! moment.  Prior, setting up my display at an art fair was a long drawn out process---which painting should hang where, what painting would fit into that long skinny space, which one would fit into that wide space, ooops, we didn't leave enough room for that one, better scoot it over 4 inches---you get the picture.  The solution was so simple, I can't quite believe it took me years (literally) to see it. 

I use a propanel display system as my exhibit walls at art fairs.  I "hinged' together pieces of foam core that simulate the dimensions of my display system.  Using the same scale, I print images of my paintings that are making the trip to the art fair.  Do you know how much easier it is when, glass of iced tea in hand, I can sit at the kitchen counter and plan my exhibit?  If I think "Smells Like Summer" looks better next to "Ped Mall DogWalk", but then change my mind and think I need to try "Elementary School Readers" all I have to do is move a couple little squares of paper.  Surely I don't have to tell you how much easier THAT is than moving the actual paintings?  And getting it right, when you know you've got people coming to see in just an hour or so?

Prior to the great aha moment that lead to the mapping system, I used to plan for a minimum of two hours to get everything organized for an exhibit.  May I brag a little?---I now allow 40 minutes.  For those of you who have not set up an art fair exhibit, I know, I know, that's only an hour and ten minutes difference.  But.  On the morning of an art fair, it's a BIG difference.  May I share just a little more insight about that?

If I had a roadie who set it all up for me, so that I could waltz in last minute, it would be different, but usually, I am on my own, doing it all myself.  People come to art fairs hoping for an enjoyable outing.  If I am out of sorts due to a hectic setup, helping those people enjoy their outing is a dim possibility.  By removing the chance of "hectic" from the setup routine, it gets my day off to a good start, where I can share with visitors about my paintings, and we can all enjoy the day.

The 49th Annual Krasl Art Fair on the Bluff happens on July 10th, 10-6, and July 11th, 10-5.  If you want to see the booth map in action, you'll have to stop by exhibit #164 about 7am on July 10th.  The good folks of Krasl, and Port 412 are serving breakfast for the artists and I plan to hang paintings before dining!  :)

Later, Cooper

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I Photoed The Queen Yesterday

by Cooper on 7/2/2010 9:24:57 AMComment on this
Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper Studio, Jefferson, Iowa, where the day is so beautiful, I can hardly stand to be indoors.  We'll fix that soon.

But first, about that title, I Photoed The Queen Yesterday, yes, really, I did.  Let me explain.  I've already told you about my exhibit of paintings at TheWineBarArtGallery in Arnolds Park, Iowa.  Yesterday was the day to retrieve paintings from the exhibit that have not yet sold, as well as deliver a painting that will hopefully help raise funds for the Gull Point State Park in the Iowa Great Lakes.  The weather was just as stunning yesterday---other than the painting "shuffle"---I had the rest of the day to enjoy in a pretty darned enjoyable place.  And so I did.

When people see my paintings, I often get the question, "where do they come from?"  I know part of the question is specific location, but just as often the question speaks to inspiration, and why I think what I see will become a painting.  It would be okay to paint paintings of things I know would sell well, accepted popular subject matter.  But when I'm out and about, looking at what's around me, that's not necessarily where my camera goes.  If my husband is with me and the camera, he often asks "what on earth are you looking at with that thing?"  :)  Heck, I think we are talking about gut instinct here.  I always figure it's a gamble worth taking and sharing.

        And see, I really did photo the queen yesterday.  Specifically the Queen II, but who's counting.  I keep making jokes about painting the "Queen".  Quite possibly there have been enough paintings of the "Queen" painted to lay a road clear across the state of Iowa.             Hmmmm-----but maybe, just maybe---a cute little dog catching a drink from a paper cup, with the queen in the background-----yup, that would certainly have possibilites.  Thanks for stopping by, and have a lovely day.

Later, Cooper

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Budgets And Art

by Cooper on 6/30/2010 8:38:19 AMComment on this
Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Jefferson, Iowa,  on a fantastic June 30th.

Tomorrow I am scheduled to deliver a painting.  It's a budget thing.  I suppose there are a few people in the world, financial types, who like that word budget, but most of us would just as soon not have to think about it.  In this case, it's not my budget we're talking about, so that's good.  BUT.  Iowa went through a little spell late last year, where every single state department was ordered to cut their budget by 10%.  Now if they just hadn't overspent during the first part of the year---oh, wait--let's not go there.  It's too lovely a morning for politics.

Anyway.  I have shared with you before about the Great Lakes area of northwest Iowa, Okoboji, Spirit Lake, Arnolds Park, a delightful part of our state, to be sure.  There are two state park facilites in the immediate area of the Iowa Great Lakes, both of which include areas that can be rented by groups or individuals.  The rental money goes straight to the state's general fund.  Sounds logical, right?  State park, state general fund.  The problem becomes when it's all one way.  For upkeep of the facilites, the state kicks back a whopping $200 for the year.  What a budget.  Fortunately there are people of vision, willing to take care of the problem on their own.  And so scheduled is:

“Works of Arts for the State Parks…An Endeavor for the Endowment,” takes place at Gull Point on Sunday, August 29, 2010, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m

And a painting that will hopefully help the cause:

   Biking With A Lake View, acrylic painting on a perfect 20 x 20 inch canvas, and on it's way to Arnolds Park, Iowa tomorrow.  Have a lovely day!

Later, Cooper




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You Know You've Been At The Art Fair Too Long When....

by Cooper on 6/28/2010 7:40:28 AMComment on this
Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio on an excellent Monday morning in Jefferson, Iowa.

Today we will talk about the summer art fair.  Specifically, the Omaha Summer Art Festival.  May I share that Omaha dealt us brutal weather for Friday and Saturday?  Dios mio.  Bring on the ice cream, lemonade, popsicles, freezies, anything cold.  You see, we had heat index warnings for the first two days.  The College World Series was happening in Omaha as well---they set a record low attendance that day---we weren't alone.

But that title up there, "you know you've been at the art fair too long when..."   Despite the weather effects, we survived almost until closing time on Saturday evening.  A gentleman was looking at paintings in my exhibit, came up to say he enjoyed them.  Said, I'd like to welcome you to Omaha, I'm the mayor".  My instant reaction was "oh, really".  (and what bridge would you like to sell me?)  Fortunately, the bridge portion of that thought didn't escape my mouth, but I'm afraid the "oh, really" part did.  Where is instant rewind when you need it?  So Mayor Suttle, I do apologize for that moment---may I use the excuse of "thought processes shut down due to weather"?

This is probably a good place to remind artist-readers who exhibit at summer art fairs about the importance of taking care of yourself, especially when the weather goes the wrong direction.  I was fortunate that my husband joined me for the Omaha event.  That meant I was able to get away to that wonderful artist's breakroom on a regular basis.  Whew.

Okay, now for the rest of the story.  Sunday morning wee hours hosted a lovely little shower for the Omaha area.  The day dawned about 15 degrees cooler.  People came to the art fair by the thousands.  I sent many paintings to happy new homes.  Thank you Omaha.  Let's do it again next year.

Later, Cooper

   ---one of my favorite's that now lives in Omaha :)

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Omaha Summer Arts Festival

by Cooper on 6/24/2010 3:10:16 PMComment on this
Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Jefferson, Iowa.  We are packing today.

Tomorrow, June 25th, at 11am, begins the Omaha Summer Arts Festival.  I am exhibitor #81, in front of the library.  And lucky you, assuming you come, will be the first to see a painting that at the moment, is parked in front of a fan, hoping it's varnish will dry quickly.  Sure!

The painting is number two in a potential series.  My camera has been attracted to people walking their dogs lately.  Why is that?  We do not know.  But it's happening, and it's fun.  See?




And if you can't come on the 25th, try for the 26th or 27th.  We are there all three days, downtown, on Farnam Street.

Later, Cooper

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Art Weather

by Cooper on 6/18/2010 10:24:27 AM1 Comment
Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Jefferson, Iowa.  The rain is gently falling in Jefferson right now. 

BUT.  Let's talk about Art Weather.  My husband called from his office in Ralston, Iowa, just west of Jefferson.  "Karen, if you love your garden, you're going to go cover it quick.  Ralston is getting pounded with hail and it's headed your way"  Lovely.  I whip out of my jammies and into my play (ha) clothes.  Running through the garage I upend both recycling bins.  Too bad about the recycling all over the garage floor, but the bins are the perfect size to cover two tomato plants.  At this moment,  I  have lawn chairs parked over the basil and an eggplant.  A step stool is parked over the next spinach salad.  Five gallon buckets are upside down over two Hungarian hot wax pepper plants.  We only have one sweet pepper plant---it's hiding under an old metal pot.  And how on earth does this relate to art???

This morning harkens me back to an earlier time....   Oh, wait, it was actually just six days ago.  Hinsdale Art Festival, Hinsdale, Illinois.  Yours truely was exhibitor #140, a lovely setting in a lovely park.  I arrived early, got set up, and it all looked beautiful. 

About this same time of the morning, here come the people in charge with the bad weather report.  (Karen, if you love your garden, er, I mean, art---)  So, up goes the adrenaline level, down go the zippers on the Ezup walls.  The brunt of the storm slides to the northwest and the show continues, until  about 4pm when a policeman walks by with the same information, second verse.  Close enough to the end of the show day, this time the paintings go into the car, along with the propanels, etc.  It would be hard to have a good second day of the show without them, right?  Have I mentioned that putting an entire exhibit onto a cart and pushing it to the car parked over in the parking lot, (multiple trips) and loading it into the car is not an easy task?  For the Sunday portion of the art show, I had to repeat all of that, minus the storm warnings.  Yay for that little detail.  If you are thinking about trying on the art fair exhibitor hat, consider yourself warned, it's not as easy as it looks.  And bad weather makes it even harder. 

So it wasn't great Art Weather last weekend, but we survived, as did the art.  Oh, and garden update---the hail all got dropped west of here, my garden is happily soggy only. Now, I need to go pick up the recycling off the garage floor, resort it and get it back in the bins, collect all the other buckets and tubs and get them put away.  What we won't do for what we love, right? 

It makes me think about the class I just started, "Painting the figure" at the DesMoines art center.  The DesMoines art center is a good hour15min drive from Jefferson, probably too far to drive for an art class, and makes getting home after a pretty late event.  But what is art, if you are not always being the student, right?---working at it, always moving it forward?  And so I go.  What we won't do for what we love, huh?

Later, Cooper


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