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Greetings,

 

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Jefferson, Iowa.

 

This is just a quick message for all you readers in eastern Iowa and western Illinois, because, Thieves Art Market, an Iowa City tradition is coming right up.

 

The 2011 Holiday Thieves' Art Market will take place December 3-4 in the Main Lounge of the Iowa Memorial Union from 10 am-5 pm on Saturday and from 10 am-4 pm on Sunday.

 

There will be a fair number of Cooper paintings on display for you to enjoy.  So, please come, and do.

 

And for readers everywhere, I am planning the next Cooper studio newsletter.  If you have not yet signed up to receive that, there is a quick click at the left menu bar to do so.  And please note, we call it the quarterly newsletter, but it often turns out to be a maybe three times a year.  You are hereby informed.  :)

 

Thanks for stopping by.

 

Later, Cooper

 

 

Greetings,

 

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Jefferson, Iowa, where I just looked at my calendar.  Dios mio.

 

It says November 1.  How did that happen so quick?  Now I suppose we have to start saying things like just two more exhibits left this year!  And so it would be:  two more exhibits left this year.  And for inquiring minds who need to know, as follows: 

 

Art On The Prairie in Perry, Iowa

 

November 12th  10AM-6PM

November 13th 10AM-4PM

 

and you will find me in the Towncraft building this year--just east of the Hotel Pattee.  It shouldn't be hard--the finding part.  The maps say I will be practically right in the front window of the Towncraft building...

 

And then finally a December outing:  Of course we are talking about:

 

Thieves Art Market in Iowa City, Iowa

 

December 3rd  10AM-5PM

December 4th  10AM-4PM 

 

Thieves Art Market is always held in the Iowa Memorial Union on campus at the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa

 

And there, folks, we have it.  Just two more exhibits of Cooper paintings this year.  Hope to see you there!

 

Later, Cooper

Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Jefferson, Iowa.  Have I mentioned winter arrived in our town recently?  And it blew into town in Iowa City, Iowa as well.  I mumbled under my breath about it as I loaded up "the exhibit" from Thieves Art Market last night, and the wind and snow swirled around me.  I should mention here the topic of discussion today is speedometers, but it might take us a moment or two to arrive at "the moral of the story".  Feel free to run grab another cup of coffee before you continue reading.  (but you should finish reading once you get the coffee)

This year's Thieves Art Market will probably require a place in the history books.  It's never an ordinary event, but this episode tried to top the charts.  Thieves Art Market is held in the Iowa Memorial Union, on campus at UniversityOfIowa.  Attached to the Union is the IowaHouseHotel, providing respite to weary travelers on campus, as well as not just a few artists exhibiting at ThievesMarket.  With the weather as it was (winter) it absolutely was nice to walk from a warm hotel room down a flight of stairs to open up an art exhibit for the day.  None of that crazy winter weather for me! 

Oh wait.  Did I mention that shortly after our 10AM open, the fire alarms went off?  Leave the building.  Now.  We artists, being free lancers, of course, determined that standing just inside the door, we could avoid the weather (winter) lurking outside, and still be free to run for it, should the fire turn out to be real.  That lasted about 73 seconds.  The person in charge said Nope.  Out, and Now.  We huddled on the stairs, and hoped for a hasty re-entry.  Again, the voice of TheOneInCharge:  off the stairs, and across the street you go!  Aaargh.  All we want to do is sell a painting.

Ok.  You are right.  I am really drawing this out too much.  Time for a quick ending to that scene.  This fire was minor.  Very minor.  The fire truck guys didn't even unload their hoses.  And the happy ending?  The sprinklers didn't go off.  My paintings stayed dry.  Gee, I love when that happens.

Now you are wondering what on earth all that had to do with the title of this post, Speedometers, right?  From Iowa City, Iowa back to Jefferson, Iowa, is just a bit longer than a three hour drive.  Weather (winter!) was still tightening its grip on the Midwest as I drove.  The wind was howling through the winter darkness and the little bit of snow in the air was whipping around the car in a way that can only be described as eerie.  I was about 40 minutes southeast of Jefferson when it happened. 

The cruise control was set at 67.5 mph, and somehow the little speedometer needle started to move up.  Huh?  I'm not even touching the accelerator.  Am I having a "Prius moment" here?  Music that could only accompany a good science fiction movie started playing through my head.  My speedometer now reads 87, and I decide it must be a good time to brake.  Hmm. 93mph.  Wow.  What would my state trooper son-in-law have to say to me? 

Is there a word "surreality"?  Or do I have to work the word surrealism in here somehow? 
Remember: 
>the wind is howling
>the snow is whipping
 >the music from Jaws is playing in my head,
>and my speedometer now reads 101mph.  And it's only got 115 as a top end.  What happens then?  Time travel?

Righhhhhhhhhht.  So as I pull my car to the side of the road to re-assess, the speedometer needle makes one final blmpk and lands pointing straight down.  In a Chevy Venture that means it's now pointing at the window showing gear selection, specifically, D-for-drive.  So I did.  I should probably remember to call my favorite mechanic today and schedule an appointment.   I  think I need a new speedometer gizmo.

So, speedometers.  They are kind of like guide posts, right?  But you have to be able to assess if they are functioning correctly to decide if they can really help you.  And fire alarms, you have to take their counsel into consideration, surely, but not every fire alarm shouting "the end is near", is true and correct.  And art fairs, you put your paintings out there for people to see.  It's for advancing your career, right?  Some people love the paintings.  Some people roll their eyes and wonder "what on earth-------?". 

I am convinced that an artist needs to take into counsel the people that love the paintings, AND those that don't.  Their comments both aid in solidifying your vision, your sense of direction.  Then you are ready and able to paint what is right for you the artist.  Paint on happy artists, paint on. 

Oh, and even artists should remember that every now and then, speedometers and fire alarms dispense useful information too.  Thanks for stopping by.

Later, Cooper

 

Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Jefferson, Iowa.  So I just gave this blog post a title, and now I'm wondering if it's politically incorrect.  OhWell.  My thoughts and they are true.

Have I mentioned my husband and I are not shoppers?  Last week as more and more stores advertised "open on Thanksgiving" we cringed.  Cringed for the people in retail who were required to spend their holiday as NOholiday.  Cringed bigtime for the shopaholics who spent their holiday at the mall.  What kind of a holiday was that, and just how much thanks did they give, anyway?

And may I rant on just a little more?  A local DesMoines (Iowa) television station gave air time to the people who camped outside a shopping mall just so they could be one of the first of the 37 thousand in the door.  Don't understand.  Not going to go there.  And may I suggest an alternative?  Didn't see that one coming, eh?

This weekend, December 4th and 5th, the UniversityOfIowa fine arts council sponsors an event at the Iowa Memorial Union in IowaCity, Iowa, called Thieves Art Market.  We don't know where the name came from, but I can promise you it's all on-the-up-and-up. 

If you crave:
>camping out on frozen concrete so you might be the first one in the door
>stampeding crowds fighting over who gets one of 3 come-on sale items
>non-existent sales staff
>or if you luck out and find one---sales staff really not interested in helping you, and probably don't know how even if they are
>mauled over merchandise
>surely by now you get the idea?

IF you crave any of the above, then you won't like Thieves Art Market.  So don't come.

Later, Cooper

Oh, maybe I should mention:  if you love a laid back atmosphere, where you can look at unique interesting things, and have the people who created them tell you why, then you are a Thieves Art Market kind of person, and you should come.  10AM to 5PM each day.  I have a painting I'd love to show you.  :)

 

Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Jefferson, Iowa.

This greeting is being sent out to art lovers everywhere, but especially those in Iowa.  And more specifically, those within friendly driving distances of IowaCity, Iowa.

Thieves Market, the last big art event of the year on my calendar, is on the horizon and coming at us fast.  Thieves Market is sponsored by the FineArtsCouncil of the University of Iowa.  It's held annually in the Iowa Memorial Union, right on campus.  This year's dates are December 4th and 5th, 10AM to 5PM each day.

  and of course this biker person was seen in IowaCity last June:  Arriving, an acrylic painting on canvas, measuring a bountiful 40 x 40 inches.  In my portfolio, certainly.

To those of you already on my IowaCity list, of course I will be sending those pretty little post cards, that I know you love and treasure!  For those of you not in that esteemed place, either go to the left column of this website and click on the newsletter subscription link, or just plain old copy this and bring it in with you. 

All of the tricks mentioned in the paragraph above will put you in the desired position of receiving 10% off a painting purchased at Thieves Market.  (Have I mentioned I love IowaCity?!)

Okay already.  I know there are some of you BEYOND those "friendly driving distances" from IowaCity.  And you've been loyal fans of this artist this year, so THANK YOU.  Thank you so very much.

Send me a quick note that goes something like this:

     Hey, Karen, I saw on your blog post that the people in IowaCity get 10% off their painting during that first weekend in December.  I live so far away, but can I still get in on that somehow?  I saw this painting on your website that I really love...

We can work that out as well.  Because  I really do appreciate your interest in my work. 

Thank you for stopping by.

Later, Karen

 

Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio.  I am here, post-blog-vacation, to let you know that I survived the most recent, albeit self-imposed, whirlwind.

The finale of the art show season is almost always the University of Iowa Thieves Art Market.  This year was not an exception.  I had a painting that needed to be done.......  You get the picture.

But!  It was so very worth it.  A wealth of patrons with lovely complementary words, as well as patrons with Visa cards.  Who could ask for a better season end?  Thank you Iowa Cityians, one and all.

As for the painting that caused me to be AWOL from writing here, you ask?  It's varnish dried just in time for it to make the trip to Iowa City, AND it found a family in Iowa City as well!  I love when that happens.

The bad news is the good camera was at college on the only possible afternoon for a photo-shoot.  We tried with the handy little HP, but results are minimal.  Bear with me, I'll post what little of the painting we captured, so you can at least get an idea of what I was working on so studiously:
 
  Curb Side Parking, an acrylic painting on canvas, measuring an ample 36 x 42 inches.  The main part of the image the HP messed up was of course, the value structure.  The shadowed area of the porch is really significantly darker with more violet.  The sidewalk area in the real painting is much lighter, and kind of salmon colored.  So I enlist you to use your imagination in that department.  And no worries anyway, it's new owners seem quite pleased :)  After all, they have the original!

Later, Cooper