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No Time For The Toothbrush Holder

by Cooper on 9/16/2010 10:34:07 AMComment on this

Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Jefferson, Iowa. And I have actually been here three days in a row now! You'll note that title, No Time For The Toothbrush Holder. Ha.

When I got home on Tuesday from being gone for a week, I thought about putting my toothbrush in the holder in the bathroom cabinet, but logic prevailed. My overnight bag was still on the bathroom countertop, and the thought occurred, it might as well stay there---I'll be heading out with it again in just a few days. Dios mio. So my toothbrush lives in my overnight bag even when I'm at home. So it goes.

This weekend I will be showing my paintings at the Lakeville Art Festival in Lakeville, Minnesota. (yes, that would be the south end of Minneapolis) Details can be found at http://www.lakevilleartfestival.org

Here's the interesting part of having only a three day studio week after being absent for the week prior: my paintbrush was flying. During the "absent" week, I had worked on some thumbnail sketches. Tuesday afternoon and all day yesterday, two of those thumbnail sketches decided they wanted to live on canvas, and they were giving me no alternative. My paintbrush and I were putting on the paint, and there was no time to question. Wow. I impress myself :)

Thirsty Puppy, an acrylic painting original on a perky little 12 x 12 inch canvas.

As soon as I finish writing this, it's (the painting) putting it's travelin' shoes on. My husband is headed for a tournament in Okoboji, Iowa this weekend, and we all know Okoboji is right next door to Arnolds Park, Iowa, and THAT'S where the WineBarArtGallery is, AND where this painting is headed. Hopefully husband and his brother Lee are good at delivering paintings! That way, all you people in Okoboji-land can see it up close and personal :) Thanks for stopping by.

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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Wine Bar Art Gallery, Arnolds Park, Iowa

by Cooper on 5/23/2010 7:18:50 PMComment on this

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Paid With A Brownie

by Cooper on 5/21/2010 10:52:21 AM1 Comment

Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Jefferson, Iowa, where at the moment the sky is gray. But! The weather people are telling us nice warm sunshine for the afternoon. Maybe tipping 90 degrees for the weekend. Yay!

By now, you are wondering about that title, "Paid With A Brownie", aren't you? Paid. I did. I was. Let me explain. This morning I added three extra blocks to my morning run. I know---pshaw. That's nothing. But it made me happy. And I decided to pay myself for the extra effort. A brownie. Oh wait, you don't understand, do you? These brownies were baked fresh last night. And we dumped in a whole bunch of white chocolate chips. As if a brownie isn't chocolate enough already, eh?

It's kind of like the painting I'm working on. It's of a beach cafe up at Arnolds Park, Iowa. It will hopefully finish up in time for my exhibit which opens at the WineBarArtGallery in Arnolds Park, a week (eek) from today. For some reason, maybe diligence?, I was being pretty faithful to the true setting of this cafe. It's a view from the west, looking into the open side of the cafe and through to the back where you can see the greenspace, called Preservation Plaza. It's a lovely view, but it wasn't working for this painting. So I did the unthinkable. I painted over the greenspace. It was a tough decision. We've enjoyed many a great concert on that greenspace. But it was right for the compositon of the painting. And then I decided to give myself a treat. You know, like pay myself for the tough decision. I painted the floor of the cafe red. Dang, it's almost as good as a brownie. It's good to pay yourself for the tough decision, don't you think? Especially when there's a painting involved :) Must be time to get back to work.

Later, Cooper

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A Date

by Cooper on 4/21/2010 3:26:22 PMComment on this

Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio, where we have yet another fabulous spring day happening.

And speaking of happening, we've scheduled the opening for my exhibit at the WineBar Art Gallery in Arnolds Park, Iowa. The date circled on the calendar is May 28th. I promise official invitations in the near future---that is, assuming you are one of the lucky people on my newsletter mailing list. And if you're not yet there, you should go click the link at the upper left "Cooper Studio Newsletter SignUp. It's pretty darn easy, I promise you.

When Deidre (WineBarGallery proprietor) and I talked about this exhibit last summer, she thought it would be cool to have everyday Arnolds Park on the canvases. I jokingly added, "just not the Queen". In my head, at least, it stuck---Arnolds Park, But Not The Queen. Not familiar with the Iowa Great Lakes, and wondering who on earth is the "Queen"? Well, not who, but WHAT. The Queen would be one of those double-decker excursion boats that takes groups of people out and about on Lake Okoboji. It's been on Lake Okoboji forever (that might be an exaggeration) but it absolutely is The Most Painted Boat Ever. Every artist in Iowa has painted it. That also might be an exaggeration. In fact we've already alluded to me not painting it. Wow. What if I am missing my great opportunity here, with my stubbornness at full flare? Nah. Not likely. But I do have two new paintings to show you, that will both be in the exhibit:

Lake Friends, an acrylic painting on a 30 x 30 inch canvas. And,

Helping Summer Drift By At The Lake, also an acrylic painting, this one is on one of those spiffy little 12 x 12 inch canvases.

Thanks for stopping by. Have a lovely rest of the day!

Later, Cooper

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