daily painting

Good Morning,



I have the daily painting photographed for you, a bit of a struggle as Mr. Camera wants to put the green in stronger than actual. In the painting, the greens are a warm grey, if that makes any sense! I would love to promise you that I will work on the photo a bit in my editing program to get it to match the painting more closely, but that's down my list a ways!



Later, Cooper

Luke 15

Hello!

Happy Thursday to you! On Sunday I wrote that I would upload the image of my latest commission painting for you---sheesh---here it is Thursday already! This painting was commissioned by my pastor. For those of you not fresh on the Luke 15 story, it's where of a whole 100 sheep, one gets lost and the shepherd goes out to find and bring it back. The contention is that way too many people concentrate on the lost sheep being found and they miss the part where when the shepherd gets back home, he calls all his friends in for a party to celebrate finding the lost sheep. Emphasis PARTY. Our God likes fun too! The painting itself is a little silly, but what other avenue is available when you've got this goofy, dumb sheep front and center??

Coming up: today's daily painting got painted, but not photographed, so I guess we'll call it for tomorrow. On the easel:

1. "Higher Education" (must be because my first born told me about his fall classes, my second born just started work on her doctorate, my third born is celebrating this as her first fall since 1989 to be school free, and my fourth born, well, yeah, I need to finish this so I can go check and make sure his homework is done!)

2. More tomatoes! No title as yet, but let me tell you: they ARE ripe!

Later, Cooper

artimmersion, eh?

Happy Monday to you!

I just read an article that somebody needs to comment on, I guess it might as well be me. I found the article at an online 'tutorial' called artimmersion. I happened to be reading the section on acrylic painting.
Down towards the end of the article it talks about a disadvantage of acrylic paint is it's tendacy to crack----WHEN the paint is applied to a canvas that has been primed with HOUSEHOLD LATEX PAINT and the painting is then stored ROLLED UP! Let's see: just how much more abusive can we get with art materials and still expect them to perform? I wonder how would water colors perform under those conditions? And what about oil paints, let's just slap some of those onto a canvas primed with household latex paint and see what happens. Don't most of us agree there is a reason the stuff is called HOUSEHOLD latex paint?
I would love to know who authored that lovely little article, but of course, they didn't leave any contact or comment space. Moral of the story: Get your story straight before you put it in print folks. Whew, I've vented, now I can go paint. Acrylics, of course. Have a great day!

Cooper

art in the park, Arnolds Park

Hello,

Yesterday was Arnolds Park "Art In the Park", the very first art fair I have EVER exhibited at that had been postponed because of weather. All hardy artists know that art shows are rain or shine!---but what do you do when there's the equivalent of a river running across your space--and we're not talking a narrow little stream here either. Postponing was the only choice. Actually there was one other choice, which was to cancel. That choice would have taken a great day from us. About 50 of the 80 scheduled artists made it for the new weekend, and we had a good day. The reschedule meant we were at the park the same weekend as 'blues fest' which was a really good combination--very enjoyable. Possibly we didn't have quite as much crowd as usual, but the ones who came took paintings home with them. Yea! Tommorrow I will upload the latest comission painting for you--it's a winner!

Later, Cooper

Artists and art show questions

Hey,

Yes, I'm back, it's still Thursday, and I've a question for artists who exhibit at art fairs. Think back to any show you've exhibited at this summer. It's about an hour before the show starts for the second day, everythings ready except for the patrons. What's an artist to do?? Answer: stand around, drink your coffee, and visit with your neighbors. And what do you visit about?? Art shows of course. But you never manage to get everything discussed in that brief hour.

Now it's time to start thinking about where you are going to show at next summer, and you're kicking yourself for not asking somebody about that other show. Do I give it a try or not? Like does anybody know anything about MPTV/Channel 10 Holiday Art Fair? Or what about Hidden River Art Festival? I can tell you about a little show called Valley Junction Art Market in West Des Moines, that's not too shabby most years. I think there are worthy art fairs out there that don't all necessarily have the name Cherry Creek or St Louis, but we need to share our notes to build up the good ones as well as weed out (by not going to) the bad ones.

Ok, time to go paint!

Later, Cooper

daily painting: Rudbeckia

Howdy!

Yesterday we had a very brief lull in our midwest monsoon. Poor Ollie, who is scared of lightning and expecially thunder (but won't admit it) was desperate to get out. So we put walking shoes on me and a leash on Ollie and headed towards the hospital campus to see how the new park is progressing. Answer: muddy and slower.

At any rate, we spyed some really stunning Rudbeckia, some people say coneflower. Even with the excuse of being an artist needing "models", it's hard to justify a five-finger-discount from a hospital flowerbed, so I resorted to the trusty camera. The result is a color sketch painting on heavy paper, the kind where I try to keep my time involvement minimal. I worked on it last night, and still thought it needed more TLC today. But it's signed now and ready to upload.

Later, Cooper

daily painting, with thunder and lightning

Hello from the middle of monsoon season in northwest Iowa!

Oh yeah, that's right, we don't have monsoon season in Iowa, it just feels like it! But you have to admit, 6 inches in 3 days is quite a bit. I know it's not nearly as much as some people have gotten, but I think about all that time I spent watering the garden and lawn during July and early August and I feel slightly ridiculous. But yes, the lawn is green, and we are enjoying great vegetables! Which leads me to the next item:

Today's painting. No, the aforementioned commissioned painting is not quite done, but it's close, and I needed a break from it, so today we had this bowl full of tomatoes sitting on the kitchen counter just screaming to be painted, and here it is. "Large Blue Bowl Of Excessively Ripe Tomatoes"

Also, Arts In The Park At Arnolds Park, will be on for this Saturday, August 25th. The weather guys are promising sunshine for the weekend, so we'll have visual artists on one half of the park and musical artists (blues fest) on the other half of the park. What a deal! See you there!

Later, Karen

Happy Sunday to you!

Yesterday was a first---an art show postponed because of rain. But we should be more specific, about SIX INCHES of rain. Yeah, at 8am several of the places artists were supposed to have for booths had a little river running over them. The director said in all her years she'd never done this, but really, there was no choice. There's talk of everybody coming back this next weekend, August 25th, I'll keep you informed on that. The bonus would be a blues fest going on in the park at the same time, I believe they've got four groups coming in for the afternoon-evening.

Later, Cooper

ps. the commission piece that has been absorbing my time is nearing completion!

daily painting: I Grow Great Vegetables

Good Morning!

And happy August 14th to you! Spencer environs equate to a steam bath this morning. I was out at 6:25 with Ollie for our run, but it was futile, we ended up walking most of it. To run was like running underwater, a bazillion percent humidity does not allow for much good oxygen to the lungs! If I was sweating just as bad from walking fast as I normally do running, and we went our normal distance, does that mean I got just as good a workout? We'll ponder that one later.

For now, I have two paintings to show you. They are both daily paintings from late last week. (before my camera went to the motocross at Milville!) This week's daily painting has been confined to a commission----that means: eeeeeeeeK! The deadline approacheth!

Both paintings are acrylic on heavy paper. They are 15 x 15 inches, and I will put them on my webpage as well. http://karencooperpaintings.com/ Enjoy!

Later, Cooper

Sunday news

Hello,

So we have a nice humid Sunday afternoon in Spencer, Iowa---so much nicer than blowing snow at 22 degrees!

My camera, which is needed to scan those latest daily paintings is (ahem) out of town at a motocross event in Minnesota, of all things, so images will go on hold until probably Tuesday. How about an update of art shows instead?

This Saturday, August 18th, is the Arnolds Park/Okoboji Art In The Park, held at Preservation Plaza, also known as the Arnolds Park greenspace. I will be in booth #60, do stop by!

September 8th and 9th will find me at La Grange, Illinois at the West End Art Festival, held on Burlington Ave between Brainard and Wailol streets. (There will be a Friday night preview, September 7th from 7-9)

The very next weekend, September 16th, is the Valley Junction Fall Art Market, in West Des Moines on 5th Street. I will be there, hope you can be too!

That's all for outdoor art this year, but there are a few indoor events on my schedule for 2007 as well. Among them A.R.T. (Northwest Iowa Artisans Road Trip), Two Rivers Art Fair, in Des Moines the first weekend in November, and possibly a Madison Wisconsin event and a U of Iowa event in December. Those updates will follow one of these days!

Later, Cooper

Daily painting and then some

Howdy All!

What a lovely day in Northwest Iowa! It's beautiful sunshine, and we've recently had some rain. Yeah, yeah, you all know what that means on the humidity-oscope but I stand firm on the conviction that summer is a wonderful time of year.

And yes, as a matter of fact, I am smearing around lots of paint. One commission project in the works, just now to the color sketch stage, but I've done enough on that to have it pretty much locked into my thought processes. The last commission of brown (er, multi-colored-subdued) athletes kind of prepped me for this one. There will again be lots of figures, a couple of them musicians, and a lamb. Yep, you heard right----and I'm having fun with it---I have no color restrictions this time---Yea!


As for the daily paintings to post, yes, the commissioned pieces are infringing on their time, but I did manage to squeeze in two new ones. Both are from the library book stage I seem to be in! They are color sketches on heavy paper, each 15 x 15 inches square. I will also upload them to my webpage where that handy little "buy now" button is ready at your command.

http://karencooperpaintings.com/

Later, Cooper

Ok, here comes a confession, I seem to have screwed up the photo on the second painting. Let me get back to you on that one!

Daily Painting (er, whining)

Hello,

This week brought an interesting change of circumstances. I am on jury duty and I do NOT mean jurying art for a lovely art show. I mean go to the courthouse and listen to people talk. And talk. And talk. I find that it leaves me with an overwhelming sense of nonaccomplishment. Whining time is now over.

I was at Clear Lake Art Sail this past Saturday. Wayne went with me, and we had a great time. We sold several paintings that I was pleased with! I always enjoy when a patron comes by that feels about a painting just as I do.

I have a painting for you to see. It's currently available at Arts On Grand. (Their contact info is linked at the side of this page) Give them a call if you love it!

Later, Cooper