daily paint, November 26th, 2007

Happy Monday to you!

So this is regroup day: back to some semblance of painting; turkey casserole for dinner:); and life drawing group back on schedule. This morning I took care of the first, #2 and 3 are yet to come today.

So with the article I just wrote about daily paint versus daily painting practice, http://coopkja.blogspot.com/2007/11/sideways-look-at-daily-paint.html still looming in the background I might have discovered yet another facet that I omitted from the article:) Is it the acomplishment of 'a painting a day', practice every day, or getting back into motion after a holiday?!

At any rate, a few items were needed at the grocery store this morning. I ran over there before going to the studio, and speeding past the produce counter, I spied a pear with a quirky stem, which is pear language for "paint me". So a quick pear study, 'One Pear, Blue Bowl", 15 x 15 inches, acrylic painting on heavy gessoed paper.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cooper

daily paint, September 24, 2007, "Sleeping With Irises"

Hello,

So it's a drippy evening in Iowa. The thunder portion of the event has passed so Ollie isn't shaking anymore:)

I have a painting started at the art center studio and finished at home, to show you today. It's title is "Sleeping With Irises"


Later, Karen

daily paint, September 13, 2007

Howdy!

What I am uploading now is actually yesterday's work, mostly. A couple little splotches of blue had to go on yet this morning. So: here's a windy look at poppies.

Back to the easel I go. Later, Cooper

Daily painting, September 3, 2007

Hello and happy Monday to you!

It's a great one in northwest Iowa, sunny, warm, a nice breeze and a holiday!

I have been painting bowls full of tomatoes, in fact, I have a large canvas with that subject matter on the easel right now. I plan to have it done in time to take it to the West End Art Festival this coming weekend, September 7th, 8th, and 9th. But this morning, after Ollie and I had finished our run and I was well into my pot of coffee, one single, solitary, all-by-itself kind of tomato said 'paint me' in a loud way. So here it is, "A Sideways Look At A Roma Tomato". Actually: to-may-to, to-mah-to? I think this one is a toMAHto.

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

daily painting

Good morning!

Wow, it's summer in Iowa already. The pooch and I did not get out for our run until about 6:45 and it was already getting too warm for that nonsense.

Here's a painting for you, actually yesterday's painting. I tried to take a photo of it last night but the lighting was making the red look orange. Today it looks a bit more acurate.

Later, Cooper

A Good Book Can Take You There

Howdy all,

Well, Valley Junction was the Cooper season opener, and if the whole summer show series goes that well, I will be one happy camper. Now, I have no choice but to be a daily painter, sheesh, and I was wondering how I was going to deal with no room in my studio. Please note I have uploaded a new pic for your viewing pleasure, lovely to look at, eh? but already sold.

Later, Cooper

"Primary Fluff" and "Art Sail"

Yo,

So we got rained on in Iowa last night, big time. Ollie's outdoor doggie dish was full which is the meteorologist equivalent of about 4 inches, give or take a smidgen. I was told we also had a light show, plus some electrically induced percussion, none of which managed to wake me up.

I have another show to put on my summer calendar. "Art Sail" is July 28th in Clear Lake, Iowa, a one day show in a beautiful park on the shore of an equally beautiful lake. If you are in the neighborhood, do drop by. Clear Lake also has a stunning new art center, which I wrote about earlier. Their address is www.clartcenter.com. I will suggest that their website needs to be more patron friendly, but their new gallery space is definitely worth a visit.

Today for your viewing pleasure, "a painting a day". Yep, that means I accomplished it all today! I will confess that I failed to paint yesterday (big soccer tournament road trip) but I have been faithfully making "paint daubs and splodges" all the other days of this week. I have another "book reader" done, but not photographed. I will get to that eventually. Time to upload!

Later, KC

a painting a day

Hey,
We are calling this one a color sketch, because I am thinking it needs to be on a canvas and developed a little more.---Like can I paint it again, bigger, and still make it feel like a good place to be? We shall see, but for today, we are calling it THE painting of the day. (and yes, I know it's a little blurry on the photography, but it's late, and so are my eyes---blurry, that is)

specs: acrylic on paper, about 14 inches square

Later, Karen

A painting a day

Howdy all,

Yes, I have been a slacker this week. But today I did the "Wet Canvas" WDE (weekly drawing event) which resulted in a painting, kind of. Acrylic on paper, 15 inches square. The challenge was a photo of beautiful yellow coneflowers, brilliant yellow, in fact. By the time I realized the paint was approaching the 1/4th inch think point, I realized the sky had gone from lovely summer blue to slightly stormy murk. We'll see what the morning light says about it!

Later, KC

Karen Cooper survives Iowa blizzard

Huh? Ok, I was just trying to get your attention. So we didn't get nearly as much snow as the weather guys promised---maybe 6 or 7 inches. Lindsey and Chris had lots of ice, no electricity, and hopefully no roof damage. They had to cut tree branches to get them off their roof. Ouch.

So today I played Sunday afternoon painter. I finished a still life that has a jar of red cherry sour ball candy in it. I finished it minus the candy, as Brent had polished it off earlier. I guess that will teach me to move a little faster.

Later, Karen

"Shades of Red"

Hello!

Happy February 17th to you! I just uploaded my first painting to my new blogspace. It's called "One Red Zinnia". This painting and one other, "Still Life Page From A Favorite Book" are headed to the "Shades Of Red" exhibit at "Arts On Grand" next Monday. "Arts On Grand" is a gallery space in Spencer, Iowa. The exhibit will be on display from February 21 thru March 24, with a gallery reception on February 22 from 5:00pm-6:30pm. If you're in the neighborhood, do stop in!

Later, Karen