Photograph of Artist KAREN COOPER
KAREN COOPER
Grinnell, Iowa - United States



Original Artworks (3)

Karen Cooper; A Coaster And A Ferris Wheel, 2023, Original Painting Oil, 16 x 12 inches. Artwork description: 241 plein air oil painting on panel...
Karen Cooper
Original Oil Painting, 2023
16 x 12 inches (40.6 x 30.5 cm)
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Karen Cooper; A Queen, 2023, Original Painting Oil, 12 x 12 inches. Artwork description: 241 plein air oil painting on panel...
Karen Cooper
Original Oil Painting, 2023
12 x 12 inches (30.5 x 30.5 cm)
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Karen Cooper; Roscoe In Yellow, 2022, Original Painting Oil, 16 x 12 inches. Artwork description: 241 plein air oil on panel...
Karen Cooper
Original Oil Painting, 2022
16 x 12 inches (40.6 x 30.5 cm)
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Artist Statement


Karen Cooper
httpwww.karencooperpaintings.com
karencooper@karencooperpaintings.com

My current work is a free-form play in usage of the phrase “visual communication”.
People say they enjoy people watching as a leisure activity.
I do it with intensity. And then I paint it.
My goal in my work is to awaken in viewers the ability to visually recognize the commonalities shared with people around them, so to encourage feeling part of a larger whole, to belong.
The current work is oil on canvas, a few are acrylic on canvas.
All are focused on people and their daily routines, and the thought-provoking images they make.
It’s the simple stuff that we all do, but when you attach it to a person, it communicates something of each one of us, to the other of us. And then there occurs that magic moment in which a story appears.
I like the quote attributed to Matisse
“I do not literally paint that table, but the emotion it produces upon me.”
And what is a painting, if not for that magic moment that the artist wants, and needs, to share



CV - Karen Cooper

Karen Cooper
karencooper@karencooperpaintings.com
httpkarencooperpaintings.com

born Nebraska
currently living and working in Lipetsk, Russia – thru 12 20 2017
USA address, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
+7 960 145 5274 while in Russia
712 346 8347 while in USA
1 319 329 1598 Iowa rep

Education
-University of Nebraska
-recent workshops Kim English, Marc Hanson
-ongoing study with Anna Kushnareva

Prior gallery representation
2010-2014
Dundee Gallery, Omaha, Nebraska, Jean Imray, owner, gallery closed
2008-2014
Wine Bar Art Gallery, Okoboji, Iowa, Deidre Rosenboom owner, gallery sold. deidre.rosenboom@me.com
2017
QuadCityArtCenter, in Rock Island, Illinois, guest exhibit, February 8th - March 24th, 2017, Director, Dawn Wohlford Metallo. DWMetallo@quadcityarts.com

Recent exhibits
2017
-Two person show, QuadCityArts Center, Rock Island, Illinois
February 8th - March 24th, 2017
2016
- Creatures Great And Small, juried exhibit, OTLAG Gallery, Dubuque, Iowa. Two paintings accepted into exhibit.
-GALEX 2016, juried exhibit, Galesburg Civic Arts Center, Galesburg, Illinois. One painting accepted into exhibit.
2015
-Everybody Dance, group exhibit, a collaboration of Quad City Arts, with Ballet Quad Cities
-Art EMC 2015, juried selection for permanent collection. Painting purchased and installed in EMC Insurance corporate gallery.
-group exhibit, charcoal pencil portraits from life drawing group participants, Lipetsk, Russia
-Women’s Work 2015, juried exhibit, Old Courthouse Art Gallery, Woodstock, Illinois. Painting exhibited sold.
2014
-Solo show, Greene Bean Coffee, Jefferson, Iowa
2013
-Three person show, Urbandale Library Gallery space, Urbandale, Iowa
2012
-Living Relaxed, a solo showing of 36 paintings at the gallery space of Iowa State Memorial Union, Ames, Iowa
-Solo show, All Ability Cycles, Jefferson, Iowa
2011
-Figurative, a six-person show, Deerpath Art League, Lake Forest, Illinois
-Octagon Juried Exhibit, Octagon Arts Center, Ames, Iowa, one painting juried into exhibit
-Galex 45, Galesburg Civic Art Center, Galesburg, Illinois, juried art competition, one painting selected for exhibit
2010
-Best Of Show, Linn Creek Arts Festival, Marshalltown, Iowa
-Solo show, Wine Bar Art Gallery, Arnolds Park, Iowa
-Solo show, Clear Lake Art Center, Clear Lake, Iowa
-Galex 44, Galesburg Civic Art Center, Galesburg, Illinois, juried art competition, two paintings selected for exhibit
2009
-Solo show, State of Iowa Library, Des Moines, Iowa
2008
-Wanda Skogerboe Exhibit, Pearson Lakes Art Center, Okoboji, Iowa, one painting selected for exhibit
-Featured artist “The Daily Palette”, University of Iowa
-Go Figure, Three person show, Pearson Lakes Art Center, Okoboji, Iowa
2007
-Solo show, Sanford Art Gallery, Cherokee, Iowa
-Wanda Skogerboe Exhibit, Pearson Lakes Art Center, Okoboji, Iowa, two paintings selected for exhibit
2006
-Four Person Show, Deer Path Gallery, Lake Forest, Illinois
2005
-Maestros and Masterpieces Exhibit, Quad City Art Center, Rock Island, Illinois

Scheduled exhibits
2017
-Solo exhibit, Octagon Art Center, Ames, Iowa, August 17th – September 30th, 2017

Collections
Works held in private, corporate and charitable collections in Canada, England, and the United States including
-EMC Insurance, Des Moines, Iowa
-Methodist Women’s Hospital, Omaha, Nebraska
-Spencer Hope Church, Spencer, Iowa
-Camp Foster YMCA, Okoboji, Iowa

Writing
httpkarencooperpaintings.comblog












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