Blog

15 Nov Novembers Blog

One of my favorite artists to watch and hear is Louise Fletcher from the UK.  Her most recent newsletter so perfectly expressed what so many of us are feeling that I am going to share with you some of her wisdom.  Part of her writing includes:

“It’s been a heavy time lately.  It’s hard to ignore the weight of what’s happening in various parts of the world, and even if we’re not all directly affected, we feel the tension in the air.  We worry for those who are impacted.  Sometimes, we catch ourselves sinking into it, watching the news with a mix of anger, worry, and a sense of helplessness.  I want to remind you of something crucial:  we have a job to do.  This is precisely when the world needs us the most.

When things get tough, artists have a unique role to play.  We are here to shine a light; to tell stories that comfort, challenge and inspire.  Our voices, expressed through art, music, dance writing and all forms of creative expression are more than just our own, they are mirrors that reflect the human spirit back to those who may need it the most.  Art has always been a force for change, resilience, and unity … even during history’s darkest moments.During difficult times, people need reminders of beauty, resilience and the simple truth that we are all in this together.”  Thank you,         Louise Fletcher!

Yes, we are in this together, and we will not only survive, we will thrive.  With the help of Art … the truth-seeking heart-felt Art, we create from our soul … including light and beauty!

I’d like to think my painting, “Found Object”, reflects beauty and a little light on a tiny member of our world that represents us so well.  The dragonfly is an adaptable creature beyond all others:  it hatches underwater, surfaces, spreads its wings on land and becomes a master of the sky with dexterity unmatched by any other!  Its ability to transform and adapt to its changing environment makes it a supreme survivor … just like us!

I am very appreciative that “Found Object” won Best of Show in our regional exhibition at the Lake Superior Art Association (on display through November), in the Deo Gallery at the Marquette Peter White Library in Marquette, Michigan.

The inspiration and title for “Found Object” came from a dead dragonfly I found and then taped to my studio wall.  Starting with gestural and detailed drawing, I exaggerated it and painted … so much fun!  Kathleen

15 Oct On the Road Again!

Since last Blogging, I have taught two workshops and painted on the beach … great fun, all of it!  The workshops in both Houston, TX (for WAS-H) and Springfield, IL (Sagamon Watercolor Society) were wonderful!  Artists are fun, hard-working, and caring people who love what I love – Art!  Being with them and sharing Art is the BEST.  In fact, it just doesn’t get much better than that.  Lucky, lucky us!  (Sadly, we were so engrossed in our painting that we forgot to take any pictures!).

Painting with the beach in water colors!

Then there was “painting the beach”.  Being an “experimental” artist I’m always watching for another tool or technique to explore.  The beach was there, a few beach weeds, twigs and leaves washed up, and opportunity could not be turned away.  I had a blast painting with the beach!  Not until I finished and looked at the photos my friend took, did I realize I was not painting alone:  there beside me all along was my muse, Old Crow!

Enjoy the last of our warm summer days, my friends!  Kathleen

16 Sep Feeling Lucky!

For most of us career-artists, at some point we realize that we don’t/didn’t choose Art.  It chose us.  At this stage in my life I feel like one of the very lucky souls that has been given the gift of “being chosen”.  Not the gift of “easy” but still Lucky, Blessed, Grateful and so happy to be able to keep working!

This week’s work took my artist-friend, Diana and I,  to her family camp.  A very special place in the wilds of Michigan’s upper peninsula (da’ U.P.), the Yellow Dog Plains and conservation preserve.  We had a marvelous day of hiking, painting, and learning about this very special and environmentally important preserve of old timber, bogs, meadows and water shed area.  Here is a picture of our view.

At the end of that already perfect day I received word that my painting, “Meet me at the Market”, had won the Holbein award at the National Watercolor Society’s (NWS) 104th International Exhibition!  Doubly thrilled because it’s so hard just to get into that highly competitive exhibition (I have the “rejection slips” to prove it), but then to win a top award!  Lucky?  Yes! Grateful? Absolutely!

Beauty is everywhere.  Sometimes it’s in front of our face and other times, we have to go hunting for it.  Take a hike somewhere in nature and it will be there waiting for you.       Happy Autumn!  Kathleen

15 Jul Mastrius Mentorship Program

MENTORSHIP PROGRAM STARTING SOON

I’m throwing my “hat in the ring” (brushes in the paint?) with MASTRIUS.COM, a highly organized venue for mentoring that gives amazing support to artists and instructors alike with emphasis on maximum flexibility for artists to study with different instructors.  You choose your small (3-8 artists) group to facilitate personal artistic growth, networking with like-minded artists, marketing skills and building an online community of creatives.  I’d love to have you, my friends, be in my first class starting August 6.  Check it out on: https://www.mastrius.com/kathleen-coover-mentorship/

Across from the large water falls at Lake Tahoe was a small run off flowing over stair steps of rock on its way to Lake Tahoe.

NEW PAINTINGS!

Once again, I had a lovely invitation to join 10 other artists to paint on location at Lake Tahoe.  We lucked out with perfect weather, companionship and creative energy to try and capture the grandeur of this beautiful place.  There’s nothing better than painting with art-ful friends.  So grateful!      I painted this piece called “Eagle Falls” while there.  You can find a series of new paintings from this trip in my Hot off the Easel  gallery series.  You can find it here.

MEET AT THE MARKET

The National Watercolor Society (NWS), one of our premier water media organizations, has accepted my new work, “Meet me at the Market”, for their annual 2024 exhibition.  I’m honored and thrilled (and always hopeful for a nod from the awards judge later this year).

Enjoy your summer, my friends.  Kathleen

15 Jun Gifts

“The meaning of life is to find your gift.  The purpose of life is to give it away.”  Pablo Picasso

I love this quote.  It applies to all walks of life.  I was told years ago that my love of Art is the gift I was given.  To teach is the gift I give back.  I like that.  It gives me comfort to think that I am doing exactly what I am “supposed” to be doing.  Meeting and being with people I love in this “business”, and having fun along the way is truly a bonus gift!

Attending the annual awards dinner and reception for the Transparent Watercolor Society of America (TWSA) in Kenosha, WI was a hi-light this month, and it was so much fun!  I was there to applaud the wonderful artists who carry on the tradition of totally transparent watercolor, our historic roots to my main medium of experimental water media.  This wonderful exhibition will be on view at the Kenosha Public Museum until August 4, 2024.

      Every place is an opportunity to paint! 

Back home in my garden in Marquette,  my favorite poppies have bloomed their short, vibrant lives, then gone again for another year.  An unexpected gift was that some wild ones even bloomed by my telephone pole!  So what’s an artist to do when she’s prematurely mourning their leaving?  Paint them!  Happy and colorful summer to all!   with hugs, Kathleen

15 May Tribute and Making Memories

The first time I saw the collage work of Carrie Burns Brown I was fascinated by the richness of color, depth of texture, and fresh, exciting compositions.  It was so very entertaining!  Carrie passed away in April but will always be one of my creative heroes.  Not only an excellent artist, such a “fun, fun” person to be with, but she was a stellar teacher.  I was inspired and taught by the best.  I carry the baton forward every time I get the opportunity to teach collage, by sharing the Carrie Burns-Brown paper-painting and embellishing start to each class.  Thank you, dear Carrie.

Also in April, the paint was flying while 10 artists painted roadside poles in the small, Florida community of Matlacha.  This is one of several communities devastated by Hurricane Ian and some colorful “frills” along side the continued clean up and infrastructure-construction was a fun community project.

Back in Michigan now, my dear friend and web manager for decades, Carol Fitzgerald, and I had the rare opportunity to spend some FUN time together.  Here’s a blast of color from a perfect day at the Holland, Michigan Tulip Festival.  Happy spring to all!!  Kathleen

15 Apr Teaching my Workshops!

I LOVE the people I meet and work with in the Arts!  I had the pleasure of being an instructor at Kanuga Watermedia Workshops, in Montreat, North Carolina again this year.  And it was Wonderful!!  Old friends and new friends all connected under the creative, encouraging, growing umbrella of our watermedia world.  The arts can truly unite and we need that now more than ever.

This might be my shortest blog ever because I’m pretty consumed this time of year with getting ready to head back north to home #1 in Marquette, Michigan.  I’ll leave you with a final but good quote by Mary Oliver, “Instructions for living a life:  Pay attention.  Be astonished.  Tell about it.”  My version is: “Pay attention, be astonished and paint it!”

Creatively yours, Kathleen

15 Mar Thank yous and Good News!

Thank you to many of you for the very positive responses and sales from the latest newsletter!

The biggest Thank You goes to my web manager, Carol Fitzgerald, who does a fabulous job keeping my whole website updated and keeping the lovely newsletters coming and keeping me on task (not easy).  I think we’re going on 35 years now, from the beginning when she took classes to learn the complicated HTML language.  She’s amazing and I really could not do it all without her! (she is having a hard time writing this and feeling very puffed up … is it really 35 years!)

This month’s painting image is Contemplating Flight, a 22″ x 30″ watercolor.  This is a very recent painting which was accepted in the International Watercolor Exhibition (IWE) by the Watercolor Art Society of Houston (WASJ-H), TX, and won the lovely ET Kraycirik Memorial Award.  Then it sold before the exhibit even opened…doubly lovely!

The magazine publication business is interesting.  Golden Peak Media (GPM) is the publisher of Watercolor Artist, Artist Magazine, Acrylic Artist, ArtistsNewwork.com, and much more.  When I agree to write an article I also sign many release forms to give them full rights to publish all or parts of my article.  To my pleasant surprise, I’ll find the same article pop up in the different magazines over the years.  The latest, Deeper Meaning, is in the Winter 2024 Watercolor Artist magazine (pgs. 60-63).  Such an unexpected bonus!  Here is one of them.

Enjoy! Kathleen

15 Feb Fast Start!

This year is off to a fast start!  Shortly after my arrival in Florida for the winter,  the online educational project of Artists Network, WATERCOLOR LIVE!, aired for a week.  I was one of the 20 demonstrating artists.  “Free Range Poppies II” is similar to the painting I demonstrated online and is available in my “Hot off the Easel” gallery.

Next was a trip to the lovely Big Arts and Culture Center in Sanibel for a friend’s painting exhibition.  It’s heartening to see a lot of progress happening in the recovery from Hurricane Ian, though it will still be years for many to put their lives back together.  The following weekend I participated in artists’ demonstrations to attract visitors to the recovering community of Matlacha.  It was a big success for reopening businesses, restaurants, and artists!

Now I’m on the plane returning to Florida after teaching and judging the annual international competition for the Missouri Watercolor Society (MOWS).  The entries were wonderful, the task of selecting the award winners daunting, and the artists in class were great!  It’s always a lot of fun to work with other artists who are as excited about the Watermedia world as I am!

Soon I’ll pack my bags for New York to judge the awards for the Annual American Watercolor Society (AWS) exhibition.  This is such an honor it’s hardly a “job” at all, yet the responsibility is, again ….. daunting.  Now it’s time to care for and spend time with a few of those I love … home sweet home.    Kathleen