Karen Cooper

Grinnell, IA

ARTIST'S STATEMENT

Karen was born and raised in Nebraska, and then moved across the river to live in Iowa. 

From 2013 thru 2018, Karen lived in Lipetsk, Russia - long enough for the power and beauty of Russian impressionist art to make a potent impact. Study with a talented figurative artist while in Lipetsk, increased the desire/need to draw with substance and clarity, as part of the painting process.

Karen has now returned to live, and paint in Grinnell, Iowa.

Iowa City In Paint

 

I began plein air painting 11 years ago while living in Russia - my Russian mentor told me my

painting needed to go outdoors to learn the light! Since returning to live in the US, in 2018, I

have focused on increasing my plein air capabilities.

 

My painter’s eye has a tendency to gravitate toward the street scene, a cafe scene, a weird little architectural structure, and every now and then a vehicle.

 

Plein air painting competitions have taught me that painting in one locale for an extended time is a terrific way to see a community and its neighborhoods!

 

In 2020, I painted 60+ paintings of Okoboji and Arnolds park, and then followed that with a

summer’s worth of painting my home town, Grinnell, in 2022. With the charm of Iowa City, and U of Iowa, it’s always been a goal to explore this town with paint too!

 

As my work matures, I find it important and necessary to NOT paint safe - but rather to see the challenge, accept it, and give it my best shot.  And yet still, the bottom line: the painting must be a thing of substance and solidity and interest and beauty.