Brushstrokes: Interview with CoCo Artist, Galen C.

Despite living in rural Vermont, CoCo Artist Galen C.’s paintings reflect the energy of the urban environment.  As we interviewed Galen about her abstract paintings, she described just exactly what goes into creating unabashedly strong works worthy of making a statement in any setting.

Galen in her studio.

CoCo: How would you describe your artwork?

Galen: I would describe my work as process-driven abstraction.  My work moves forward through the investigation of materials and processes.  It is physical, visceral, and visually compelling.

Artwork by Galen C.

CoCo: What inspired you to become an artist?

Galen: I’m pretty sure I was just born that way.  However, I did get the message from my mother at a very young age that being an artist was not only valid, but also important.

Galen in her studio.

CoCo: Who is your art for?  What type of person are you speaking to?

Galen: People who appreciate my work are those who embrace the imaginative qualities of abstract painting.  They like the experience and pleasure of seeing something original and of bringing their own interpretation to the work.

Artwork by Galen C. 

CoCo: What does your work of art bring to its environment?

Galen: I only allow my best work to leave my studio.  I do this, in part, because I want my paintings to have integrity and enduring appeal; I want them to stand the test of time and continue to unfold and reveal themselves to the viewer over the years.  If I’ve done my job, my paintings will enrich and transform any environment in which they are placed.

Artwork by Galen C. 

CoCo: What is the most important part of the artistic/creative process for you?

Galen: The most important part of my artistic process is that I be present and open to what is happening in the moment.  While I bring many years of painting experience with me into the studio, every painting is unique and has its own story to tell.  It is crucial that I am quiet and vulnerable enough to be able to listen and allow that new painting to push forward.

Artwork by Galen C. 

CoCo: What type of media do you use and why?

Galen: I am currently working with three distinct media.  I continue and will always work with basic oil on canvas or panel, as it is a rich and versatile material.  I am also working on ink on paper constructions, which I began during a recent art residency in China.  The third area of interest for me, which is also inspired by the work I began in China, is collaged paintings.  These works involve cutting and ripping existing paintings and reassembling them into new works of art.  It is a dynamic and endlessly interesting process.

Take a girl to China, by Galen C. 

CoCo: Tell us about an interesting piece that you have displayed in your own home?  Where exactly is it, and why is it there?

Galen: I have one spot in my living room that serves as a viewing spot for paintings that I have recently finished.  Hanging new work and living with it for a while allows me to know whether or not it is really finished.  Sometimes it takes looking at a painting for a while to know for sure.

Artwork by Galen C. 

CoCo: What is your favorite thing about doing a commission?

Galen: It is a great thing to create a work of art in collaboration with people who have are fans of my work and who have a vision and passion to work together.  It is extremely rewarding to place a painting with people who love it and who were instrumental in its creation.

Brushstrokes: Interview with CoCo Artist Liza M.

In today's Brushstrokes, we interview Liza M., an abstract artist who often works closely with interior designers on commissions.  Using a variety of techniques to insert motion into her more soft-colored paintings, Liza's works can often function as both a complement to one's home-decor as well as a standout statement.  We sat down with Liza to understand a bit more about how she brings her works to life and for whom. 

Artwork by CoCo Artist Liza M.

CoCo: How would you describe your artwork? 

Liza: My work depicts my vision of landscapes, cityscapes, waterscapes, chinoiserie florals, ombré and ikat abstracts. All of these themes are abstract with wonderful color combinations and metallics threaded through. 

CoCo: How do you work with your clients?

Liza: I have been blessed with many clients that have become great friends and collectors of my work. They are open minded and just want me to create without any boundaries. I love to constantly think outside the box with new and refreshing ideas. I am inspired daily and it's so wonderful to share that with my clients. 

CoCo: Who is your art for?  What type of person are you speaking to?

Liza: I feel my art speaks to interior designers and private collectors specifically. Interior designers love the color, pattern and movement in my pieces. My pieces complement their interior spaces and can complete a space. Private collectors also love my work within their spaces to help pull their rooms together. My pieces are a reflection of them and how they live their lives: colorful, free and full of life!! 

Starlight by Liza M.

CoCo: What does your work of art bring to its environment?

Liza: I have a tendency to use a lot of green, beige, white and metallics and then a real punch of color. For instance in my newer work, you will see that I am using pools of colors to depict reflective pools with a horizon line. Starlight has pools of blue with accents of champagne gold and white. I love the monochromatic look of this piece.

Artwork by Liza M. 

CoCo: Can you lead us through an important aspect of a special technique you use?

Liza: One technique that I use quite a bit especially with my chinoiserie pieces is using oil on top of wet paint. This technique dries and looks like dew drops from a spring morning. Love that and the sense it really could be droplets on leaves, branches or flowers.

A client of mine turned some of my pieces into fabric and wallpaper. Cotton and quill have been a joy to work with as they have gotten my work out there to the interior design world. I am working towards building a brand and this is one of the stepping-stones to that.

Emerald City by Liza M. 

CoCo: What is your favorite piece and why?

Liza: I love Emerald City. I did it three years ago and it is in my sister’s house, who I adore!  She absolutely loves it and that makes me so happy. 

The greens and the champagne are beautiful together.

CoCo: What is your favorite thing about doing a commission?

Liza: I love helping a client determine a look, colors and theme for a special piece. I usually meet and take pictures of the space. I then start the piece and will show the client my progress half way. Once they see my direction that I am going we then determine what needs to be added. I then show them the final product and again review any additional changes. Once we have agreed on everything, I then varnish the piece for completion. The process can take two to three weeks depending on my schedule and how busy I am at the time. 

Oz too by Liza M. 

CoCo: Tell us about your favorite commission.

Liza: This is one of my favorite commissions that I completed for a client in Raleigh. It's called Oz Too. It's 48” X 48” and it makes a great impact in a large area. 

Brushstrokes: Interview with CoCo Artist Nick L.

CoCo Artist Nick L. approaches his subject matter primarily through abstraction — to evoke rather than illustrate the intersections of society and nature. His works organically creating diagrammatic structures and planes of flat color reminiscent of the built environment. Commissioning a big, striking work by him would be perfect to fill in that large empty wall in your home, especially because his colors and lines will definitely bring together all your aesthetic preferences. We interviewed him before Affordable Art Fair NYC where he painted in front of a live audience.

CoCo: How would you describe your artwork?
Nick: My artwork ranges widely in subject matter and medium, from completely abstract oil paintings, to highly rendered realistic graphite drawings, to multi-media installation art. The constant that ties everything together is my interest in the natural world and the connections between society and nature. All of my work, whether abstract or representational, relates in some way to my experience of the real world…in other words, whether there is a recognizable reference in a work or not, my inspiration for the things I make always comes from actual experience.

CoCo: Tell us about your training as an artist.
Nick: I’ve always kept a sketchbook, even as a young kid. But art was never a part of my academic life until after college. I was an environmental science and biology major. After graduating, I spent several years living in the wilderness of the Sierra Nevada where I taught ecology and geology for the Yosemite Institute. It was during that period living in the mountains that I decided to put all my energy into my artwork and to make it my life pursuit. I moved to New York in 1996 and attended the New York Studio School for a couple years while I built a portfolio that I needed to apply to graduate school. I wanted to study with the British painter John Walker, and was fortunate to be accepted into his graduate program at Boston University. I finished an MFA in painting there in 2000 and then returned to NYC where I’ve lived and worked ever since.

CoCo: Describe one of your favorite collectors/clients.
Nick: My favorite collectors are people who were initially drawn to my artwork on its aesthetic merits alone, but with whom I’ve also developed strong friendships over time. As we get to know one another more and more, they trust in what I do, regardless of style or subject matter. It is fantastic to know I have the enthusiasm and support of sharp-eyed, intelligent and informed people who are interested in each new stage of my development as an artist. 

Coyote; 60"x70", oil on canvas

CoCo: What does your work of art bring to its environment?
Nick: I strive to make my artwork interesting and dramatic enough to catch people’s attention, but it is also important to me that, once they look at it, it also inspires them to think more deeply about the world around them. Put simply, my artwork doesn’t pass muster until it has both graphic punch and deeper evocative appeal.

CoCo: What type of media do you use and why?
Nick: I use all kinds of media and techniques, often mixing them in unconventional ways. I believe that being open to all possibilities of expression, especially modes that are unfamiliar to me, can be an important key to unlocking new imagery and new creative territory.

Image courtesy AAF NYC

Coco: What are you working on now?
Nick: I’m having a fantastic time doing live drawings at the Affordable Art Fair in New York City. I’ve never worked in front of a crowd this way and the performative aspect of the experience has been fun and invigorating.

CoCo: What is your favorite thing about doing a commission?
Nick: I love the collaborative aspect of working on commissions. It is thrilling to meet with clients, see the space for which they envision an artwork and then work together with them to come up with something that excites them as much as it does me.

CoCo: Tell us about your favorite commission.
Nick: It’s difficult to single out one commission as a favorite above all others, but one of the most exciting commissioning experiences I’ve had was working on some site-specific works for the lobby and media room at Richard Meier building at Grand Army plaza in Brooklyn. It was fantastic to respond to his architecture and to speak with the enthusiastic building residents who came through the space over the course of the painting and installation process.

If you are interested in learning more about Nick's work, contact info@cocogallery.net

Brushstrokes: Interview with CoCo Artist Laura G.

Today, we would like to share our chat with CoCo Artist Laura G. Her abstract depictions of the infinite sky transport viewers to a place of meditative serenity. They tend to provide a window to the beyond, especially in closed settings like long hallways and dark rooms. And yet, they also expand large environments, when natural light reflects upon them. Meet Laura.

CoCo Artist Laura G. in her studio.

CoCo: How would you describe your artwork?
Laura: I paint large-scale atmospheric oil paintings. As an artist, I strive to transport the viewer to a more peaceful dreamlike setting. In this hectic fast-paced world, it is my hope that the viewer will experience a moment of tranquility when viewing my work. 

CoCo: What inspired you to become an artist?
Laura: I was inspired to become an artist because I found a sense of serenity while I was painting. I think I am my happiest whenever I am creating. I was also fortunate as a child to visit art museums whenever my family took vacations and I remember feeling such a sense of awe staring at wonderful works of art. There was something very powerful about viewing famous pieces of art in person. It left quite an impression on me at a young age.

CoCo: Describe one of your favorite clients.
Laura: One of my favorite clients was Children’s Hospital in Aurora, Colorado. I got to visit the hospital and meet some of the patients. They were such sweet kids and so excited about art in general. I love when I’m able to see where my work will “live” and meet the people who will experience it on a daily basis.

CoCo: What does your work bring to its environment?
Laura: My paintings bring a sense of calm and peace to its environment as well as a burst of color. I like to think of my paintings as windows, looking out onto another world.

CoCo: What is your artistic process?
Laura: I start a painting usually with an image in my mind or a feeling I want to communicate. My paintings are places of my imagination. I find my work the most honest and authentic when I create from a feeling or an image in my mind’s eye.

CoCo: What is your favorite piece?
Laura: My favorite piece changes quite often but my current favorite is “Ciel Colorado.” I have really loved working with shades of lavender, purple, blues and greys lately. I love the understated palette; it feels so soothing to me.

Ciel Colorado, 44"x72", oil

CoCo: What is your favorite thing about doing a commission?
Laura: My favorite thing about commissions is that it is a true collaboration between the client and myself. I love creating something unique and specific to one client. It is fun to have an ongoing dialog with the client about what they envision and then bringing those ideas to life.

If you are interested in collaborating with Laura G., please contact us at info@cocogallery.net. We're happy to share more information about Laura and more of her artwork with you.