Janet Cooke

Artist Statement

As an oil painter working largely in the impressionist tradition, I find inspiration in the natural beauty and tranquility of my surroundings in Upstate New York, where I am fortunate to live and create. I am a representational painter but happiest when I am skirting the line between abstraction and realism. I seek unusual views and enjoy producing work that doesn’t fit easily into categories…sometimes I have to ask, is this a landscape or a still life or both?

Lately I am drawn to painting clouds, moved by their ever-shifting shapes, colors, moods, and influence on our lives. Ever since I was a little girl, fascinated by the names of the crayons in the 64-piece Crayola set, color has been a source of delight and magic. Fidelity to what I am observing takes a back seat to color choices that will produce harmony in the painting and evoke emotions in the viewer.

Painting, for me, is a matter of deep exploration, and some of my most successful work has happened when I’ve abandoned any goals or attachment to outcome and simply surrendered to the process.