Karen Cooper
Karen Cooper’s oil paintings capture the quiet beauty and emotion of everyday moments. Her work brings warmth, depth, and a sense of place to The Grinnellian, offering guests an intimate connection to local artistry during their stay.
Read below to learn about Karen's work currently featured at The Grinnellian!
To see more of Karen's art, visit her website.
East Street Glow (Top)
Where 9 th Street runs into campus, lives a fabulous row of trees, one of which made it into this painting. And so the question is, is the tree the star of the painting, or that lovely arch on the east side of Rose Hall? No matter really, because the painting tells us about a moment in time, where both appeared quite perfect. Maybe the tree shadow will be just as perfect, and begging to be painted next year? We’ll see.
En plein air, oil on panel
Evening Train Coming (Bottom)
Artists have bigger photo files than all other humans, because we can’t stop looking. And then let’s talk about trains - so powerfully attention grabbing, and just massive. I will confess to appreciating that the train that rolls through campus is a slow mover, more time to click the camera! So yes, Evening Train Coming, was painted in studio, with photo references, and a certain awe of just standing there and watching the train come down those tracks. This view is from the library sidewalk looking north towards Darby.
Studio painting, oil on panel
Around Behind Steiner (Top Middle)
An artist need not look too long on campus, to understand that the area near Steiner is just made to be painted. Possibly it’s the wealth of trees, where shadows are there for an artist’s respite from hot summer sun? OR, maybe it’s those very same shadows that want to wheedle their way onto the painting canvas and intrigue viewers no matter the season?
En plein air, oil on panel
Behind Steiner. When the Air Was Golden. (Bottom Left)
Have you ever taken an autumn walk where you could swear all of a tree’s golden leaf color was spilling out into the air? This painting is speaking of a day such as that. Too much color for a tree to hold, and so, shared with the very air around it, gold! I saw this specific tree, and immediately went home and got paint and canvas. On the east side of Steiner, and the last time I looked, still not a very big tree size-wise, but it knows how to do fall colors.
En plein air, oil on panel
Birds on Campus (Bottom Right)
Ah, the good old days, when Grinnell had Bird scooters. It was so fun to see flocks of them parked around town! Now, all that’s left is the memories…AND a painting! These two Birds were spotted preening on a sidewalk by the library. They were catching the morning sun with classic style, and therefore claimed my painting canvas as their own.
En plein air, oil on panel
Students Crossing Campus
It was a balmy spring day… Where else would an artist be but out on location painting something enjoyable? The location was near the sidewalk leading up to Mears Cottage. The painting was telling about the contrast between cast shadows and golden sunshine. It was almost a wrap, but then two students walked onto the page, and instantly stole the show. There are two variants of this composition. The first, quite small, done en plein air, and this, the second, done from all that inspiration in studio.
Studio painting, oil on panel