Artists
Karen Cooper
Karen was born and raised in Nebraska, then moved across the river, where she now resides--and paints--in Grinnell, Iowa. From 2013 to 2017, Karen lived in Lipetsk, Russia--long enough for the power and beauty of the Russian impressionist art to make a potent impact. Karen studied with a talented figurative artist while in Lipetsk, increasing her desire to draw with substance and clarity, as part of the painting process.
Tara Shukla
When I draw, I begin by observing. I work from specimens, sketching and photographing to compose a final image. I’m absorbed by the task of paying attention and rendering forms and surfaces. The closer I look, though, the less clear things seem. Despite my care, the subjects continue to elude me – they are mysterious and vulnerable. Sometimes they resemble other things. Images evolve as objectivity gives way to the process of drawing. The drawings embody both the desire to understand, to capture truth, through patient analysis and an awareness of the ultimate impossibility of this attempt.