music

Painting, Drawing, Mixed Media, Sculpture

Vignette: Andy Cook

Josh Jenkins · November 1, 2016

*"China Girl" by Andy Cook, 30x40in, acrylic on metal (2016)*

Andy Cook is a native Louisvillian who produces various forms of art. He has displayed his visual artwork across the country in numerous galleries. Andy is also a published author and musician who has performed his music and poetry internationally, recording several albums. By trade, Andy is a welder with over twenty years experience. His metal work spans between homes in San Diego with Skyhook, to traditional ornamental iron work with Pohl Iron Works, to his metal sculptures and high end functional art with Reclaimed Elemental Design. Andy is currently the shop foreman for the metal department at Core Design.

"I translate my dreams, impressions and thoughts into forms of visual art, music and poetry. I knew I was a visual artist from a very early age and by the age of 15 I was able to draw anything I could see. I have continued to develop my work by examining nature, the human form, and architecture through photo-realism, impressionism and metal sculpture. In whatever medium I choose - art keeps me grounded and dreaming at the same time." – Andy Cook

*"A Moment" by Andy Cook, 36x40in, mild steel (2016)*

*"Red Wine & Walnut" by Andy Cook, mild steel and walnut wood coffee table (2016)*

After spending time in Los Angeles, Andy and his wife Kelly Cook returned to Louisville to open Cook Studio & Gallery on Frankfort Avenue. Their current exhibit, Water is Life, opened October 28 and features work by Andy Cook.

You can visit Andy Cook in Cook Studio and Gallery on the east side of Louisville during OPEN STUDIO WEEKEND, November 5 & 6, 2016. The event benefits scholarship programs for Louisville Visual Art and University of Louisville’s Hite Art Institute and tickets may be purchased here.

Name: Andy Cook
Hometown: Louisville, Kentucky
Website: http://www.cookstudioandgallery.com

*"Dear Ocean, I love you" by Andy Cook, 16x20in, acrylic & oil (2016)*

*"Old Man" by Andy Cook, 8x10in, ball point pen (2016)*

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Please contact josh@louisvillevisualart.org for further information on advertising through Artebella. — *Please contact* *josh@louisvillevisualart.org* *for further information on advertising through Artebella.*

Painting, Photography, Drawing

Q&A: Jennifer Laura Palmer

Josh Jenkins · October 21, 2016

“Sometimes it is a little better to travel than to arrive.” — Robert Pirsig

Location and maps are a crucial part of painter Jennifer Palmer’s work. “The first maps I collected were from my childhood and they were used on family trips. I loved that they were used on our trips and I could see my Dad’s handwritten notes and the highlighted route for each adventure. These memories have become even more precious since my Mother’s passing from cancer this past year.” Palmer is currently working on a new series involving plein air artworks created during road trips throughout Kentucky in a 1951 Chevy Pickup: http://palmertravelingartist.tumblr.com/

*"Paintings of Maine (In Progress)" by Jennifer Palmer, mixed media on poplar (2016)*

*1951 Chevy - Barbara Jane (Name after my Mother)*

Are you still touring Kentucky in your 1951 Chevy pick-up?

I currently am and the project is still in the beginning stages. I have spent the summer working on organizing my trip and scouting out locations to complete my artwork. This has allowed me the necessary time to come up with a more cohesive plan that has clear objectives and goals to make this a successful project. After my trip to Maine this summer I realized I wanted to challenge myself to something much larger than I had originally intended and to push myself creatively to use materials and process that I haven’t used before. This has slowed down the project, however, it has increased the drive to have a series that goes beyond what I had originally envisioned.

How many different places have you been?

Only a handful of places at this point and mostly I have been cruising routes and making notes on good places to stop and make some art. I feel I haven’t even scratched the surface of all the places to explore in this beautiful state. I have toured a lot of backroads in Kentucky cruising and I started to realize that I need to also include more urban areas on my travels.

"On site Traveling Drawing (Phippsburg, Maine)" by Jennifer Palmer, 9x12in, ink on paper (2016) — *"On site Traveling Drawing (Phippsburg, Maine)" by Jennifer Palmer, 9x12in,* *ink on paper (2016)*

What music do you listen to on the road?

I tend to just keep the windows down and listen to my surroundings and mostly the sound of the truck’s engine.

Do you listen to music while you paint?

I do and tend to listen to the same music over and over until I finish a series. You would most likely find Shovels and Rope and Roy Orbison in rotation in the studio.

What expectations did you have for the journey?

To stumble upon beauty in every place I visit.

Tell us something about the people you have met?

I have found that everyone enjoys sharing a story if you are willing to slow down and ask some questions and be sincere in wanting to hear what they have to say. The people I have encountered are the greatest resources on learning more about the areas I am visiting. They know the area and give out the best suggestions for places to see and also to eat. I have experienced that people always love sharing stories about their animals and that is a great way to start a conversation.

Also, I would like to add since I am still in the planning stages I would love to hear from people in Kentucky on places to go and more importantly why do they think I should visit there and document the space.

"Olsen House (Cushing Maine)" by Jennifer Palmer, photograph (2016) — *"Olsen House (Cushing Maine)" by Jennifer Palmer, photograph (2016)*

What's your favorite place to visit?

I will have to say Maine. I spent two weeks there this summer on an art road trip and I fell hard for the state. The landscape, the history, the people and the air were so inspiring. What made the trip memorable was visiting the Farnsworth Museum and seeing Andrew Wyeth’s work in person. It literally brought tears to my eyes. I was then able to make the journey to the Olsen House and spend time photographing the house and grounds. I have never felt such a connection with a place.

Honestly, this trip to Maine got me a little side tracked on the Traveling Artist Project here in Kentucky with the Chevy, however, it stirred a passion and desire to make it a more impactful series by slowing down and really taking time to plan out the project so I can create a wide range of pieces in various mediums. Kentucky holds the same charm and beauty and I want to explore the forgotten spaces to see the hidden gems myself and then be able to share these finds with an audience in a thoughtful manner.

*"Olsen House (Hidden Stories)" by Jennifer Palmer, photograph (2016)*

So far, what is the longest you spent in any one location?

I crave the chance to be nomadic however, my heart always belongs to one place and that is wherever my horses are located. That is what brought me to Kentucky 10 years ago and what keeps me appreciating this amazing state is all the open land that is still available here. So my journeys tend to be short in nature, however, the list is extensive on places I want to visit, even if it is only short term.

"Maine Summer" by Jennifer Palmer, 16x22.5in, mixed media on paper (2016), $300 | BUY NOW — *"Maine Summer" by Jennifer Palmer, 16x22.5in, mixed media on paper (2016), $300 | BUY NOW*

What's the most challenging part when starting on a piece of work?

To not worry about what the outcome will be and just create and be in the moment.

How long do you usually spend on a specific piece of art?

It varies and can be a few hours to months. Recently, I have been going over work I had in storage for a few years and remaking it into a new series. I strongly believe in including an element of history in my work and I am enjoying making something new out of pieces that I never felt were quite finished. It is nice to see new life given to them and also to go back and relive the time period of when I was creating them.

*"Travel Drawing Series (Maine)" by Jennifer Palmer, 9x12in, ink on paper (2016)*

Has your style changed or evolved over the years? If so what do you think influenced this?

It has and it goes through cycles. Location and time of year influences it, also the events going on in my life. The most significant change came with the passing of my Mother from pancreatic cancer. She was the inspiration in starting to live my life to the fullest and to finally get my dream truck, and then for this journey to gather stories. I realized how significant stories and personal histories are after you lose someone and they take the stories with them. If you don’t take the time to gather and archive them you will end up losing them forever. And now my work is more about searching out those feelings and memories and I am seeing a shift of including more figurative elements into my work as a way of processing these shifts in life.

If you could meet any celebrity who would it be and what would you ask them?

Wendell Berry and I would love to ask him to show me his favorite location in
Kentucky and learn more about why he chose that spot.

Name: Jennifer Palmer
Hometown: Simpsonville, Kentucky
Age: 35
Education: MFA in painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design; BA in Art and Political Science, Cedar Crest College (Allentown, Pennsylvania)
Website: http://jenniferpalmer.tumblr.com

*"Summer Days (Finchville, KY) by Jennifer Palmer, photograph (2016)*

"Maine Traveling Sketchbook" by Jennifer Palmer, ink on paper (2016) — *"Maine Traveling Sketchbook" by Jennifer Palmer, ink on paper (2016)*

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Painting

Q&A: Painter Teresa McCarthy

Josh Jenkins · September 30, 2016

"Art used to feed my belly, now it feeds my soul." - Teresa McCarthy

"Mommy & Me: Elephants" by Teresa McCarthy, 36x36in, oil on canvas (2016), $425 | BUY NOW — *"Mommy & Me: Elephants" by Teresa McCarthy, 36x36in, oil on canvas (2016), $425 | BUY NOW*

Who or what inspires you now?

My father, Joseph E. French was a commercial artist for 40 years. My favorite signs that he designed were the iconic Toy Tiger sign on Bardstown Rd and Hungry Pelican. Just prior to my 25 th birthday he asked me what I wanted and I said “a portrait of my boys.” I have cherished a number of his paintings since that day. My husband Keith has been right there with me since I was a teenager.

What is your favorite music to listen to when making art?

My husband Keith McCarthy plays guitar and is a singer songwriter, so I listen to his music and him playing cover songs. Folk songs from my childhood by Peter Paul & Mary make me especially happy. I was once in Kauai with Keith and some friends and we were in Hanalei where we happened to find a little shop with Peter Paul and Mary’s greatest hits and tooled around the country side in a convertible listening to Puff the Magic Dragon in the land of Hanalei, very cool.

"Mommy & Me: Giraffes" by Teresa McCarthy, 30x14in, oil on canvas (2016), $425 | BUY NOW — *"Mommy & Me: Giraffes" by Teresa McCarthy, 30x14in, oil on canvas (2016), $425 | BUY NOW*

Favorite movie?

I love to watch movies and I usually have a canvas in front of me if the TV is on. I’ve probably seen the movie Blow too many times, if that’s possible. Any movie with beautiful cinematography I enjoy. I also enjoy the occasional binge watching of a series on Netflix.

What are you reading right now?

I don’t spend much time reading, but I will listen to audio books when we travel. I also sketch future watercolor paintings when I travel.

If you were given a $100,000 what would do with it?

If given $100,000.00, I would further my education in the arts and continue sharing what I learn with others. I am the fine art instructor at Michaels on the Outer Loop, in Louisville and I would continue to do what I love. I also do painting classes in my home.

What does art mean to you?

The art produced by my father was the primary means of supporting our family when I was a child. So art fed my belly and now it feeds my soul.

What's the most challenging part when starting on a piece of work of art?

The only challenge in starting a piece of artwork for me is securing the time to start on it. I finish my projects and don’t leave things undone. I take photos all of the time so that I won’t forget an idea until I get to it. How long do you usually spend on a specific piece of art? Of course, size and medium make a difference on how long a particular piece of art takes to complete. Oil paintings take the longest because of drying time, but on average a portrait takes 20 to 25 hours for me to complete and a landscape takes about 8 hours. Some small acrylic and watercolors I can finish in 3 to 5 hours. I know how long a painting will take me to do, but I’m very patient and I don’t let time dictate when I finish a painting. My favorite painting is always the painting I am working on currently.

If you could meet any celebrity who would it be and what would you ask them?

If I could meet any celebrity, I’m thinking it would be Stevie Nicks, I would ask her if I could wear one of her onstage outfits.

Name: Teresa McCarthy
Hometown: Louisville, KY
Age: 55
Education: Attended St. Agnes and Durrett High School; obtained Broker’s License in 1986

"WWW: Watching Waiting Wolf" by Teresa McCarthy, 16x14in, oil on canvas (2016), $425 | BUY NOW — *"WWW: Watching Waiting Wolf" by Teresa McCarthy, 16x14in, oil on canvas (2016), $425 | BUY NOW*

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