Cooley Studios

I recently had a chance to make a couple oil portraits. It’s been a while but I had lots of fun and will continue as commissions come in. I included both of these portraits in my latest art exhibition. I am doing a solo exhibit at Dick Blick Art Materials in Columbus, Ohio for the entire month of May. The paintings are two in a group of 11 works. If you get a chance, try to see the show.

Michael A. Cooley, Jaylan, Portrait, 2015, Oil.

Michael A. Cooley, Boy in overalls, Portrait, 2015, Oil.

Until next time,
Take care,
Michael

Congratulations to Cassidy Boyuk and Christine Kwon. They have been accepted to study in the atelier program at Cooley Studios. We look forward to working with both of these talented student artists.

Cassidy Boyuk, Atelier student at Cooley Studios, 2015

Cassidy Boyuk is a very talented young artist with a bright future ahead of her. She is a sophomore at Hilliard Davison High school in Hilliard Ohio. She started drawing as soon as she was able to hold a crayon and painting by age 13. Her father, a graphic designer was her first artistic inspiration. She says he was always making art. Boyuk was 3rd place winner in the 2015 Congressional Art Competition, sponsored by the U.S. House of Representative. She entered her lovely self portrait. She came to Cooley Studios to study classical drawing and painting. She desires to become a classical fine artist. She began her studies with us this April and is already showing much promise.

Christine Kwon wants to become a medical illustrator. She is graduating from The Ohio State University this Spring with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Human Nutrition. She has been drawing from her earliest memories. In first grade, she entered a coloring competition for an apple orchard farm and won first prize. In sixth grade, her realistic drawing of a rabbit was selected for an Ohio statewide art exhibition.

Christine Kwon, Atelier student at Cooley Studios, 2015

As a young artist, Kwon would try to faithfully replicate whatever was around her; Disney movie characters, Manga and fashion magazines. These were sources of  inspiration for her drawings. After studying anatomy at OSU, her love for the human form inspired her to create art. Another source of inspiration is Leonardo Da Vinci and Michelangelo Buonarroti.

Kwon began painting and exploring color mediums last year at OSU. In our atelier program, she hopes to gain pertinent skills enabling her to draw and paint with artistic accuracy. She wants to accurately depict the human figure and bring her skills up to a professional level. She will be starting her studies with us in May.

We are happy to be a part of working with both of these talented students and look forward to watching them grow artistically. For more information of the atelier program click here.

Until next time,
Michael

Michael A. Cooley, Broken Eggs – Mastercopy after Helen Van Wyk , 2014, Oil.

This painting, Broken Eggs was a class demonstration. I was teaching a student how to make an underpainting. Initially, we made a block-in drawing and transferred the drawing to a sheet of canvas. Once the drawing was transferred to the canvas sheet, I sealed it and made an imprimatura using raw umber cut with gamsol. While the imprimatura was drying, I mixed my palette, consisting of a monochromatic string of 10 values from raw umber a 1 value to titanium white a 10 value. If I were to use black, it would be a value zero, but I always add a bit of raw umber to ivory black to control the blue which is in black. Once my imprimatura was dry and my palette set, I began building the painting in step by step stages. In the same manner Marvin Mattelson taught me, I want my students to see step by step how one constructs a painting. The resource I used was a painting by Helen Van Wyk.

Michael A. Cooley, Pepper and orange, 2014, Oil.

This painting, Pepper and Orange was a personal exercise I did so I can begin painting on a weekly or regular basis. I set up the arrangement in a shadow box in my studio, controlled the lighting and made my observations. I set up my palette in strings of color they way I was taught by Marvin Mattelson and used my value string to control the chroma. Once my palette was set, I began building my still life painting in the classical method I learned at the easel of Mattelson.

Until next time,
Michael

Michael A. Cooley, Female hand, 2014, Graphite. © M Cooley

Between making medical and scientific illustrations for my publishers and teaching my lovely students, I was able to squeeze in another sculpture drawing. Im trying to do more of my work but its tough when you have students. Presently, I am working on a few paintings and will post them when I get the chance but here is my latest sculpture drawing.

Until next time,
Michael

Cooley Studios is seeking 8 to 10 serious student artists to study classical academic drawing and painting in our full-time atelier, The Academy of Classical Art. The first 4 student artist will receive a 50% tuition discount. The remaining student artists will receive a 25% tuition discount. The program will start September 2, 2014. For more information go to (http://cooleystudios.com/the-academy/).

Full Time Atelier Study At The Academy of Classical Art

• Academic year from 9/2/2014 to 5/29/2015
• 30 hours of studio time per week (9am to 4pm, Mon – Fri.)
• 2 semesters per year
• Tuition $2500 per 16 week semester (prior to your discount)
• Accepting applications until 7/15/2014 for upcoming year, Sept. 2, 2014
• $600.00 non-refundable deposit required upon acceptance.

Cooley Studios also offers part-time ongoing monthly classes for anyone who wants to learn to draw or paint but not seeking a profession in art. For more information about ongoing monthly classes at Cooley Studios, please go to (http://cooleystudios.com/classes/).

Our students come from Columbus and surround cities which include: Bexley, Blacklick, Clintonville, Circleville, Delaware, Dublin, Gahanna, German Village, Grandview Heights, Granville, Grove City, Hilliard, Lancaster, Logan, Marysville, New Albany, Newark, Pataskala, Pickerington, Powell, Reynoldsburg, Upper Arlington, Westerville, Whitehall, Worthington. We are seeking student artists statewide from cities like Cincinnati, Cleveland, Toledo, Akron, Youngstown and Athens. In time we hope to attract students Nationally.

After reading about The Academy on this site, interested candidates should go to the contact page and enter all pertinent information in each field. Make sure to type Full-time Application in subject field. In the message box, write a brief and clear paragraph of your interest in studying in our full-time atelier. An application with all requirements will be emailed to you to read, fill out and return.

Until next time.
Michael

I would like to thank Dinnese hunt – President of the Grove City Arts Council, Betty Dingledine –  Corresponding Secretary, Rebecca Cummings – member GCAC and owner of Dream Tree Galleries, and all of the lovely members of  the Council.

May 15th, 2014, I was invited by GCAC’s President Dinnese Hunt to come and speak to the council members about my art, my journey and my school, Cooley Studios and The Academy of Classical Art. I was honored by the invitation and blessed with the attention afforded by the member. I displayed my drawings and paintings, which was received well by the members and I spoke about Cooley Studios which is an ongoing monthly part-time program for anyone interested in learning to draw and paint in the classical academic style. I also spoke of my full-time program which will begin in the Fall of 2014.

The Academy of Classical Arts is a full-time program for serious art students pursuing a professional career in art, art education or both. It is a three year curriculum teaching drawing and painting as its core discipline, but we also offer training for medical, scientific and commercial illustration. This is the only school of its kind in Central Ohio. For more information on The Academy, please go to Academy page. 

Cooley Studios is proud to be hosting a second summer of Kid and Teen Summer Art Workshops, 2014 here in Columbus, Ohio. These particular workshops are for beginning to advanced students. The beginner student will be introduced to the fundamentals of drawing and painting. The intermediate and advanced student will be reintroduced to drawing and painting concepts and then challenged with assignments to grow as artists. We can accommodate 12 to 14 students per session so early enrollment is strongly encouraged!!!

For more information, click here.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

Well, its been some time since my last post. I have been working on medical illustration assignments daily (2 books, surgical and entomology) and teaching academic fine art at night at my fine art studio, Cooley Studios. I really love working with my students and they are really growing. I am often amazed at their progress.

Since Christmas is upon us and New Years will be here as well, I finished most of my medical illustration work and can take a bit of a break. I have been wanting to paint my studio for a couple months and now I have the time. I purchased three gallons of Benjamin Moore Sparrow AF-720, Flat paint. It is a cool middle value gray which has a slight greenish hint. I wanted to get rid of those blinding white walls.

Until next time,
Michael

Cooley Studios is proud to be hosting Kid and Teen Summer Art Workshops, 2013. These particular workshops are for beginning to advanced students. The beginner student will be introduced to the fundamentals of drawing and painting. The intermediate and advanced student will be reintroduced to drawing and painting concepts and then challenged with assignments to grow as artists. We can accommodate 12 to 14 students per session so early enrollment is strongly encouraged!!!

For more information, click here.

Looking forward to seeing you there.