Layers of History

In my senior-year independent study painting course at Virginia Tech​ I was given a small studio all to myself in Henderson Hall, the old infirmary-turned art building which has since been renovated. When I moved in I found an old, lonely wooden easel just waiting in the corner of my new studio. I've always been an aggressive and somewhat sloppy painter and I remember wiping my brushes off on the sides and front of the easel. It came naturally. Upon graduation, my professor Ray Kass told me the easel was mine-- I could take it home. The first easel I would call mine, and the only easel I have called mine.

It has traveled with me to my parents house in Manassas where I lived for a year following graduation, to the Arlington Arts Center where I maintained a studio for 4 years, and now to my home studio in South Arlington. I often think maybe it's time to get something more functional but when I look at the layers upon layers of built up paint I get a little nostalgic. It's my history.

Are you an artist with a personal connection with one of your tools? Please share!

Spring Studio Sale!

Seven days, seven paintings, up to 50% off! A range of abstracts and traditional, big and small, acrylic and oil. Starting today a new painting will be added to the sale every day so follow my facebook page to see the daily additions! The work will also be posted on my site under Spring Studio Sale. Making room for big pieces I've been working on for two upcoming solo shows in August and September!

As always, thanks for supporting independent artists!

Day 1: Rainforest Melodies No. 3, acrylic on wood panel, 12" x 12". $85.

Cherry Burst!

In honor of DC's Cherry Blossom Festival, I'm sharing five recent paintings of one of my favorite subjects: the cherry blossom! There are 13 cherry blossom varieties in DC... scroll down to check them out. Which is your favorite?? I vote Kwanzan and Usuzumi.

Firsts of Spring, oil on canvas, in private collection.
Prints available on Society 6.

Detail of Sakura Abstraction, acrylic on canvas, 30" x 40".
Prints available here. Original available at www.annmariecoolick.com.

Yoshino Cherry Blossoms, acrylic on canvas, 18" x 18".
Prints available here. Original available on www.annmariecoolick.com.

Tidal Basin Blooms, acrylic on canvas. Prints available here.

DC Cherries, acrylic on canvas, in private collection.
Prints available here.

Can you differentiate between the 13 cherry blossom varieties in DC? Check out this cool resource on The Tree Topper.

Check out more of my original cherry blossom paintings for sale at annmariecoolick.com and more cherry blossom prints here!

Colorful Cut-outs

Something about brightly colored, eye-catching cut-out collages a la Eric Carle's The Hungry Caterpillar. His distinctive and instantly recognizable collage illustrations with hand-painted papers cut and layered are a favorite of my boys and kids worldwide. I've recently teamed with SunDance Graphics to create a series of iconic cutouts using my brightly colored abstract style. Below is the first piece released! Prints available now at annmariecoolick.com.

Rhizome Deer

See more awesome collages by some of my favorite American artists:
Lance Letscher
Eugenia Loli

Forsythia Crush

It's almost time!! Forsythias and their bright yellow four-lobed flowers are about to bloom. Growing up in Manassas, Virginia, our massive and probably overgrown forsythia bushes would bloom a sea of yellow flowers on the hill next to our house right around my dad's birthday in early March, symbolizing the start of spring. Every year I become nostalgic at the first sight of Forsythias. Do you have something that takes you back and reminds you of your roots?

Forsythia Trail. Prints available.

Garden Party, acrylic on canvas, 16" x 16". Original and Prints available.