EVEN MORE Paper Pushers

Let's just say, I've pushed my share of paper this week... here is what I did today:





This is the revised "Luzon Bleeding Heart:"



Phew, I'm starting to feel a little burnt out. Tomorrow is the last day I have to work on this show and I have two more little drawings to do which shouldn't take long, and two medium-sized paintings which I might do quick washes on or just sell as drawings if I don't feel up to it. Ahhhhhh, it'll be a relief to ship these off!

MORE Paper Pushers in Progress

More stuff in progress...

This first one is the screw-up that I'm mailing to "Rootedbeauty."



Painting n' drawing all day: thug life?






All of the stuff for this show will be done in a couple of days and WILL BE FOR SALE in a matter of weeks at Gallery 1988 SF. Contact them if you are interested in any of these pieces!

Paper Pushers in Progress

Busy as a beaver... a beaver with 10 new pieces due in a couple of days.

Here are some tantalizing teasers of the drawings transferred and paintings and whatnot:








Sometimes things don't work out like you want... the border bled on this one so I got messy with gouache to experiment (since I knew I'd be completely re-doing it anyway.) So, I usually toss out my bloopers but I thought I'd see if any of you lovelies who check my blog regularly would like it? Kinda like a thank you for your support; just post a comment saying you want it and give me an address to mail it to.

Here it is:

"Luzon Bleeding Heart (I fucked up)"
6"x11"
gouache and ink on stonehenge



(Luzon Bleeding Hearts are a beautiful species of Dove with markings that make them look like they've been shot in the heart. Look em' up and marvel!)

PIN-4

"Tether"
5"x7" (8"x10" framed)
ink and gouache on paper
100$
*SOLD*


"Brood"
5"x7" (8"x10" framed)
ink and gouache on paper
100$
*SOLD*


"Virtue"
5"x7" (8"x10" framed)
ink and gouache on paper
100$
*SOLD*


"Thorazine"
5"x7" (8"x10" framed)
ink and gouache on paper
*SOLD*


The series:



I will have these 4 pieces for sale in the upcoming PIN-4 show at Gallery Nucleus which opens on the 12th of December. To be honest, they are drastically underpriced because the "rules" for this show are that all work must be 5"x7" and 100$ retail. A portion of the proceeds will go to benefit the American Red Cross, so how could I say no? Bottom line... this is as inexpensive as you'll ever see my paintings. Stocking stuffers for that impossible-to-shop-for girlfriend/ great-uncle/ loathed-mother-in-law?

Here is the link to the event:
http://www.gallerynucleus.com/gallery/exhibition/212


If you are interested in any of these, please contact the gallery at: info@gallerynucleus.com

Oh, almost forgot an explanation...
This series of four paintings are based on four different songs but together they tell the story of the relationship between a scheming girl and an exotic bird. Sometimes people want something so bad that they are willing to destroy it and lose their minds to get it. Obsession, ya know?

Songs in order:
(Birdie Brain by the Fiery Furnaces, The Wren In The Furze by The Chieftains, Plea From A Cat Named Virtue by The Weakerthans, and Tea And Thorazine by Andrew Bird.)


Bio for this show:

"JAW Cooper was born in England and grew up in Africa, Sweden, Ireland, various other locations throughout Europe, and California. She has always cultivated a deep curiosity about the natural world and is inspired by curio cabinets, fashion photography, and nipples in general. Cooper lives and works as an illustrator and gallery artist in Los Angeles."

Santa Barbara Zoo and stuff

Sketches from a recent trip to the lovely Santa Barbara Zoo. (The LA Zoo is kinda gross.)








This was the sketch I did as part of that demo... A demo I didn't like enough to finish. I'm going to paper over it and do something else with the cradle.




These are the quick preliminary sketches for the revised pieces I did for the CAVE Gallery. (See previous post.)

CAVE Gallery

These three (revised) ink-and-pastel-on-stonehenge pieces will be for sale at the CAVE Gallery shortly. 125$ each, perfect for a christmas pressie! If you're interested contact the gallery at: cavegallery@gmail.com

"Tree Rings"
125$
ink and pastel on cradled stonehenge
6"x6"
*SOLD*


"Hunger"
125$
ink and pastel on cradled stonehenge
6"x6"
*SOLD*


"Yak Journey"
125$
ink and pastel on cradled stonehenge
6"x6"
*SOLD*

Interview on Orange Alert Press

I recently did an interview with Jason Behrends for Orange Alert Press to be featured as their artist of the week. To read more follow this link:

http://www.orangealert.net/cooper

They were also kind enough to post it on notcot:

http://www.notcot.org/post/26235/

I hope you are amused.

Teach Me Tiger- Revised

I really didn't like the painting so I worked on it more this morning: brightening the colors, heightening the contrast, adding the fly pattern behind them, crispening up edges... etc. I like it much better now!

The flies are a lot more transparent in the real painting, I think the light from the scanner exaggerated them a bit. I promise they aren't that distracting...



This is the back corner: (I mounted the paper before I started painting to eliminate warping and to add structural integrity.)

Teach Me Tiger

This is what I did today, trying to warm up and get back to painting. I liked the sketch way better than the final painting, but I think it helped me shake some rust off. Eh, whatcha gonna do.

Based on the song "Teach Me Tiger" by April Stevens. 10"x10" acrylic and pastel on somerset paper.

More Sketches

The newest set of sketches. Some are sketches for the upcoming shows, some are just for practice or fun...

"Luzon Bleeding Heart"


"Conjoined"


"Mental Institution"


"Tree Rings" (revised)


I can't decide whether to use these sketches or not...
"Virtue"


...more sketches....




I've been so enjoying all this sketching, I fear that I'll procrastinate moving on to the next step. I do that a lot.

New business cards and a new logo?

Hey, I need new business cards; I'm almost out of the old ones. I designed the new back today and I like it. I'm waiting to finish one of the new pieces that I've been sketching for the Paper Pushers, PIN and Twilight-Zone shows so I'll have something spankin' new to put on the front. I mocked up a possible front with the "Sweet Revenge" comp from yesterday. (Clearly I won't actually use this image as it is all unfinished n' shiz.) Also, I messed around with a new logo but I'd love to know if any of you have suggestions/preferences among the 5 variations. (Or any type suggestions if my kerning is wonky or something.)

BACK:



Mocked-up FRONT:



LOGOS:



Which do you like best? I think I like the top and the middle ones best...

Keep Rollin'

Here's what I did today: (They are all still based on songs.)

"Sweet Revenge"


I think it's really hard to see that the sailor is strangling the captain in the comp above... I might move the ribbons or give the sailor a knife or something... maybe make the whale bigger in comparison so it's less cramped. I don't know, but something has to change. Anyway, here are the preliminary sketches:

mariner's revenge sketch


whale sketch


"Swagger Like Us" (revised) and "Skulking Around"


One idea for a bird-girl... but... I don't love it.


Another bird-girl... I'm still not sold. Must keep sketching ideas...