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| Miniature art makes big splash for artist |
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| News | |||
| Written by Jesse Trimble | |||
| Wednesday, 18 November 2009 08:00 | |||
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“Once you’re an artist, you’re always an artist,” Jean Cook said with a laugh. “You have to do it — because you miss it, or for your sanity, or because you just enjoy it.” Cook is one of a handful of local artists, and even though she’s been winning awards for years, a new one every now and again isn’t bad. She recently took first place in the 9th Annual National Miniature Exhibition at the Renaissance Art Gallery in Huntington, W.V., for her painting of a Brahma calf. The winners were announced on Nov. 1. Cook said she has been a painter for nearly her entire life. She began oil painting in 1979, and she’s been doing miniature paintings for the last 15 years. Although she was surprised to discover she had won first in the contest, she was happy all the same.  “There’s that feeling of, ‘Did I do that? Did I paint that?’” Cook said, adding that the feeling occurs only when the painting works and others recognize that. “The affirmation of your work — that’s important,” she said. “Everyone likes to be appreciated by their peers. It means more to me when artists like it versus others.” She said while the public can be drawn to paintings because of personal feelings or connections, artists tend to look at one another’s work with a more critical eye. “Constructive criticism, you know,” she said with a smile. Susan Tschantz, event co-ordinator of the Renaissance Art Gallery, said the gallery in Huntington organizes art shows to bring new art to their small city. While showcasing local artists, they also offer art education to both children and adults. The show is an annual event and open to artists 18-years-old and up. It’s also listed with the Miniature Artists of America and the World Federation of Miniature Artists. “Jean is a fabulous artist in a very challenging field, and I really like to get ‘our’ artists the recognition they deserve,” Tschantz wrote. Cook belongs to the Society of Animal Artists and justifiably so, since most of her paintings are of horses, however, she also paints dogs, cats and farm animals. But she has done some paintings of exotic animals, too. “I grew up with horses,” she said. And that’s how it started. Cook used to show Appaloosa horses in shows and started in 4-H as a child. Cook explained that she usually takes photos of the animal she wants to paint before sitting down and getting out her paint brush. It was the same with her first place painting of the Brahma calf. “I’d taken that photo of the calf a few years ago on a farm tour here in Miami County,” she said. She had remembered liking the photo and dug it out to bring it to life on canvas as a miniature, which are usually under 25 square inches, or 4x6 inches. Before settling in Paola for good, Cook also used to travel overseas to receive inspiration for her artwork. She’s been to Europe, Vietnam, China, South America, Russia and Africa, just to name a few. She also worked for Hallmark as an engraver for 35 years. But now, she’s perfectly content with painting every morning in the studio above her garage and surrounding herself with the nature in Miami County. “Some things just strike you,” she said of what she chooses to paint and bring to life on canvas.
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