Lynda Cookson
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Biography
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Work sold in : UK, Ireland, South Africa, Namibia, many parts of the USA, Canada, France, Spain, Dominican Republic
Galleries : Bold Art Gallery, Galway
Cong Art Gallery, Co. Mayo
Lavelle Art Gallery, Clifden
Lahinch Gallery (Kennys), Co. Clare
Sala Barna, Barcelona, Spain
Auctioneers : Adams Fine Art Auctioneers, Dublin
Work selected by Christies of London
Collections of work : Mr L Murrin, Dawn Foods, Naas, Dublin, Ireland
Mr A Boyd, Arizona, USA
Ms S J Lynch, Galway, Ireland
Mrs Nancy McAllister, Guntersville, Alabama, USA
Mr N McLoughlin, Ross Communications, Dublin
Commissions : South Africa : Mr D Bose (3 paintings)
South Africa : Mrs B de Villiers (2 paintings)
United Kingdom : Mr A Firth (1 painting)
South Africa : Mr Victor Ferraz (1 charcoal sketch)
Professional Member : Visual Artists Ireland
AWAI - American Writers and Artists Incorporated
Founder and Organiser : 2005 `Art in the West' exhibition in Galway
Media Interviews : March 2006 - TV1 and Radio1 Barcelona during
Exhibition at Sala Barna, Barcelona
2004 - Profile article in `Galway Now' magazine
Designer for : Dezign Inc., Harare, Zimbabwe (producers of T-shirts,
aprons, paper items, mugs, etc) - unpaid position.
Logo Design for : `Art in the West' exhibition in Galway
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Studies : Michaelis Art School, Cape Town, South Africa
GMIT, Galway
Art Space, Galway
Digital Art : Digital Show for the Liverpool Biennial - Independents 2006
Digital art sold from www.artocracy.com
Refocus Now stock catalogue (UK)
www.refocus-now.com
Exhibitions To Come:
Sept, Oct 2007 : Group exhibitions, Sala Barna, Barcelona, Spain
April 2008 : Solo exhibition, Sala Barna, Barcelona, Spain
Recent Past Exhibitions:
March 2007 : Anton's Caf? Galway
December 2006 : Christmas Group Exhibition, Bold Gallery, Galway
September 2006 : Solo Exhibition, Fisheries Tower, Galway
July 2006 : The River Walk Exh, Project 06/Galway Arts Week
August 2006 : Solo Exhibition, Airfield Trust, Dublin
March 2006 : Group exhibition, Sala Barna, Barcelona, Spain
March 2006 : Group exhibition 8x8, Fisheries Tower, Galway
February 2006 : Group exhibition, Bold Art Gallery "Floral Collage"
Dec 2005 : Represented Ireland at Florence Biennale, Italy
October 2005 : Munch, Woodquay, Galway
Aug 2005 : Solo Exhibition : St Patrick's Trian, Armagh City
June 2005 : Art in the West, Galway
May 2005 : Sala Barna, Barcelona, Spain
Feb to end May 2005 : Original Oil Print Collection at Central Bank, Dublin
Nov 2004 : Art Ireland Autumn Collection, Dublin
Nov 2004 : Athenry Library, Co. Galway, Group exhibition
June, Aug, Sept 2004 : People's Art, St Stephen's Green, Dublin
June/July 2004 : Woman's Panorama Exh, Zanzibar, Tanzania, Africa
May 2004 : Art Ireland Summer Collection, Dublin
April/May 2003 : Inst Exh "Crossing/Knotting", Nordbahnhof Stn, Berlin
July to Oct 2003 : The Boat Inn, Oughterard, Co Galway
Nov 2003 : Galway Library, Solo Exhibition
1999 to 2001 : Various venues in Johannesburg, Greyton and
Cape Town, in South Africa; and Swakopmund in
Namibia
Residency : January 2007 - Cill Rialaig, Ballinskelligs, Co Kerry
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Writing Arts Profile Writer for `Galway Now' , `Cork Now' and `Limerick Now' Magazines (since Jan 2005)
Contributor : Two issues "Moving In" interior decorating magazine, Dublin
"Living It" magazine, Dublin - regular contributor
"Boots `n All" internet travel magazine
Various travel publications and internet magazines
Author : "The eArt Directory" launched at 2005 Art in the West Exhibition.
Author : "How to Make Handmade Paper", published August 2005
Curator and Contributor : "Art in the West 2005" catalogue
Press Trips : Abruzzo, Italy - art course for Point 101
Own website : www.lyndacookson.com
My work is featured on many group and guest websites for both art and writing
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Statement
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On a deeper level than the notions of freedom and rebellion, incorporating colour and movement, Cookson works with what she terms the 'behind music'; she works with the masks of protection and the layers of learning people develop and build up through their lives; and she works with how they learn to live with those masks and layers; and how they achieve their wisdom.
The `behind music' she refers to is all the parts of a symphony concert in their separate forms, all the patterns of sound, the individual notes, the individual instruments, the emotions elicited, the energy expended and the people involved, which unite to make the complete piece of music so beautiful, soul-reaching, acceptable and exciting to the masses of people who listen to it.
The parallel is the lives people are living, learning and sculpting to make themselves better and more wise; to make themselves more beautiful, valuable and acceptable to the society they belong in, while still coping with the energy needed to smooth out every-day stresses in meeting their challenges.
Cookson's recent work has been influenced by Irish painter Louis le Brocquy. Other influences include Kenneth Webb, Jack Yeats and Matisse. Memories of Picasso slip in now and then.
Cookson says of her methods and techniques: 'True inspiration comes when I am excited by a subject to the point of sleeping badly at night and (preserve me!) wanting to get up early in the morning. I use oils, sometimes acrylics, on artist-prepared stretched linen canvas or linen-covered board, occasionally using my own handmade paper and various fabrics for texture beneath the paint. I like the surface to have a `tooth'. Much of my work is done with palette knives and brushes but I also use sponges, my fingers, pieces of cardboard, paper table napkins and scrunched plastic. In fact, whatever is to hand in the moment of need! My work tends to be colourist in that I build up layers of pure colour often allowing the lower layer to show through, giving movement and life to the painting.
'I use my imagination, freedom of colour and stroke-movement, to bring my art to life, finding inspiration in the unexpected and in the use of `rebellious' colours.
'Once the painting is complete it's important for me to be impelled to look at it again and again and to feel the butterflies of pleasure in what has been created - otherwise I paint over it again!'
August 2007
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Exhibitions
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1999 to 2001 - Group and solo exhibitions in South Africa
2002 to present - Solo and group exhibitions in Galway, Ireland; Barcelona, Spain.
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