Grace G. Cooper
Grace’s interest in art began at a young age. While taking classes during high school at the Silvermine Guild Arts Center in New Canaan, Connecticut, she was greatly inspired by instructor Robert Reed Jr., Professor of painting and printmaking at Yale University. Along with her parents, Reed encouraged Grace to pursue her passion, and in 1985 she earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the School of Visual Arts in New York City.
Before dedicating herself to painting full time, Grace was a textile designer for printed fabric working in both the apparel and home furnishing fields. That experience proved to be invaluable in developing her technical skills and use of color.
Grace draws her inspiration from nature. Her paintings communicate a very strong sense of peace and tranquility which she achieves through her exquisite compositional skills and masterful execution of color values.
Living and working in New London, New Hampshire, Grace’s paintings are held in many private collections, represented in numerous galleries, and displayed widely in juried shows and exhibitions.
"My work is inspired by nature and the varying aspects of light, color and atmosphere. Painting in my studio, I use photos and sketches primarily as a starting point. Here the process takes on a life of its own, revealing an emotion more than a literal interpretation of a scene. By layering thin veils of paint onto the canvas, the work is given a soft, diffused and ethereal quality. I’m drawn to compositions that are minimalist in design, which for me evoke a sense of peace and serenity, something I feel we all yearn for at times."