Landscape | Chris Cook Artist

Pop Up Gallery for Christmas 2019

Carter Atchison along with Tori Pirtle of Madison, GA teamed up to present the art of Chris Cook in an empty store front offered to Chris by the store owner. The storefront had been empty for several years – but this Christmas season, Carter Atchison and Tori Pirtle headed the project from picking art to hang, all the social media, marketing, adding all art to Etsy for sale planning a Soirée to invite everyone for a preview.

New paintings were created for this temporary gallery and many works not seen in any exhibits by the artist were selected so that our faithful attendees will see new, unseen works.

Below are some of the social media work from Carter Atchison and Tori Pirtle created…

We are pleased to announce the opening reception for “Holiday Pop Up Gallery” on Friday, December 13th from 5-8pm. The exhibition is being hosted by Ishmael Bowman and features art work from local artist Chris Cook.

Enjoy the art work and refreshments such as wine, beer, and assorted snacks. Part of the proceeds will go to benefit Companion Animal Rescue, a nonprofit organization.

Check out some of the artwork that will be on display at https://www.etsy.com/shop/ChrisCookArtist

AND

The Pop Up Gallery is officially open! Come visit from 12-4pm Tuesday-Saturday, and we’ll be opening at 10am this Saturday for the Tour of Homes!

There only a few days left for viewing this body of work – come down to 207 W. Jefferson Street in downtown Madison, GA across from Town Park. If it seems closed – look at the sign on the front door to contact Carter Atchison for a viewing.

Thank You,

Carter Atchison

O’keeffe Dream

This painting was created by Chris for the Farm show here in Madison. He decided to paint 5 different paintings in 5 different ways, and Georgia O’keeffe’s style was one that he picked. This painting truly embodies the way in which Georgia O’keeffe painted. The deer skull mimics that of “Ram’s Head”; in addition, the colors and swirling patterns in the background are also similar between the two paintings. However, Chris creates his own Madison, Georgia spin on the painting. Instead of the painting being reminiscent of New Mexico, it truly gives a country, rustic feel that a farm represents. What’s more rustic than a deer skull? In addition, the silos are gray and mundane, yet the green grass makes them pop. The red beneath the silos reminds me of rusted metal that you often find on buildings in rural areas.

I also feel like the juxtaposition of the gray and blue in the background is representative of a storm passing, and the blue clear sky is coming into focus. This clear blue sky seems more hopeful and happy to me rather than the dreary gray clouds.

This painting just stands out to me for some reason, but I can’t place a pin on exactly why. The colors are so vivid and bright, and I believe this might be part of the reason.

-Tori

[wdi_feed id=”1″]

Farming in the Summer

When you drive through scenic Madison, Georgia, you constantly see crops growing alongside the road no matter what time of year it is. During the summer though, all you see is corn growing high as it can reach. Thus, I felt like it was only fitting to write about this piece.

For me, summertime always means spending time with family and also eating really good food. Corn is one of those foods that always tastes better when it’s fresh and in-season, and this picture represents this for me. In addition to the corn also being an important part of this painting, the man is also representative of something bigger than himself. Chris paints him in a way that proves that he has been a farmer for many years. The wrinkles on his brow and face show what happens when worry overcomes this farmer when the crops don’t grow quite as well as they need to. Also, the farmer’s skin color and texture proves that he is in the heat and sun day after day looking after these crops. To me, this man and his corn crop is representative of the lifestyle that many have in small, southern towns like Madison. There are lots of farmers who make their living and support their families based on their crops. Without them, Madison would not be the same town. I am very appreciative for people like this farmer because without them, we would not have fresh produce in our stores or on our tables. The food doesn’t just magically appear in the grocery stores. Someone has to put in their own time and effort to produce these foods, and most of the time, this is not an easy task.

This painting also proves that it is important to support local companies and buy local because it directly benefits your community. So why not buy local?

-Tori

Hay, Y’all:

Growing up in Madison, Georgia, There are some things that one grows accustomed to seeing, smelling, and encountering as just part of life in a small town.

Farmers plant fields of hay, grain, crops, and other goods
- You can mark the seasons by when they are cutting and baling each growth of hay or straw
Farms have animals. Animals make noises and smell funny. It’s part of living in dairy country.
- Those same fields of hay and grass get fertilized… often with chicken manure. You will grow familiar with the distinct smell that comes along
Tractors need fuel and repair. A small town traffic jam might be because you’re stuck behind a combine or a tractor on its way into town or back out to the farm.
People live life at a little slower pace. Strolling down the streets of downtown, you could be met by any number of people who know your name, your mama’s name, and probably where you go to church. The community, connectedness, and camaraderie are simply something that one can’t always find in bigger cities and towns.

Chris captures a snapshot of a scene that I have driven or walked by thousands of times in my life. To me, this painting serves as a great reminder of the pace, peace, and presence that comes along with living in a small town like Madison, Georgia.

What is your favorite part of living in small town USA?

Shalom, Y’all –

Jed

Motherhood:

As I look at this painting entitled “Motherhood”, I begin to think about what it means to be a mother. (I will begin by saying that I am not a woman, so I will never know what it’s like to be a mother, and I don’t have kids yet, so I am not speaking from personal parenting experiences).

First of all, the rolling hills in the landscape are beautiful. The lush colors provide a sense of warmth and life that one might expect from the hillsides of Scotland or Ireland. The stark contrast of the two white cows in the middle of the field is striking.

The mother cow seems alert. Even in the midst of what seems to be a safe and protected environment, she is on guard and knows where her calf is. The calf seems to find comfort and protection in the touch of its mother, knowing that food and room to play are close by, but that the safety of mother’s touch is still key.

I wonder if this painting is a good parallel to what motherhood must feel like. Standing in a field, surrounded by all that you know, but all that you need is to feel the presence of your child. It seems as if the mother and her calf would be content to simply graze and bond for the rest of their days. I imagine what it must be like for the mother as the calf begins to become less and less dependent on mother’s milk, and begins to graze further and further out into the pastures. I wonder how the calf feels as it comes over a ridge to find its mother still there, waiting for it to return.

I think about my own life growing up. I think about the times that I found comfort in knowing that my mother was nearby. I think of the times that I began to graze in new pastures, only to return back to the safety and security of the fold of home.

There is something about the bond of a mother and her children that will forever be one of nature’s most beautiful expressions of intimacy, love, protection, and care.
That may be a lot to see in a painting of two cows standing in a field…but it makes me think…it makes me feel…it makes me remember. And that, brothers and sisters, is what art is all about.

Shalom, y’all –

Jed

Viewing Stages of a Painting, Three

This painting is from the FARM Art Show at the Madison Morgan Cultural Center in late 2014.

The show paired artist to a specific farm in Morgan County. I choose the Lambert Farm.

The original idea for this painting and all 6 paintings I did for the show, came to me after talking with Robyn, my wife about painting Lambert Farm as a number of different American Modern Artist… and I ran out to my studio and made a color pencil sketch to capture the idea quickly.

Below is the original color pencil.

This painting ended up on a 6 foot wide by 4 foot tall canvas. This is the painting in progress on the large canvas. Note the color copy of a second study I did in Adobe Illustrator taped to the upper right of the canvas for reference.

I have added details, see below. I used a gutter cover that had uniform holes in it to prevent objects from falling into your gutters to start the dot pattern in the sky… what a nightmare. I painted and repainted those dots!

Below is the finished painting that was in the FARM Art Exhibit.

Enjoy,

Chris Cook

Now Exhibiting: FARM at the MADISON-MORGAN CULTURAL CENTER.

Chris’ has created six large, new paintings + six smaller works on paper for this show. It is an exhibition inspired by the agrarian way of life, visually celebrating the world of farm living in Morgan County. Click Here for directions and more information.

FARM – Opening Reception FRI, SEP 5th from 6-8pm

SEPTEMBER 5, 2014 – JANUARY 4, 2015
MADISON-MORGAN CULTURAL CENTER

An exhibition inspired by the agrarian way of life, visually celebrating the world of farm living in Morgan County. FARM explores the rural values of respect, reliance, and love in relation to land by pairing eight regional artists with eight local farms. Click Here for directions and more information.

Chris’ Statement of his work for the show:
In my many trips to The Lambert Farm, I have seen a wide variety of textures, light, structures and typography. I traditionally paint from photos or my memory of what I see – so, now to paint what I know, see and feel? The answer – The Lambert Farm painted through the eye of art history – more specifically, American Moderns. A wonderful blending of the style, technique and color pallets of six well respected American Modern painters with the the actual scenes, buildings and terrain of the Lambert Farm brings to life a whole new way of viewing the land we see everyday here in the Piedmont Region of Georgia. Chris Cook.

Cow In Landscape

Cows are everywhere in the part of Georgia that Chris calls home. Madison, GA, and its surrounding counties have depended on beef and dairy farming for many years as a means of income, identity, and self preservation. Eatonton, GA (the dairy capital of GA) once boasted more cows than people. Farming has long lain at the core of what makes this part of the south unique and special.

I like that, in this painting, the viewer is able to catch a glimpse of several of the aspects of “farm life” that Madisonians and the likes have come to know, love, and embrace through the years. If one were to take a drive outside of the city limits in any direction, it wouldn’t take long before they’d be able to “spot” the familiar sight of black and white Holstein cows and calves in pastures, grazing between milkings. Long red barns with tin roofs, rolling green pastures, dusty gravel roads, and the gentle “hint” of methane in the air are all landmark sights, sounds, and smells that help to distinguish this part of the country from others.

Chris does a really good job of simply capturing a momentary thought regarding farming in GA, but one that nevertheless echoes volumes about the way of life for so many down here in these parts.

Chris Cook is a premier southern artist and owner of Madison Studios, a web design, maintenance, and e-commerce and marketing company. For his artist biography, contact information, or to view more of his work, click HERE

White top cliffs

I think that classifying himself as a “Contemporary Christian Artist” speaks volumes about Chris’ style of painting and his approach to life. His creative eye gives him the ability to spot beauty in things around him, while his faith allows him to remember that God is the ultimate creator and the force behind all things that are beautiful. What an awesome thought that the Lord of the universe is not only a loving God, but one who takes pride in creating beautiful things for us, his prized possession to enjoy.

“Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,” says the LORD, who has compassion on you.”

“He who forms the mountains, who creates the wind, and who reveals his thoughts to mankind, who turns dawn to darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth—the LordGod Almighty is his name.”

I too take solace and comfort in knowing that, with just His words, our God was able to create the beauty that is contained within our earth. I also love that artists like Chris are able to capture beautiful scenes like this one to preserve their visions and memories during their exposure to these places. Knowing that he knows WHO created this beautiful landscape, and why makes this painting all the more enjoyable to look at.

“I tell you,”he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

“The Lake”

Madison is right in the heart of Georgia’s “Lake Country”. Lakes like Sinclair, Oconee, and Lanier being so close, make it easy to take a little weekend getaway to get your toes in the water for a bit of relaxation, excitement, and recreation.

The waters and shores of Georgia’s lakes are filled with fishing holes, lazy lagoons for houseboats, and expanses of open water for skiing, tubing, and the likes.

This painting by Chris captures a snapshot of the respite and tranquility that a trip to the lake can offer. I would venture to say that, short of loading up the family and driving 4+ hours to the Atlantic, a getaway to the lake is the perfect way for those who believe in the healing and therapeutic powers of sitting in the sun by a large body of water to reap the healing benefits.

As I look at this painting, I can almost hear the wakes and breeze-driven waves lapping against the shoreline, and feel the sunshine hitting my face. It’s safe to say that I have the itch to find a large body of H2O and park myself for an extended period of time.

I love how Chris’ paintings can transform his viewers to a particular place in time. There’s something special about an artist that can accomplish that with his brushstrokes.