Realism | Chris Cook Artist

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.”

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

Fruit in a bowl

Chris does some amazing things with paint and canvas. Whether it’s something as complex as capturing the sunset bouncing off of the Sedona, AZ desert, the anguish in the face of Jesus as he was crucified, or as “simple” as painting a still life of some fruit in a bowl, he always has a way of capturing the moment, and the memory that it evokes.

This particular painting is one that we all might think to see in an art class, or a “beginner’s lesson”, but Chris seems to have a way of capturing still life in such a way that it is able to still express his personality and style of painting. Even with watercolors on canvas, I am amazed at his ability to capture highlights, reflections, and shadows. I feel like this style, in addition to the whimsical, spiritual, and sometimes fantasy-like nature of some of Chris’ work is a real testament to his talent as an artist.

Sometimes, creating things that are simple, and simply beautiful is the best understated ability that one can have. Chris is able to do this with both his artwork, and with the websites that he designs. He truly has a gift…

Barns, Barns, Barns…

Tennessee Barns: 1 through 5.

Why paint the same picture 5 times? Good Question. As I was about the finish Tennessee Barn #1, I was really liking the way it looked compositionally and the color scheme as well, but, I had an idea for another color pallet that I “could have used”. I pulled out a second blank canvas the same size and roughed in the same composition and left it there while finishing the first.

I thought about Monet, and how he painted the hay stack picture over and over again – using roughly the same composition, point of view… but at different times of day to get different light. What a marvelous idea… but he painted those paintings “En plein air” that is a French expression that means “in the open air,” and is particularly used to describe the act of painting outdoors (on the spot).

Unfortunately, I was painting this in my art studio in Madison, Georgia while that barn is sitting in a sharp curve in the road just outside of Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I had made a quick photo on my iPhone from the side of the road years ago, so I could not observe the barn at different times of day – I abandoned that idea and went with “I could have painted this in a different color pallet idea” that I had originally.

I repeated this idea until I had exhausted color pallets I felt were appropriate for this subject. Now I have a wonderful set of five paintings of the same subject if someone wanted to make a grouping on their wall, or a nice set of different color paintings of the same subject to suit someone’s idea of “I like those colors”.

I went on to paint another barn from Blowing Rock, North Carolina two times with two different color pallets. You will just have to go to my website to see those.

Enjoy,

Chris Cook

_________________

What’s his story?

One of my favorite pastimes is to pick a random person, someone unknown to me, and to think to myself, “what’s their story?” It gives me an opportunity, albeit completely in my mind, to try and put myself into someone else’s shoes, and imagine their story. I might see a couple sitting on a park bench and think to myself, “he has the ring in his pocket. He’s known she was the one since the first date, and he’s finally ready to pop the question”. Or, I may see a young boy using a small stick as a laser blaster or sword, “he’s blasting storm troopers, or slaying members of the foot clan!”

I feel that, so often, the story behind a piece of art enlightens us to so much more about both the artist and the subject. In writing these blog posts for Chris, I have been able to get a lot of the “why behind the what” for many of the paintings that I’ve written about. How great would it be if we were about to know the truth behind the half smile of The Mona Lisa, or what The Thinker was actually thinking about?

I want to leave you with a question about the man pictured in the painting above. What is his story? Why might Chris have painted him sitting at the bus stop, with a sign for the drivers license station being in close proximity? How old is he? Why isn’t he driving? Comment below, and let us know what you think!

Ponte Vedra

With all of this talk of snow, I felt the need to dig into Chris’ “Works On Paper” category of his website to find something to take my mind off of the chill in the air.

This original painting on paper that Made is a wonderful ocean scene that makes me wish that I was sitting on a beach chair, smelling the salt air, and sipping one of those frozen drinks with the little bamboo umbrellas in it! I particularly like the effects that he created with the waves rolling into the shore. I just might have to fly south for the winter!

When I spoke to Chris about the “Works on Paper” section of his work, he explained it to me. He told me that sometimes, he uses works on paper to begin to brainstorm and draft out one of his larger paintings before he commits it to canvas. Other times, he simply uses the paper projects to express a moment in time and theme that he experienced.

I like browsing through this section of his work, because it continues to showcase just how versatile he is as an artist, and how the subject matter that he chooses to feature is not limited to any one particular genre or style.

Water’s Edge

If you follow this blog, or know Chris at all, you know two truths about him that stand out almost immediately. He is a gifted and talented creator (websites, sketches, paintings, etc) and he loves technology. He has been in on the forefront of website development and marketing since its early days in the 90’s. He has been able to showcase much of his creative talent by featuring his original artwork here at Madison Studios.

The painting above is a great example of Chris’ ability to fuse his talents with art and technology. The process behind this piece, and others like it, is intriguing. It began with a digital image that he took with a camera. He then imported it into a creative software program that he has (much like the ones you’ve seen the Pixar employees working on in the behind the scenes featurettes of your favorite movies). From there, he began to overlay digital “brushstrokes” onto the original image, using the photo as his guideline for creating the new painting.

This fusion of creative ability and harnessing technology is a large factor to what I feel makes Chris’ gift so special. His abilities are so diverse and broad that he is not limited to any one particular style, medium, or subject matter. He has been able to utilize the full gamut of his skills to create artwork that is beautiful and incorporates his diverse talents and abilities.

In short, this style of creating paintings is very indicative of who Chris is, both as an individual and as an artist. He’s able to combine much of today’s technology with the techniques and styles of traditional art into something new and exciting. I believe that being true to the old, while embracing new and current technologies and programs is the true path to consistent success in art, as is the case in many other aspects of life…

The Studios

There is something truly special and captivating about the buildings and storefronts of downtown Madison, GA, and the storefront of Madison Studios is no exception. There is a rich and storied history that is contained in each of the buildings. I love speaking with people who have lived in Madison longer than I have to get stories of what used to be in buildings in years past. The plaque outside of the office reads “The Hardware Bldg.”, so I assume that this might have been the original site for the hardware store before it moved to the old Livery Stable.

Chris painted this watercolor painting from a photograph that he took of the storefront. When he and I spoke about it, he mentioned that it definitely had a “photo” feel to it, meaning that the lines were much more pronounced and the angles of the awning were more severe than if he’d painted it from memory. Whenever I see it hanging in the office, I can’t help but think that it could easily be mistaken for a photo. It’s an amazing testament to Chris’ artistic ability. It is very reminiscent of the painting of the old barbershop that he painted.

Realism is a style of artwork that I don’t think that I would be very good at, therefore, I appreciate it all the more when I see an artist that has captured an image like Chris has here. This is just awesome.

Still Life:

When I think back to art class when I was in school, I typically think about the times that we’d “study” still life artists, and begin to dabble into creating our own still life images. It seems that this is probably one of the purest forms of art; to take an item (or two) and capture it on canvas in a way that represents it well. I’ve seen some that looked so realistic that one might not believe that they weren’t photographs. I’ve seen others that resemble more so something that my “artistic” mind and hands would have created.

That being said, Chris used this painting as an opportunity to showcase his tools as an artist, and to express himself in a popular style of painting.

I really like this picture; this may be in large part due to the fact that blue is one of my favorite colors. Another reason that I like it so much is that I don’t have to analyze this kind of art too much. I simply get to look at it, take it in, and appreciate it for what it is. I can see it, and know immediately that the artist was taking an opportunity to capture his pliers and a tube of paint. One does not have to read into thoughts like “why did the artist use the color blue right here?” or “what does the position of the pliers say about the feminist movement or the war on terror?”

Art is beautiful and expressive. I love Chris’ style and ability to showcase so much with varied styles, subject matters, and mediums in his work. Being surrounded by it each time I sit down to write one of the posts, I never get bored or feel like I’ve seen all that there is to see in his works. As a viewer/consumer, that is important to me.

Crab Apple Tree

The south is full of interesting people, many of whom have amazing stories to tell. Farmers, dairymen, mechanics, doctors, teachers, veterans, and the like are all over little towns here in the south. One such man is affectionately known as “Mr. Charlie” to Chris. Chris spent some time shadowing and talking with Mr. Charlie, listening to stories, and snapping pictures as he walked and worked around his property. It was an afternoon full of memories and moments that I am sure Chris remembers even today.

I like the way that Chris captured this moment. The greens of the pasture and the leaves of the tree, and the roundness of the apples remind me of time spent on some family property, walking fence lines and throwing crab apples at my brother. The fruit of the tree was always temperamental, almost never “just right”; most often, a taste would result in a puckered face and an exclamation of displeasure.

The folds of Mr. Charlie’s bag and clothing almost seem to mirror the folds and wrinkles in his arms and face. Both are weathered and worn by time, but still work well, and serve a great purpose. From this angle, Mr. Charlie could remind just about anyone around these parts of an uncle, a grandfather, a neighbor, or a friend.

People from Mr. Charlie’s generation are a different breed altogether. They knew more about living off of the land, living a frugal life, and enjoying moments for what they are than any generation after probably ever will. They came from a much simpler time. Chris did a great job of capturing the essence of what Mr. Charlie, and the people like him stand for; a little worn and somewhat broken down, but still full of life, energy, and wisdom that extend far beyond their time. The amount of life held within the years of men and women like Mr. Charlie is something for all of us to remember, revere, and admire.

What are the memories that this painting evokes for you?

Southern Artist: Chris and Mike

Chris Cook is a dear friend of mine, a member of the congregation at my church, and the father of two young boys who are active and involved in the children’s and youth ministry where I serve on staff. In addition to all of that, he is also my employer; part of my job is to write blog posts about his works of art in an effort to increase awareness of his paintings, and develop a following within the art community. I say all of this to tell you that there are certain paintings that are easier than others to write about than others;

Many of them are of a spiritual nature, which makes it easy for a youth pastor to find content.

Some of them are abstract, which stretches this simple minded Georgia boy a little bit to “understand” and “explain” them,

A lot of them blend styles and themes from popular artists like da Vinci and Picasso, forcing me to dig deep down to the “fine art” exposure that I’ve had in the past, and to remember what my teachers taught us about back in grade school.

And then, there are paintings like this, where Chris has captured a very personal moment with him and his older brother Mike. How do I even begin to write about these two boys, of which I know very little? What can I say about this piece of art that my boss made to express his bond with his brother as they grew up in the Conyers area? What do begin to say about his expression of colors, the blending of mediums, and styles? And, more importantly, how about the overalls that chris has on!? 😉

The truth is, I really do like this painting.

Artistically – Chris sketched this out based on an old photograph that he had of him and Mike taken some years back. He’s told me that he doesn’t do a lot of pencil sketches, so this one must be important. The article in the paper was glued on, in an effort to re-establish the “Georgian” childhood. The colors were all sort of free formed around the sketch and paper article. Overall, I think it works really well to come together into an impressive work of art.

Personally – The two boys could just as easily be my brother Luke and me, or any other little boys growing up in rural Georgia. Chris shared that “Mike was probably about to load me into a wagon and send me down the street to get rid of me”, a thought that I can sympathize with as a little brother. I can recall many “rainy nights in Georgia” full of good sleep. The picture is fun to look at, because of the successful blending of colors and styles. I really like this work of art.