Revisiting Earlier Drawings / February 24, 2019 by Jeannine Cook

The tang of mint, the fragility of a lily - botanical drawing teaches about so many aspects of plants. Yet it is interesting to measure that as I have evolved as an artist, those earlier drawings have led me on to learning so much more about trees, rocks, environments, places. Seeing two exhibitions of my botanical metalpoint drawings up now in Berkeley and Oakland at the same time is both a celebration and a realisation of how the world can teach us artists so much more, all the time.

Fastening your robe, 17th century style / February 9, 2019 by Jeannine Cook

As I looked at portraits of 17th century Spanish royal ladies in the Prado, they suddenly offered a fascinating sampling of how women fasten their dresses. Not for them a simple method of closing their dress. Rather, the fastening became part of the bold, imaginative design of the gown, part of the message of power, wealth and circumstance that was so dazzlingly recorded in paint by Court painters.

Out and About, Drawing Book in Hand / February 5, 2019 by Jeannine Cook

Having a drawing book with one when out and about rewards, not only at the time as one hones drawing skills, but also later,.Then a drawing becomes a passport to remembering the sights, sounds and sensations experienced at that time. Yet, for me at least, I have realised that these drawings are a world apart from my usual metalpoint drawings. Does that matter? Who knows!

Using Art to Remind / January 16, 2019 by Jeannine Cook

Symbols of past glory, of empire and and global reach, caravels and carracks still sail in Lisbon, woven in Persian 17th century carpets, painted on Japanese screens or even depicted in pavement cobblestones. All reminders of nearly six centuries of empire, for good or for bad. Seeing these emblematic ships at a moment when the Brexit furore is reaching a crescendo in England made me ponder the parallels of the erstwhile Portuguese and British Empires.

Never Assume - in Art! / January 7, 2019 by Jeannine Cook

Paul Signac’s St Briac, The Cross of the Seamen, 1885, was one of many reminders to me not to assume you know much about an artist’s oeuvre, no matter how many works you have seen. This exhibition, “From Monet to Matisse: Masterworks of French Impressionism from the Dixon Gallery and Gardens” was a collection of surprising and enlightening paintings that dusted out the cobwebs and made me learn more about the Impressionists.

Finding Flowers in Lisbon / January 5, 2019 by Jeannine Cook

While Portugal is famed for its tiles, frequently inspired by nature, a recent visit to Lisbon led me from one delight to the next in a celebration of man’s inventiveness in depicting flowers in a multiplicity of ways down the ages.

Oak Matters and Art in Derbyshire, England / November 14, 2018 by Jeannine Cook

Haddon Hall, in the Derbyshire Peak District National Park, is a celebration of oaks. Its construction, contents, history and present day lands are hallmarked by oaks. It was thus an extraordinary place in which to be able to draw in metalpoint and prepare an exhibition for September 2019 about oaks and their future. Linking my passions for art and the environment are “Oak Matters”.

When Art and Embroidery United - Part 2 / October 20, 2018 by Jeannine Cook

Visiting master embroiderer Alain Dodier in Sainte Valiere, Southern France, was like straying into a medieval scriptorium, save that Alain is very much of our time Nonetheless, as he creates intricate vivid scenes in silk embroidery threads, using Bayeux stitching that harks back to the 11th century, his passion and dedication to historical detail and fidelity reminded me of the slow and painstaking creation of illuminated manuscripts that tell stories of great import to Western culture. His seven-meter panel about the Pilgrims’ Route to Santiago de Compostela is one such work.

When Art and Embroidery Unite - Part 1 / October 19, 2018 by Jeannine Cook

When art meets embroidery in a dark, complex historical tale of Southern France and takes five thousand hours to tell the story, this implies passion, skill, dedication and a deep sense of our need, in today’s world, not to indulge in such destruction. It is an amazing feat of story-telling.

Art and Friendships / September 26, 2018 by Jeannine Cook

Art is the most wonderful passport to making friends around the world. Sharing, learning, agreeing, disagreeing - friendships flourish and deepen over time. Many a time, art has been the bridge to making that friendship, just as it has down the ages for so many people.