Kate Cooley’s paintings are lyrical symphonies of overcome fears. She confronts the unknown in a tangible, compelling way, exploring the unpredictable nature of materials. She also allows herself to engage the process of art-making fully, even if it means that her work will have an unpredictable aesthetic that challenges notions about what art should be. As a result of her explorations, Cooley’s paintings inhabit that delightful space between careful patterns and liberated expression.

 

Cooley works with textiles, oil, and acrylic, pouring her thick paint over the fabric’s delicate patterns. Her palette often consists of tastefully muted pastels, yet Cooley unsettles these poetically muted tones with splashes vibrant reds or earthy browns. Her work is constantly questioning its relationship to repetition, rhythm, and abstraction. This questioning results in intriguing discoveries, as each painting dynamically confronts the volatility of expression.

 

After a long career as an educator, Cooley received a BFA from the University of North Florida in 2006. She has shown at venues throughout Jacksonville, including the Museum of Contemporary Art.