Cooley Art Gallery

Postings of recent paintings

Happy Fourth Everyone!

And a happy Birthday to Emily. Here’s digital illustration from a few years back done for Lucas films and Hasbro. Battle Droid  

Mills River Vista

A morning with the Western NC plein air painters. A good group of painters and a beautiful morning.  9 x 12 oil.  “Available”

Christopher Kendall

The former Dean of the Music Theatre and Dance School at the University of Michigan. This a preliminary drawing for a portrait I was commissioned to paint.  The final painting was not this pose, but I thought this drawing worked out well.  16″ x 18″  charcoal and chalk on toned paper.

7 Falls

Finally got out for some spring painting at a beautiful little Spot about 25 minutes from home.  I will be returning.  11 x 14 oils. “Available”

Kate in Red

My favorite model, Kate from Atlanta was in Asheville and we had a couple sittings.  This is painting #1 from our sessions. 16″ x 20″  Available

Classic Chevy Pickup

Not far from my house, sits this beauty.  1954 Chevy. 6 x 8 gouache on paper. “Available” Happy Birthday, Mike!  Sorry, missed it by a day.

1953 PONTIAC WOODY

A 1953 Pontiac woody that was parked at our hotel on our trip to Maine last August. 6 x 8 gouache on paper.

Scott Lane

Scott Lane, our sitter at the Wednesday night head study.  12×16 oil on linen.

Rolls in Decline

A sad old Rolls Royce sitting out in the elements.  Still a beautiful automobile.  A couple miles from my house here in Hendersonille. 5″ x 7″ gouache watercolor on paper.  “available”

Up to the house

A nice little scene near Etowah, NC.  9 x 12 oil

Reagan

Our niece Reagan, who just turned five.  She was four when I took the pic I worked from.  The girl knows how to accessorize.  16 x 20 oil

Little Toot

“Little Toot”, is what the locals in Maine called this little Tug. I went up to paint with some old and new friends. A workshop With Julain Merrow-Smith was the occasion and everyone there had been to Provence to paint with Julian over the last 2 years. Our hosts Julian and Ruth were as gracious […]

Shanna

Our lovely model for our Wednesday night portrait study at the Tryon Painters and Sculptors Studio.  12 x 16 oil.  

Incoming Storm

Painting the storm clouds at the end of Crab Creek road at Rt 64 when they started heading my way.  Had to pack up in a hurry.  11″ x 14″ oil on linen.

Rocket Girl

Some thing a little different for me.  charcoal on paper 16″ x 21″

Round Bald

The Appalachian trail, at Carver’s Gap, Roan Mountain Tn.  The trail just keeps on going all the way to Maine. I joined a few of the Plein air of NC for 3 days at this beautiful place.  Day 3 the wind stopped howling so we could get up here. 

Looking West

The Biltmore has an incredible view to the west.  I set up my gear in the south pasture.  There are no bad views here.  11×14 oil on linen. 

Colin

17 year old Colin our model for the Wed night portrait study session at the Tryon Painters and Sculptors studio.

Helen Byrd

Our fantastic model at the Tryon Painters and Sculptors Wednesday night study session.  12 x 16 oil.

Edneyville Ruin

A little falling down barn out in apple country.  8x 10 oil.

Made in the Shade

A little 5″ x 7″ portrait of a hen from Rabun Gap, Georgia. Happy Birthday Mike.  

Theo

A recent painting of Theophilous Mackey, one of the many great folks I’ve met here in Hendersonville, NC.  24″ x 30″ oil on linen.

End of Winter

Winter is as good as over here in Hendersonville, NC.  This is a scene from the Biltmore Estate done about a month ago.  Tomorrow it’s time to paint Spring.  Happy birthday Grandson Thomas and My Dad “Big Don” wherever you are.

Chicago Mike’s Blues

Studio portrait of my friend, Mike Waterkotte, from, you guessed it. Chicago.  16 x 20 oil on linen.

Snowy fire pit

Our side yard after last weeks big snow.  11 x 14 oil

Tyrone

Another all prima from our Wednesday night head study session at the Tryon Painters and Sculptors studio.  12 x 16 oil on linen.

Wolf’s Angel

Plein Air painting of Wolf’s Angel.  The angel resides at the Hendersonville cemetery and was the inspiration for Thomas Wolf’s first novel, “Look Homeward Angel”.  9×12 oil on linen.  “available”

Center Cut

Another fine day in WNC.  9×12 oil on linen.

The Barn at Walnut Cove

Back to the Walnut Cove Stables near Hendersonville, NC.  11 x 14 oil on linen. “Available”

Chicken Barn

A plain air of the chicken barn at Walnut Cove Stables.  11 x 14  oil on linen.

Happy Father’s Day

In honor of father’s day, here’s a big old rooster.  charcoal on paper. I hope all you Dad’s receive the bar-b-que tools, fishing hats with clever quotes, and off brand golf balls you’ve been waiting for since last year. An especially fine day to you Mike.  

Remi

Remi from Walnut Cove Stables, near Hendersonville NC.  16 x 18 charcoal on paper.

Theo

Theo, painted at Wed. night head study.  12 x 16 oil on linen.

Chestnut Trot

Remi from Walnut Cove Stables.  9 x 12 oil on linen.

Oakland Street Bungalow

A pretty bungalow next door to my house.  Oil on 11 x 14 linen.  “available”

St. Simon’s Cedar

A cedar tree from my recent St. Simon’s painting trip.  Once again, painted plain air until the rain, then finished in the studio.  Oil on 11 x 14 linen panel  “Available” .

Allosaurus

This one is from my illustration days in Detroit.  Done for the Detroit Children’s Science center as a poster and t-shirt.  Acryllic on illustration board. Happy birthday to Grandson, Thomas.

Kennedy

Kennedy Greenwood, a British Musician now residing in Detroit with my friend Maggie Schultz. A great guy. Together he and Maggie make up the duo, “Honey and Buffalo”. 18 x 24 charcoal on strathmore paper.

Nina Simone, the Black Swan

Nina Simone, 24″ x 30″ Oil on linen.  Done for my gallery in Tryon, NC., Nina’s birthplace.

Lady in a Red Headdress

This is Kate from the Atlanta Artist’s Center.  11 x 14  oil on linen.

Huck

This is Huck, a white labrador retriever.  This was a commission for a neighbor in Atlanta.  11 x 14  Oil on linen.

Prints are now available

I’ve added a set of botanical prints I illustrated years ago, along with my Blues musician series. Go to prints category in upper right of page or  “click here”  

Hay Barn in the Valley

Hay barn filled for winter in a beautiful valley west of Hendersonville, NC.  9″ x 12″ oil on linen panel.

White Barn Sunset

With just a little daylight left and the temperature dropping fast, I had to stop and paint this scene on the road between Hendersonville and Brevard. 9×12 oil on linen

Sycamore Field

There is still some color left in the Mountains of North Carolina.

Killarney House

My first Plein air in our new home, Hendersonville, NC.  This is Killarney house.  Ours is the guest or carriage house glimpsed in the background.  9 x 12 oil on linen panel.

Naomi

2 hr oil sketch, painted at the Atlanta Artist’s Center.    

Red Hot

What is left of an old truck stop sign on the outskirts of Meridian, Mississippi.

Elena

Elena, a fantastic new model at the Atlanta Artist’s Center.  Oil on 12″ x 16″ Arches oil paper. “Available”  

The White Chicken Strut

A proud white chicken strutting around the coup in Rabun Gap, Georgia.  Oil on 12″ x 16″ linen.  “Available”

Chocolay River Bank

At a bend in the Chocolay river as the sun was coming up in the UP of Michigan near Marquette.  8″ x 10″ oil on linen panel

St William’s Church

St William’s Catholic church in Paoli, Wisconsin, just a few miles outside of Madison.  A very pretty little mission style church at the corner of the town square.

Sue Taylor’s Wisteria

Just finished a trip through Michigan, Wisconsin, and then Chicago. This is Sue Taylor’s wisteria in Lake Station, Michigan. 8″ x 10″ oil on linen panel.

Happy 4th of July

A very Happy Birthday to a very special lady, my Granddaughter Emily.  I miss you so. This piece is a digital painting of Obi-Wan as a younger man.  This was done as part of a boxed set released by Lucas Films and Hasbro.  Done in Corel Painter.

Field with Long Shadows

Final painting from final day in Provence. Field with long shadows, 8″ x 10″ oil on panel.

Le Madelene, near Malaucene, France

A painting from the road of Le Madelene, the ancient monastery where we stayed during the workshop with Julian Merrow-Smith.  Day 5  6″ x 10″ oil on panel.    

Day 1 in Provence

Just behind Le Madelene, where we stayed, is this beautiful valley full of vineyards and orchards.  The clouds moved in, but it was still a stunning view.  Julian had just given an amazing demo and we all scattered to find our masterpieces.  6″ x 8″ oil on panel.

Nanybel

Nanybel Salazar, was the model for this session at the Atlanta Artist’s Center. Nanybel is also a a very talented painter and a juried member of The Atlanta Portrait Society. 11″ x 14″ oil on linen.

Man in Dark Red

This painting is from the Tuesday session at the Atlanta Artist’s Center.  The model is Matthew.  12″ x 16″

Bud McGee’s Field

While driving from Atlanta to Louisiana, I left the highway at Forest, Mississippi to search for a subject to paint.  Finally, I spotted this gorgeous field full of small yellow flowers.  Little did I know, that the local dairy farmers had a different opinion of these little beauties.  The owner of the farm, Bud, and […]

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  • I have been painting and illustrating professionally for my entire career. I recently left the graphic arts business to paint full time. Life is grand! If you would like to know more about me, hit the "About" link in the upper right corner. For pricing or any other info please email me. dgcooley11@gmail.com All images on this site are copyright protected by the artist.
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