Cooley Art Gallery

Postings of recent paintings

Madeline

Madeline Is the first in a series of the 3 Barron sisters. 32 x 18 oil on linen

Brown Dog Redux

Charlie, the beloved Brown Dog from ” The Gallery at Flat Rock”. Sadly, Charlie left us a few months back.  We will miss her forever.

The King of Walnut Cove

Just love painting a chicken now and then. 8×10 oil

Merritt Jacob

I spent an entertaining afternoon at my friend Merritt’s house, painting his portrait and listening to stories of his life and ancestry.  He’s from am old New England family that has a few skeletons in the closet. 12 x 16 oil “Sold”    

Thinking of Summer at Granite Lake WI

A couple July scenes in gouache.  6 x 8

Self Portrait on a Cold Day

Temps in the single digits.  The insulation in my studio can’t quite keep up. 6 x 8 oil on paper.

Snow at Biltmore Sheep Meadow.

A little studio gouache painting.

Brenda Whitcomb

A Christmas commission.  Brenda commissioned me to paint her husband,Bruce a few years back.  Bruce had me paint Brenda as a surprise.    9 x 12 oil

Pitcher with Feathers

A still life done over a few rainy days.  12 x 16 oil

Bamboo and Mountain Laurel

The view from our window 36″ x 24″ oil on linen “available”

6 Men in a zoom meeting

6 friends from a zoom meeting Oil on 18 x 24 Strathmore

“Cathy Olivas”

My latest commission.  The sister of a dear friend.  12 x 16 oil

Idyll Cottage

My friend Suzanne Camarata commisioned me to paint her parents vacation home.  It sits in the Northern Mountains of South Carolina. 18 x18 oil

Kate’s Dream

This is a new painting done for an exhibition opening at The Gallery at Flat Rock on Jan 21.  The theme is transcendence and one 20 artists have created pieces on this concept.  Very apropos of these crazy times we have been living through.  So leave the world behind and come have a look. 30″ […]

Socially Distanced Cow

  24″ x 30″ oil on linen.  “available”

Star

Just learned that “Star”,  was accepted into the American Impressionist Society’s first National online showcase.

Nodding Giants

Headed out to Johnson Farms, here in Hendersonville, to catch the last of the Sunflower season. 9 x 12 oil  “Available”  

The Quarantine Painters

“Hogback Peach Blossoms”  9×12 oil At the beginning of our Covid shutdown, a few of my painter friends and I decided we could safely paint outside as a group.  So, once a week a location would be selected and we would meet there and paint plein air. This peach blossom painting is from the very […]

Into Atlanta

heading The RR tracks heading toward downtown Atlanta. 16 x 20 oil on linen.

Flowergirl #8

The last of the 5″x7″ Flowergirl series

The Flower Girls Dance

The flower girls had the floor to themselves at the wedding reception.  9″ x 12″  oil on linen  

The Angels Danced

Happy Holidays everyone.

Bob

My Uncle Bob Tayor.  I keep trying to capture this guy, but he’s tough in more ways than one.  I think this effort comes the closest. 16 x 20 oil

Rail Road Bridge Over the French Broad River

Plein air on a beautiful NC day.   The colors of fall are coming on.  Not quite as vibrant this year, due to lack of rain. 11 x 14 oil

Afternoon Delight

Hard to resist painting sunflowers.   Johnson Farms  Hendersonville, NC 12″ x 12″ oil on linen

Red Hot Happy 4th!

Happy 4th everyone!   This was done a few years back.  16 x 20 oil   Happy Birthday Emily.  You should email me, there is something you should know.    

Mrs. Sandburg’s Goat

One of the goats at the Carl Sandburg home in nearby Flat Rock, NC. 16″ x 20″ oil

RIP Dr John

Painting done years ago.  Still have this one.  Oil on panel. Happy Father’s Day to all you fathers.   Mike D. please get in touch there is something you should know.

Heidelberg Hotel

Heidelberg Hotel, at the Bonclarken Conference Center in Flat Rock, NC. A lovely place with much more to paint.

Lenten Rose and Camellia

Painting a still life with the masters on tv in the background.  My kind of Sunday.

“The Yardbirds”

” The Yardbirds”  16 x 20 oil Happy Birthday Mike!

Dark Lady

A little Black hen from Herbalicious Farms, NC 12″ x 24″ oil on linen panel.

Brown Dog Redux

Our dog Sunny’s best buddy in a calm moment. 11″ x 14″ oil on linen panel

Golden Hour Pines

Painted from photos on our West coast drive, a few years back. 24″ x 24″ oil on linen

Holly’s Trees

Fall in Western NC is still with us.  This is from my friends Holly and Kim’s spread. 9 x 12 oil.

Before the Storm

Headed out yesterday to paint before the rain and wind move in. Lake Julian, NC. 11 x 14

Selfie

Keeping up with the aging process.  My last self portrait was a few years ago.  12″ x 16″ oil on linen.

Airstream

This has been parked in my neighborhood for a few days and I finally got a chance to paint it.  The owner, James is going to take it cross country in a few days.  It is beautiful inside and out.  A real piece of Americana.

Bridge Over the French Broad River.

The colors are coming on strong and The mountains are beautiful. This bridge is along Brevard road in Etowah, NC. 9 x 12 oil

Bruce

Bruce and his wife Brenda, visiting from Myrtle Beach,  came into the gallery in Asheville  one day.  He had on a Great looking hat.  He became the next installment to the Men in Hats series.  8×10 oil.

CURLYHEAD

A little something different.  I worked from a selfie my friend Caroline took.  10 x 10 oil on linen.

Late Summer Greens

A small lake a few blocks from my house.  The greens are just starting to change.  9×12 oil.

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”

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.  

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.

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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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