Richmond, Va.
(October 6, 2017) - The Conference Center Gallery in the Workforce
Development and Conference Center on Reynolds Community College Parham Road
Campus will open its doors Monday, October 16 to showcase Coakley Brown’s art
exhibit, “Nature's Light: A Celebration of Color.” The exhibit of 33 of Coakley's works will be on display through January 2018.
Brown says, “At age four, I wanted to be an artist. I
remember a relative telling me that as an artist, “You’ll have to wear a beret…” - I didn’t like that. I did enjoy creating art whenever I could. Nonetheless,
teaching science and raising a family became my focus, a path that seemed most
practical at the time. As a teacher and parent, I nurtured in students, my
children, and myself, observation skills as a means of understanding and
appreciating the natural world.
As my children grew, “forced” ventures into galleries/art
museums became a running family joke. Often, I was searching for pieces
that I could not quite find. My family encouraged me to paint my own.
Eventually, a wake-up call reminded me that as humans, none of us lives
forever. The message: What are you waiting for? DO THE THING!
As a representational artist, I am happiest when working
with expressive brush strokes, capturing and exaggerating hints of color on
canvas in a celebration of the light and color I see. Whether in the studio or
field, my work is often inspired by nature. Painting directly from life en
plein air ‘in open air’, brings me a bliss I relish sharing with
others. I strive to produce work that is authentic, but not photographic in
detail. There is a balance, I believe, where authenticity is achieved in the
choice of details captured or omitted. The search for that balance, arriving at
it, and searching again, is paramount to my artistic journey.
The public is invited to the open reception Monday, October
16 from 6 to 8 p.m. For more information about this event or to schedule a tour
of the collection, contact Karen Steele at ksteele@reynolds.edu.
