Events This Week /  by kimcogan


I have been invited as a guest speaker to visit Laguna College of Art + Design.

November 17, 2011. 11:30am Studio 9, Main Campus.

www.lcad.edu/


I will be doing a lecture/demonstration in the 4-day Massive Black San Francisco Workshop along with many other talented artists working in the entertainment industry. If you are an artist interested in improving your skills and making a career in the arts, please come join us!

November 19 - 22nd, 2011.

Somarts Cultural Center
934 Brannan Streeet
San Francisco, CA

www.massiveblackworkshop.com/


The Safehouse Show Three: The Humble Show

November 20th, 2011. 7 - 10pm

80 Langton
San Francisco, CA

The Safehouse Studios

Solo Exhibition at Gallery Henoch /  by kimcogan

September 22 - October 15, 2011.

Thank you everyone for coming out and making the show so memorable. I was overwhelmed by the support, and feel very fortunate to participate in the NY art world. It was great to meet new faces and see familiar ones.

The show hangs until October 15th. A brochure is available. For more information about the paintings, please contact info@galleryhenoch.com.


































Solo Exhibition /  by kimcogan



My third solo exhibition will be opening at Gallery Henoch in New York City, September 22, 2011. I hope you will be able to join me at the opening. RSVP on facebook.

New Paintings
September 22 - October 15, 2011.

Opening Reception September 22nd, 6 - 8pm.

Gallery Henoch

555 West 25th Street
New York, NY 10001
tel: 917.305.0003
email: Info@galleryhenoch.com

www.galleryhenoch.com

Kim Cogan paints city scenes that explore the relationship between interior and exterior spaces, between structured and natural forms, between individuals and their connection to the surroundings.

Cogan’s paintings transform our way of seeing. In his luminous cityscapes and in the temperament of his interiors, he balances the representational with the abstract. Cogan uses subtle gradations of color and sharp contrast of detail to guide the eye around various shapes and composition. The brushstrokes are left fresh, describing rather than defining. “Paint is tactile, and it should remind the viewer that they are looking at a painting,” Cogan says. “There’s an obvious trace of the artist’s hand.”

In his new body of work, Cogan explores the idea of place as a source of meaning. The figures in the environments suggest a narrative, but the viewer is allowed to fill in the story. Cogan’s environments go beyond mere context because, like a portrait, they describe a character, a history, and a purpose.

www.kimcogan.com

The Contortionists /  by kimcogan

On the way to work, I recall along the way passing by a beautiful cherry red bicycle locked outside a store. Having passed by the bicycle twice a day to and from work, I assumed the owner lived or worked nearby and didn't pay much attention. It wasn't until one day I noticed that the seat had been stolen and a week later, the wheels were missing. Over a time period of a month, the thieves much like vultures, slowly picked away at the remains piece by piece until all that was left was a dented, rusty old frame which remained for several years chained to the parking meter.

Whenever I pass by bicycles with handlebars missing, or oddly warping wheels that look as though it is melting to the ground like from a Salvador Dali painting, I have often thought to document the slow transformation I had previously observed. I found plenty of subjects to choose from while walking around the streets of New York.




The Contortionists, 2011
20" X 20"
oil on canvas

Art Chicago Art Workshop Hawaii ArtMRKT San Francisco /  by kimcogan

Hespe Gallery will be participating in a few upcoming art fairs and exhibiting a few of my artworks. For more information contact info@hespe.com.


April 29 - May 2, 2011.

Hespe Gallery, booth #253

The Merchandise Mart
Chicago, IL

www.artchicago.com


May 15, 2011. 12 - 6pm.

I will be participating in a special 1 day art workshop in Oahu with talented artists Justin "Coro" Kaufman and Adam 5100. May 15th, from 12 - 6pm. If you are on the island and want to learn about painting, come join us!

Soho Mixed Media Bar
80 S Pauahi St.
Honolulu, HI

www.artworkshophawaii.com



May 19 - 22, 2011.

Hespe Gallery, booth #217

Concourse Exhibition Center
620 7th Street
San Francisco, CA

www.art-mrkt.com

Dallas Art Fair /  by kimcogan



Gallery Henoch will be participating in the Dallas Art Fair April 8 - 10, 2011.


Booth G12

Gallery Henoch
555 West 25th Street
New York, NY 10001
tel: 917.305.0003
email: Info@galleryhenoch.com
www.galleryhenoch.com

I have added a new painting to my website, it can be viewed at Gallery Henoch. The column to the right, upcoming events has been updated.


Rooftops In Brooklyn, 2011
30" X 45"
oil on canvas

Winter Group Show /  by kimcogan




Winter Group Show, March 3 - 26th, 2011.

Opening reception: Thursday March 3rd, 5:30 - 7:30pm.

Hespe Gallery
251 Post Street, Suite 420
San Francisco, CA 94108
tel: 415.776.5918
email: info@hespe.com
www.hespe.com

I have added a few of the new images to my website.



Also, a very limited edition print of the painting "Homeward Bound" is now available at www.827INK.com.

On the go /  by kimcogan



First, I am happy to announce the news of this years upcoming events.

I will be participating in a group show at Hespe Gallery in March.

In September I will have a Solo exhibition with Gallery Henoch.

To the top right of this page, the upcoming events column has been updated. More details to follow soon.


To start of the new year I decide it was time to make life/painting on the go much easier, so I picked up some new equipment.

RIP. This is my old faithful set up I have used for several years. I picked up the easel at a garage sale from a family whose father was an artist and had passed away and the family was selling all the belongings in the studio. The family was very happy when they found out I was an artist, and I assured them that the easel would be of great purpose and put to use.

Whenever I would consider painting outside the studio, the idea would give me a headache because this setup is problematic, for example: it is very time consuming to unpack and to get setup, and then again the same long process cleaning and packing up. As the bolts on old faithful became stripped over the years the easel would wobble which was a sure sign disaster would strike, the easel would collapse in the middle of working on a painting. Several repairs later I continue to use the easel in the studio, but taking it elsewhere is questionable.

Another problem is throwing all my supplies in a backpack since more often I would tend to forget to pack something very crucial to working: brushes, palette, turp, certain color of paint, etc.

After a long time shopping around and comparing the pros and cons of pochade boxes and french easels, I decided to go with a Jullian French easel, since the smallest size I prefer to work around is 11" X 14". Working any smaller and I would feel cramped.


Here is a 28" X 24".

Quote from the website -

"Roger Jullian, a French prisoner of war, devoted himself to designing the perfect sketch box easel. When the war ended, he returned to France and formed the Jullian Company employing French craftsmen to produce the easel from the highest quality materials."

Upon inspection I was very impressed with how well designed and crafted the box was and saw very little need for any improvement. However, I decided to add a few of my own alterations so that everything I use in the studio would fit in one box.

I have never felt comfortable using the old hand held wooden palettes, so first I gutted the drawer, and added an old picture frame for a glass palette. The frame is hinged in and has hardboard backing behind the glass. This provides a sturdy mixing surface and cleanup is very easy.



There is enough space underneath the palette to store a few brushes and palette knives. I stapled in an old canvas brush holder in the side so there would be a place to put the brushes while working, this tucks underneath the palette for storage.


Here is the back half and the storage space underneath the drawer to store paint, brushes, paint rags, snacks, etc. I can fit a fair amount inside easily and if I fiddled around I could probably fit a whole lot more, but maybe bringing a ton of materials isn't necessary.

These 2 pieces of wood were notched and then screwed into the lid which serves a few functions. When closed it keeps the drawer locked in place, keeps the paint in its own separate compartment, and secures the palette in place.

Here is a closeup of the inside, showing how the notches fit. There is enough space to fit 2 small jars, one for turp and one for magic medium. Also there is enough space that I can keep heaps of paint on the palette and the lid does not press up against it when closed. When everything is closed very compact and snug.




I estimate it weighs a little over 20 pounds, not something I would hike long distances with. I attached an old padded shoulder strap of a delivery bag which makes it easy enough for carrying short distances around the city. This is the first round of alterations, and I am sure I will find many more ways to customize the box as I put it to use. Now when thinking of painting on the go, my head is filled with ideas instead of headache.