Mad Dogs & Englishmen

MAD DOGS & ENGLISHMEN VA N E S S A C O O P E R

MAD DOGS & ENGLISHMEN VA N E S S A C O O P E R 1- 22 July 2023 at White Space Art, Totnes whitespaceart.com

1 ( cover)

2 ( left)

3 ( above)

Sofa Surfer oil on board 44 x 62cms

Heaven Scent oil on board 100 x 92cms

Royal Mutts oil on board 20 x 22cms

Mad Dogs and Englishmen, Vanessa Cooper’s fourth solo exhibition at White Space features her now familiar and life-affirming homages to nature and animals. They are colourful, exuberant paintings with healthy doses of irascible humour. When asked what inspires her, the immediate reply is: “Walking is absolutely crucial. If I don’t walk I can’t paint. Just pottering around town inspires me. It can be anything, the ornaments in someone’s window – what they mean to the occupants. And remember to look up! Watch the sky traffic. There is a pigeon gang in town and seagulls camping on chimney tops, waiting for their opportunity. You see stories around you all the time.”

“My paintings are a comment on the everyday astonishment, curiosity, affection and gratitude for the world around us, rather the joy, than sadness and anger” – Vanessa Cooper

Living on the south coast in Dorset, in an artistic town, which also attracts city dwellers escaping to the country, she spots some odd things. “The people walking their dogs. Recently I’m seeing a lot of dogs in clothes, being pushed in prams, it strikes me as very funny and quite absurd.”

It feeds her anthropomorphic paintings, where animals take on human characteristics. “They are perfect puppets, animals make wonderful characters. It’s an old literary device. I think the domestic settings comes from my years of raising children. I have four kids.

There is a lot of time at home, sitting at the tea table.”

Her passion for the beauty in the everyday extends to nature and can be seen in her zestful still life. “Looking at flowers, they literally blow my mind,” she says. “The colours are incredible. This time of year is incredible.

The painting Romeo and Juliet is a love letter to spring.

The whole cycle starts again. New life, new beginnings, the hope, that’s Fertility Tree. Nature doesn’t lie, it’s all perfect. Humbling and uplifting.”

4

The Taxidermist’s Daughter oil on board 41 x 61cms

5

Inflated Ideas oil on board 55 x 62cms

6

Uninvited Guest oil on board 56 x 62cms

7

Bubbles & Goldie oil on board 36 x 48cms

8

Bye Bye Bubbles oil on board 40 x 42cms

9

Romeo & Juliet oil on board 61 x 61cms

10

Home Maker oil on board 38 x 42cms

11

Setting Up Home oil on board 58 x 58cms

12

Top O’The Morning To You oil on board 42 x 60cms

13

The Red Shoes oil on board 55 x 55cms

14

Curtain Twitchers oil on board 47 x 60cms

15

A Room With a View oil on board 54 x 64cms

16

Fur Babies oil on board 32 x 74cms

17

Calendula oil on board 30 x 30cms

18

Harpists & Flowers oil on board 42 x 40cms

19

Fertility Tree oil on board 90 x 81cms

20 ( left)

New Moon oil on board 90 x 90cms 21 ( above)

Move Over Darling (above) oil on board 39 x 40cms

Published by White Space Art, Totnes to accompany the exhibition Mad Dogs & Englishmen 1 - 22 July 2023 © White Space Art & Vanessa Cooper, all rights reserved This booklet is printed on Symbol Freelife Satin. An environmentally-friendly ECF paper certified FSC® High content of recycled material (minimum quantity guaranteed 40%)

whitespaceart.com

22

Munchies oil on board 30 x 30cms

Making art affordable.

Spread the cost with an interest free loan from ownart.

Representative 0% APR

White Space Ar t, 72 Fore Street, Totnes, Devon TQ9 5RU 01803 864088 info@whitespacear t.com