Ann Marie Coolick is an impasto painter from Arlington, VA focusing on geometric abstractions and expressionist landscapes using only palette knives and heavy body paint straight from the tube. She slathers frosting-like paint layer upon layer onto the canvas with paint running off the edges, resulting in a sculptural, three-dimensional appearance.
Ann Marie was a Resident Artist at the Arlington Arts Center from 2004 to 2009 and has since exhibited across the mid-Atlantic including solos at the Glen Allen Arts Center, the Center for the Arts in Manassas, and the Hylton Center. Her work has also been featured in Creative Digest UK, L’Officiel Australia, Elan Magazine, and Home Goods. She graduated from Virginia Tech Summa Cum Laude with a BA in Studio Art (honors painting concentration) and a BS in Marketing Management in 2003. She currently resides with her family and three young boys in Arlington, VA.
We had a short talk with her and this is was what she told us.
We would like to know more about you.
Ann Marie Coolick: I grew up in a suburb of Washington, DC and after graduating from Virginia Tech I moved up to Arlington, VA. I work out of my home studio, a cozy and bright little space in our upstairs loft. It’s essential having a home studio, as I also have three little boys ages 3, 5, and 7.
Tell us a little bit about your design background.
I have degrees in both Studio Art (painting) and Marketing Management, and both have helped tremendously in running my own fine art business. I’m represented by galleries in Virginia and also sell original art through my website, www.annmariecoolick.com I also work on commission with collectors across the US.
Talk to us about your artistic work. What inspires you?
Ann Marie Coolick: I’m inspired by color and texture. I remember doing my first oil painting in my senior year of high school and I was mesmerized by the textural possibilities. Since then, texture has always been the dominant feature in all of my work. In fact, I’ve worked exclusively with palette knives for over a decade. My subjects range from colorful geometric abstractions to depictions of my surroundings including local florals and seascapes of the mid-Atlantic.
What’s creativity for you? What are the characteristics, attitudes, abilities that have lead you to live doing what you love?
Ann Marie Coolick: Creativity for me is living a creative life every day, whether it’s painting in my studio, working on my website, or brainstorming ideas for new work. When my inspiration is low, my favorite place to go is the Hirshhorn Museum of Contemporary Art in DC.
