ournal

A PORTRAIT OF ROBERT W. COOK

Fall Reflections, wet on wet, watercolor

RobertW.Cookdoesntneeda

OneuniquefactorofBobsworkis

photoalbumtorememberhis

thegreatamountofdetailthatis

favoritespots.Hepaintsthemin

tediouslyplacedinhispaintings.

watercolor.Fromtheold

WhileittakesCookanaverageof

buildingsofCuervo,NewMexico,

4daystocompleteapainting,a

tocafesinFrance,ifascene

setting,likethestreetsofNew

captureshiseye,itgoesoncanvas.

Orleans,willtakemuchlonger.

rtistCookgrewupinKansasCity,

ThesehumblebeginningsledCooktoDallas,

Missouri,andlikemanykidsofthe

Texas,wherehespentthenext30yearsasan

50s,tookajobdeliveringnewspapers.

architecturalillustrator.Hisprofessionalcareer

HisrouteincludeddowntownKansasCity

ledhimtoproduceover13,000paintings,shown

wheremerchantsawaitedthelatestnews.One

inprestigiousareassuchastheChicagoArt

storefront,inparticular,alwayscaughthiseye.A

Institute,theUSArchitecturalPerspectivistsSociety

retouchingartstudio,whereairbrusheswere

andtheJapanArchitecturalRenderersAssociation.

usedtobringlifetoprints,seemedtomesmerize
Bob.Beforelong,hewasworkingforthisshopas
agopher,justtogetclosetotheindustry.The

oday,Cookisretiredandafulltimefine
watercolorartist.Awardsandhonorshave

beencollectedfromtheNationalWatercolor

companyevolvedintoanarchitecturalrendering

Society,theSocietyofWatercolorArtists,the

businesswherestructureswerecreatedinreal

SouthwesternWatercolorSociety,andtheFlorida

lifeartwork.Thisworkwassignificanttoan

andLouisianaWatercolorSocieties.Hehasbeen

architectspresentationlongbeforeaprojectwas

acceptedinmanymajorshows,includingRio

started.

Brazo.Continued

Fall Royal Street Jazz watercolor, 20 x 20 inches

ElMetropoleisanexampleofhowCookmaybecasuallyhavingdinnerwithfriends,thenturns
asheleavestherestauranttoseeaspectacularscenethatmustbecaptured.Lightsthatdrench

thefrontoftheestablishmentcreateahauntingshadowamongthedarkenedbuildings,andleaving

afeelingofmelancholy.

El Metropole

watercolor, 18 x 30 inches, Mirande, France

Long Time Passing

watercolor, 17 x 20 inches

Live
watercolor, 20 x 28 inches
Second painting in New Orleans series

andscapeisanotherpassionofCooksashetakesineverydetailofthereflectionfromthesun
asitpoursoverthesimplesceneofOakPointthattheviewerisabletosharetosame

astonishingbeautyasthepainter,whichiswhateveryartiststrivestoachieve.Theleavesalmosta

lookasiftheyareswayingandprovidethatsamedizzyingeffectthatissoenjoyedfromthecolor
burstsofautumn.

Oak Point watercolor, 20 x 30 inches

Brazos Moon

watercolor, 24 x 17 inches

Inavideofoundatwww.youtube.com/watch?v=OJUBHajib0,Bobexplains
fromhisstudiohowtheapplicationoffrisketisusedinhiswatercolorpainting.
Heusesrubbercementandthinnerasasolventforperfectingcertainelements
andedgingofhispaintings.Friskingisalsousedinairbrushing.
RobertW.Cooksgallery,YourPrivateCollectionislocatedontheSquare,in
Granbury,Texas,wherehispaintingscanbeseenupfrontandcloseorseemore
at:http://1robertcook.artistwebsites.com.

On the Cover

Brown Gulf

watercolor, 19 x 29 inches

Goat Man

watercolor, 22 x 30 inches

arttoartpalettejournal.com012016RobertW.CookUSATexas