CECELIA COX

I am drawn to serene compositions which explore the harmony of colors and textures

and the juxtaposition of the natural world and the human-made. My goal is a defined

sense of light and space to express the beauty of what I see and to share that with the

viewer.

I work from life in oil on linen. My studio is illuminated by north light which I find

especially beautiful for its softness. Setting up a still life may be completed quickly or

take as long as a day. I usually have a concept in mind based on the objects used and

the color harmonies but sometimes that concept takes a turn when I start arranging the

set up. I occasionally do a detailed charcoal drawing and then an oil transfer to the

canvas if a subject is especially complicated, but I usually start the painting directly on

the linen with an umber underpainting by lightly sketching in with a brush and paint. I

next thinly mass in the darks and middle tones and remove the lights with a cloth. I then

have a fairly complete, but somewhat lighter, value range in umber called a brunaille..

After allowing that to dry, I move on to thin applications of paint to establish the color

overall with additional sessions in thicker paint to model the form and further establish

the all- important sense of light. I often use further thin applications of transparent

colors, called glazing, to complete the painting.

There are as many valid ways to execute a painting as there are artists (well, in theory).

For me, using traditional techniques and working from life is the most fulfilling and

enjoyable way to create my vision. I love the way north light can vary by showing

greater contrast in the late afternoon hours or giving the colors a warmer look on bright

overcast days as opposed to the cooler tones with a blue sky and often incorporate

these subtle variations. I am always grateful after a day in the studio.

Cecelia Cox studied art briefly at the Atlanta College of Art, but found the emphasis on

commercial and conceptual art wanting. A year living in Brussels, with visits to many of

the major European museums, had a much greater impact on her growth as an artist.

While raising two children, she continued her study of art through workshops and

classes with many notable artists. She attended open figure drawing sessions held at

the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga for many years.

Upon moving to Greensboro, NC in 2006, Cecelia was fortunate to be invited to join a

talented group of local artists who met regularly at the studio of Scott Burdick and

Susan Lyon to draw and paint from the figure. She also participated in local plein air

events and painted weekly with the Piedmont Outdoor Painters Society. A workshop

with Sherri McGraw in 2010 inspired her to focus on still life.

Cecelia is a Signature Member of Oil Painters of America. She was honored to be the

2018 winner of the Robert Douglas Hunter Award in the Guild of Boston Artists Regional

Juried Exhibition. She is also a three time finalist in the Art Renewal Center International

Salon, the largest and most prestigious competition in the world for realist artists. She

lives with her husband, Ken, in Lancaster, PA.