Lesa Cook, who grew up in South Carolina, has been in art almost as long as she’s been an educator.
Cook, 59, has been teaching for 15 years at the Delaplaine Arts Center, but before that, she was a graphic designer for 25 years as an art director and production artist. She also taught at Frederick Community College as a graphic design and drawing teacher. She has been a teacher as a career for 20 years.
And, she said, she always wants to keep learning. She said The Copyist Gallery, a collective gallery with artists who recreated masterpieces, was a learning exercise for her.
Cook received a Bachelor of Arts in studio art from the University of South Carolina in 1987. In 1990-’91 she graduated in computer graphics at George Mason University. She continued her fine art studies part time at The Maryland Institute College of Art, The Corcoran School of Art, The Art League in Alexandria, Virginia and The Schuler School in Baltimore. She is enrolled at The Florence Academy of Art in Florence, Italy, until June to further her education. She also teaches at The Delaplaine Arts Center in Frederick.
Cook said she finds inspiration everywhere.
“From what is going on in the world, from news, and nature,” she said.
She is a sculptor, painter, teacher, and graphic designer.
Cook takes her 130 to 140 hours (about six days) for each piece. Her favorite project was the “Tim” bronze sculpture of her husband.
The goal of her work is to connect with people, to honor the people she paints or sculptures, and to understand their state of mind when creating art.
“It’s never too late to learn or even study art,” Cook said. “I encourage anybody who’s interested to try art because I feel like as kids, we’re all artists, then somehow when we grow up, we put that side away.”
To find more information about Lesa Cook, visit https://www.lesacook.com/
