First Friday Featured Artist - Matt Hyleck

Matt defines his ceramic work as being a direct love for natural objects. His work evolves around natural forms and symbols. Matt says his current works have evolved from his search for place and the placement of particular objects within a defined landscape environment. The interaction between an objects ability to shape it’s environment is what he looks to capture through his functional work. Matt creates utilitarian pots for every day use, simple forms that speak primarily about functionality and the intimacy gained through daily use. The life of a pot becomes complete only when it is used and so he strives to make his work not for the shelf but for the table. Matt works with commercially manufactured stoneware and porcelain clay, changing clay specifically in response to the intended glaze finish for each piece. Some of his glazes respond directly to the iron contained in the stoneware or, inversely, to the absence of iron in the porcelain. All works are bisque fired to cone 04 (1922°F) in an electric kiln and glaze fired to Δ10 (2345°F) in a propane downdraft reduction kiln. His work primarily within a family of glazes called Shino; an American variation on a traditional Japanese Raku glaze. The contemporary American Shino is a glaze attributed to Virginia Wirt in 1974 while she was a student at the University of Minnesota. Countless Shino glaze variations have followed, resulting in a family of glazes that have captivated generations of potters and collectors alike.


Please come to The Cooley Gallery, this Friday; August 1 from 6pm - 9pm to see Matt's work or go to his webpage and take a look at all his functional pottery which are also works of art.


http://matthewhyleck.com/statement.html

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First Friday Featured Artist - Ken Sullins

In December, Ken shot the progressing of the full moon over 3 nights in Fajada Butte ("banded butte") New Mexico. This beautiful creation rises 380 feet above the valley floor to an elevation of 6623 feet in an almost perfect north-south, east-west axis. The butte stands in a prominent two-mile wide gap between the East Mesa and Chacra Mesa, which form the south wall of Chaco Canyon. The summit of the butte offers commanding views of Chaco canyon and of the vast expanses to the South, and as such makes a unique observation site, either for astronomical or surveillance purposes. Ken is inspired by Georgia O'Keefe's art "Black Place" and "White Place" which is a story of a talented artist with an insatiable drive. Ken has is own visions that are much shared with Georgia O'Keefe's and shows his respect for the trail she lead in his own vision through his work.

Please come to The Cooley Gallery, this Friday; August 1 from 6pm - 9pm to see Ken's work or go to his webpage and take a beautifully mapped journey in the world he has captured through his lens.

http://www.kensullinsphotography.com/index.html 

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Canvas and Cork in Cody Wyoming

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Chris had a chance to head back to his roots to teach a painting class that was attended by Cody's local talents and some Cooley family members. This was a perfect setting for a fun filled night of paint and wine. The class was put together and taught at Cody's first ever winery, Buffalo Jump Winery, LLC. In addition to some impressive wine selections, they also hold "sip and paint" classes. If you take a look at their Facebook page you will see, it is quite the hit there, as much as it is here. Which goes to show, even in his downtime he is thinking about what kind of art he can inspire in those around him. 

Have no fear, we will be holding four classes of our own the month of August. A calendar will be out following our First Friday event on August 1st.  

 For private appointments beyond normal business hours, please call 
703-779-4639

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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, THE COOLEY GALLERY 2012

12 S. King Street. Leesburg, VA 20175
703.779.4639
Gallery Hours
Wednesday 12-5pm
Thursday through Saturday 11-6pm
Sunday 12-4pm