Mixed media artist and intuitive painter Gail Butters Cohen knows the complexity of a woman’s life story extremely well. Her work interweaves women’s narratives like “warrior,” “mother,” “sister,” and “friend,” playfully discovering and uncovering these stories one at a time with acrylic paint, ink, drawings, found objects and paper.
Dive into her work below below, and enjoy!
Featuring flowing gowns and twirling skirts, Tuscan Daughter shows the elegance and timelessness of femininity and the love between mother and daughter.
Glimmering sunbeams light up the meadow as these two pass through, stopping momentarily to observe a blossoming flower here and a tree with changing leaves there. Gail’s deftness at portraying striking detail in the gentle folds and curves of each dress, and the way that she layers branches within the spindly trees brings a three-dimensional quality to this painting that’s truly stunning.
Not to mention the vibrant reds which play wonderfully off the green tones throughout the piece. It’s simply a gorgeous painting to look at.
Next is a story of strength and dedication, as a woman bravely takes on what can only be a woman’s task. Expecting depicts this woman at the height of her pregnancy, bun in disarray with a hand to her forehead in concentration and pain as she appears to be fighting through a contraction.
Subtly bringing down the intensity of the moment, a variety of blue and purple hues shimmer throughout the piece, offering a calming effect to the scene. These soothing colors bring back to the forefront the magnificence and joy of giving birth.
Finally, Shared Memories is a tribute to the closeness of a deep friendship between two women, who find it easy to spend an entire day laughing and reminiscing.
The background is hazy, showing just a few trees next to a shady spot by the water, letting the figures “speak” for themselves. I especially love the non-proportionate scale of the two women, which maintains this paintings’ expressionistic appeal.
You can tell these women are relaxed and at peace, totally free to be themselves. It’s a gorgeous tribute to that one friend you have whom you can tell anything to and know your secrets are safe.
Gail strongly believes in the power of art to relieve emotional and physical pains and illnesses. Do you feel a sense of wellbeing, positivity and inspiration after viewing her work? I know I do! If you’d like to see more of Gail’s paintings, please take a minute to visit her full online gallery.
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