For many of us, this was a fun-filled and interesting year. Memorable for sure.
I know it was for me. That may be why 2012 was (and still is) such a creative year. I started mine off creatively and am wrapping it up in like fashion. It’s all about art.
A landmark year, in 2012, I celebrated ten years of producing figurative art as my primary creative focus by creating five larger-than-life original art nude paintings. While I’ve been drawing and painting my entire life – creating original art of cigars, motorcycles, and Hollywood Video murals, along with my abstract paintings, I dedicated my creative focus to figurative art back in 2002. It’s my mission and desire to create art that evokes emotion and passion for its viewers. Art that keeps me both creatively challenged and interested for a lifetime.
Along the way, I also created several powerful abstract paintings. In this post, I’m going to run through my creative year and share my 2012 body of work with you — both my figurative and abstract art.
— PEARL SERIES FIGURATIVE ART —
listed in order of creation
Ascendant on canvas – 36″ x 60″ by A.D. Cook © 2012
In January and February, I created my first figurative painting for 2012 ~ “Ascendant.” It is created in beautiful pearl metallic dark blues over a pearl white hand-brushed base layered on a specially-prepared canvas surface. Metallic mediums mixed into my paints create a glistening effect with the changing light. This combination of colors and effects creates a new experience with each viewing.
Ascendant features the beautiful art model Liz Ashley, who was featured in my previous paintings Luxe and Ardor. In this painting, she is portrayed as about 1-1/2 times life-size.
Jubilee – pearl acrylic on canvas – 36″ x 60″ by A.D. Cook © 2012
Muse: Kimi
Bold and powerful with a zest for life! Jubilee celebrates that and more. She is beauty and wine-inspired with a radiance that glistens in energy…
Completed March 1st, Jubilee is my second figurative painting for 2012 and eleventh since my 50th birthday – not that 50 is a big deal, but I felt it worth celebrating. Some eat cake. I paint… well, that and some celebratory wine, of course.
I am featuring the beautiful Kimi as my muse. She modeled for me in 2007, and I’ve wanted to create a powerful artwork inspired by her energy since then. This painting celebrates my 50 years of life and appreciation of true beauty (I’ll turn 51 by the time my next painting is completed).
It is created in beautiful pearl metallic wine tints over a pearl white/gold hand-brushed base layered on a specially prepared canvas surface. Metallic mediums mixed into my paints create a glistening effect with the changing light. This combination of colors and effects creates a new experience with each viewing. This painting portrays her as about 1-1/2 times life-size.
“Premier” © A.D. Cook 2012
Las Vegas is a town of celebration, and “Premier” is completely Vegas-inspired…
Premier is my third figurative painting for 2012, featuring the beautiful Jess Robinson as my muse. Premier is created in pearl black and red. Her color shifts from soft red to bright red as the day’s light changes. Premier is a sister painting to Infinity (created on metal in 2010).
“Beauty is truth, truth beauty – that is all ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.”
— John Keats
“Truth” 60″ x 36″, pearl acrylic on canvas
Completed on May 20th and signed during the solar eclipse, “Truth” is my fourth figurative painting for 2012 and features the beautiful Liz Ashley as my muse. Bold and powerful, Truth stares you straight in the face as she stands naked before you. It is hard to deny that she is always there to remind you of her constant presence.
Created in beautiful pearl metallic root beer colored tints over a pearl white hand-brushed base layered on a specially-prepared canvas surface. Metallic mediums mixed into my paints create a glistening effect with the changing light, creating a new experience with each viewing. This painting portrays my muse as about 1-1/2 times life-size.
For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.
~Vincent van Gogh
Nirvana – Acrylic on canvas, 36″ x 60″ [91.44 cm x 152.40 cm] © 2012 A.D. Cook
It is created in beautiful pearl metallic blues over a hand-brushed pearl base layered on a specially-prepared canvas surface. Metallic mediums mixed into my paints create a glistening effect with the changing light, creating a new experience with each viewing. The graphic and energy burst is phosphorous – capturing light throughout the day and emitting a glow of energy. In this painting, my muse is portrayed as life-size.
Completed on November 30th, “Nirvana” is my fifth and final life-size figurative painting for my pearl series for 2012.
01000111 • 01001111 • 01000100
The graphic across the top of this painting is the binary code for “GOD”
The pearl/phosphor starfield turns on when the lights go off, transitioning from pearls to a florescence.
— DRAWINGS —
Catching Wind – 22-3/4″ x 26-5/8″, Pencil drawing on Arches 140# watercolor paper – deckled edges top and bottom.
Stephanie– 22-1/2″ x 19″, Conté Drawing on Bristol Vellum.
— CANVAS ABSTRACT —
Of course, I still create abstract art, as I have since the mid-’80s. I’m sure I will always enjoy the creative outbursts of unlimited potential in abstract art. In fact, my first painting for the year was an abstract on a panel – the same for my final paintings of 2012.
The Fire – 48″ x 36″, mixed media on canvas with 18ct. Gold leaf – 1-1/2″ stretcher bars
The i-ching symbol represents “Abundance.”
The Fire represents our need to keep the passion alive with its outburst of reds over a gold i-ching for “Abundance.”
— PANEL ABSTRACTS —
Of course, I still create abstract art, as I have since the mid-’80s. I’m sure I will always enjoy the creative outbursts of unlimited potential in abstract art. In fact, my first painting for the year was an abstract on a panel – the same for my final paintings of 2012.
Sharing – 36″ x 18″, mixed media on panel with 18ct. gold leaf
The i-ching symbol represents “Abundance”.
Abundance – 18″ x 36″, mixed media on panel with 18ct. Gold leafing and poured liquid gold leaf
The i-ching symbol is the one for “Abundance”.
Myriad – 36″ x 18″, mixed media on panel with 18ct. gold leaf
The i-ching symbol represents “Abundance.”
Jump – 18″ x 36″, mixed media on panel with 18ct. gold leaf
Icon – 24″ x 18″, mixed media on panel with 18ct. gold leaf
The i-ching symbol represents “Abundance.”
Balance – 24″ x 18″, mixed media on panel with 18ct. gold leaf
Love – 24″ x 18″, mixed media on panel with 18ct. gold leaf
The graphic in this painting is binary code for “LOVE.”
L – 01101100
O – 01101111
V – 01110110
E – 01100101
Twelve – 24″ x 18″, mixed media on panel with 18 ct. gold leaf
The larger binary code spells “12″ and the “0101…” binary spells “2012″.
2 – 00110010
0 – 00110000
1 – 00110001
2 – 00110001
Red Path – 36″ x 18″, mixed media on panel | NFS
Courage – 36″ x 18″, mixed media on panel with 18ct. gold leaf
Created in support of eight-year-old Nicholas. Nick has a condition called Neuroblastoma, a stage 4 cancer that has spread to over 75% of his body. He is currently finishing stem cell harvest, several antibody infusions, and has a port in his chest. Courage is part of a raffle campaign to help in Nick’s recovery.
Recovery – 36″ x 18″, mixed media on panel
I created Recovery, my first painting of 2012, in support of friends in need. The red represents the lifeblood so vital to our existence – the gold and silver represent our hope for a cure. Please help support this very important cause: ItAintChemo.com.
All abstract paintings listed above are original A.D. Cook artworks created on Ampersand Gessobord™ museum series panels and feature a cradled 3/4″ profile. Each is fitted with a sawtooth hanger and felt pads — ready to hang, or they can be easily framed.
ASCENSION | Ground metal art diptych — stainless steel panels with hand-scribed orbs. 24″ x 48″
Ascension is all about harmony, balance, and capturing the moment. It reveals motion with its interactive dynamic grinds and holographic scribed lines. She captures everything with her interactive dynamic grinds and holographic grinds. Ascension changes appearance throughout the day as the light changes, from morning throughout the day and then from natural light to interior lighting by night.
With the year coming to a close, I can not help but be grateful. It’s been a tough year for a lot of people all over the world. Sometimes, in the midst of it all, we forget just how much we all really have, and for what I have, I am grateful. My greatest wish is for you all in 2013 to share in abundance.
• • • • •
Creativity extended beyond the canvas. In May of 2012, we created the all-new ADCook.com. The new site is a dynamic and powerful resource for my art and related content. It’s also a responsive site, which means it works great on your mobile devices.
MY FAVORED BLOG POSTS OF 2012…
- Truth & Beauty – Beauty & Truth
- The Strip Revealed
- 12 Artist Movies Worth Watching
- Creative Quotes – 1,000+ Words
- Back-to-Back
- Creative Energy Exchange
- Looking Back – Moving Forward
- Art & Inspiration
- Art Provenance
- ModelsMania Magazine
- Hollywood Retrospective
- The Art of Realism
- Creative Collaborations
- Artist Statement
- You’re Going to Need a New Couch
- Celebrating Timeless Natural Beauty – “Tradeshow Lifestyles” Interview
- The Art of Tenacity
- Balance • Love • Abundance
- DaVincian Principles
This is just a sampling of my favorite posts. Visit my Artist’s Blog for more. Browse my site to buy fine art for your collection.
• • • • •
- About the Author
- Latest Posts
- More info
A.D. is an artist who started drawing at a young age. Throughout his life, he has worked with different creative tools in traditional and digital art and design. His art and writings have been showcased in various publications such as Airbrush Action Magazine, Airbrush Magazine, American Art Collector, Art & Beyond, Dream To Launch, Easyriders, Las Vegas City Life, Las Vegas Weekly, L’Vegue, ModelsMania, Quick Throttle, and The Ultimate Airbrush Handbook.
