Coakley Brown’s passion for art emerged early in her childhood. During her years as a science teacher and parent, she nurtured observation skills as a means of understanding and appreciating the natural world, while pursuing art as a hobby. Eventually, as her own children grew older, the call to paint grew louder. After attending two years of college classes to refine her art skills, she began painting full-time. Workshops with masters such as Hai-Ou Hou, Patrick Saunders, and David Tanner, and painting outings with other artists enable her to continually learn and refocus her artistic vision.
As a representational artist, Coakley delights in using expressive brushstrokes in celebration of the light and color she sees. Whether in studio, or en plein air, her work is often inspired by nature. She strives to produce work that is authentic, but not photographic in detail. There is a balance, she believes, where authenticity is achieved in the choice of details captured or omitted. The search for that balance, arriving at it, and searching again, is paramount to her artistic journey.
Coakley is a member of the Virginia Plein Air Painters, the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association, the James River Art League, and the Bon Air Artists Association.
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