Downtown Globe’s next First Friday, Feb. 2, will include an opportunity to meet the Cobre Valley Center for the Arts’ (CVCA) artist of the month for February, Heather Coen. The CVCA, located at 101 N. Broad St., will be holding a reception for Coen from 3-6 p.m., with food, lots of fun and a bit of frolic.
Heather Coen’s paintings have been recognized and published by every major art magazine, including Art of the West, Plein Air Magazine, American Art Collector, Colored Pencil Magazine, Southwest Art and others. She has taken many classes and workshops to hone her skills.
Recently, although her career was halted by a tragedy, she has restarted with a new look. She has been included in 30 local and national shows in the last two years. Her resume includes many plein air events: “Plein Air Rockies,” “Prairies to Peaks,” “Tailgate 2022” in Sedona, artist in residence for the Boyce Thompson Arboretum, artist of the month for the Gilbert Visual Art League, and Arizona Plein Air Painters honors.
She belongs to such prestigious national organizations as Oil Painters of America, Women Artists of the West, National Oil and Acrylic Painters and Women Painters West, as well as a number of local art clubs. She currently has works in four different galleries in Wyoming, Colorado and Arizona.
“Having been born with a paint brush in my hand, my mother survived and passed on many of her artistic skills to me,” said Coen. “Apprenticed to three master artists in California over a six-year period, I launched with advantages. I soon became the president of a local art organization and learned the inner workings of shows, exhibits and keeping a herd of cats going in somewhat the same direction.
“Overcoming adversity is a part of every artist’s life. I’ve found that persistence, ethics and just plain being stubborn helps. I have drawers full with awards and ribbons. I became a Master Signature member of Paint America after winning a number of competitions through their venues. It took me eight years to accumulate enough points. I also have my Signature designation with Plein Air Artists Colorado and Pastel Society of Colorado,” she added.
Coen believes she is “creating a legacy, one original at a time.”
Her work can be seen at www.painthewild.com.
