about


Keren Cook has a Masters in Fine Arts (first class honours) and a Diploma in Teaching. Keren has been exhibiting her work for the past 15 years. Her work is exhibited regularly both in-group and solo exhibitions. During the course of Keren's career she has been awarded awards and grants for her work within New Zealand. Keren continues to exhibit and successfully sell her work in New Zealand, Australia, the United States and Italy. Both corporate and residential collectors purchase her work. The McPherson Gallery in Auckland, New Zealand, currently represents Keren . Her professional career includes commissions, lectures on her work, judging art shows, hosting and opening art exhibitions, Keren has taught in schools as Head of Art and worked as a Lecturer at the Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland. Keren continues to work as a visiting artist in New Zealand schools and has worked on invitation at the Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia USA, and Scuola Di Grafica, in Venice Italy. Keren, is well known for her teaching. She is the owner and director of a rapidly expanding private Art School "Parnell Studio" in Auckland, New Zealand. Keren's classes offer art tuition for students of all ages teaching drawing, painting, sculpture, architectural drawing and design. She employs well-known painters with successful careers, and industry professionals to tutor in both design and architecture. As a painter, Keren produces abstract work full of suggestion. The shapes are repeated layers of sharp-edged, dark forms. There is plenty for the eye to feast on in the articulation of dark and gleams of light. When light and life are reflected in the dark recesses they become sombre and reflective. The paintings can be enjoyed on the level of abstraction, her inventive making and interesting surface. Keren's work references past histories and her interest in the architectural can be seen in the shadows that describe environments. The layered images and surfaces transform initial architectural beginnings. Able to experiment with acetates, layering positive and negative site maps becomes a natural progression from her drawings and shadows are replaced by exterior and interior spaces. Keren searches for the simple form of a building and the politics of personal and public space. Through this, her work recalls and recounts the triumphs and challenges of Diaspora and its constant state of flux. Keren works from topical site maps, photographs, interviews and texts from the period. Reflection and distortion are recurring themes and often, buy describing what's behind, what's in front draws itself. The painting process is a physical one as Keren paints and strips away working with layers of tape and masking to rebuild the surface from within. Keren's interest in the architectural can be seen in her attention to both form, structure and context. Her choice of colour is purposeful and often symbolic. Keren often uses colour to accent and highlight the political, social and spiritual values of the time she is recording. Her paintings are a series of built up forms that suggest buildings, canals, bridges, walls and water. Keren pays attention to hidden entrances, doors, windows and multiple views otherwise invisible to an unsuspecting audience. Keren, is currently working in her home studio producing paintings for a solo exhibition in Auckland. Her painting experience includes working with both architects and designers for site-specific projects. Keren, is able to encompass and explore the integral elements of each space with fresh artistic vision. Her largest works span up to 3 metres and hang well in generous, well-lit open spaces.

Keren Cook has a Masters in Fine Arts (first class honours) and a Diploma in Teaching. Keren has been exhibiting her work for the past 15 years. Her work is exhibited regularly both in-group and solo exhibitions. During the course of Keren's career she has been awarded awards and grants for her work within New Zealand. Keren continues to exhibit and successfully sell her work in New Zealand, Australia, the United States and Italy. Both corporate and residential collectors purchase her work. The McPherson Gallery in Auckland, New Zealand, currently represents Keren . Her professional career includes commissions, lectures on her work, judging art shows, hosting and opening art exhibitions, Keren has taught in schools as Head of Art and worked as a Lecturer at the Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland.

Keren continues to work as a visiting artist in New Zealand schools and has worked on invitation at the Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia USA, and Scuola Di Grafica, in Venice Italy.

Keren, is well known for her teaching. She is the owner and director of a rapidly expanding private Art School "Parnell Studio" in Auckland, New Zealand. Keren's classes offer art tuition for students of all ages teaching drawing, painting, sculpture, architectural drawing and design. She employs well-known painters with successful careers, and industry professionals to tutor in both design and architecture.

As a painter, Keren produces abstract work full of suggestion. The shapes are repeated layers of sharp-edged, dark forms. There is plenty for the eye to feast on in the articulation of dark and gleams of light. When light and life are reflected in the dark recesses they become sombre and reflective.

The paintings can be enjoyed on the level of abstraction, her inventive making and interesting surface. Keren's work references past histories and her interest in the architectural can be seen in the shadows that describe environments.

The layered images and surfaces transform initial architectural beginnings. Able to experiment with acetates, layering positive and negative site maps becomes a natural progression from her drawings and shadows are replaced by exterior and interior spaces. Keren searches for the simple form of a building and the politics of personal and public space. Through this, her work recalls and recounts the triumphs and challenges of Diaspora and its constant state of flux.

Keren works from topical site maps, photographs, interviews and texts from the period. Reflection and distortion are recurring themes and often, buy describing what's behind, what's in front draws itself. The painting process is a physical one as Keren paints and strips away working with layers of tape and masking to rebuild the surface from within. Keren's interest in the architectural can be seen in her attention to both form, structure and context. Her choice of colour is purposeful and often symbolic. Keren often uses colour to accent and highlight the political, social and spiritual values of the time she is recording. Her paintings are a series of built up forms that suggest buildings, canals, bridges, walls and water. Keren pays attention to hidden entrances, doors, windows and multiple views otherwise invisible to an unsuspecting audience.

Keren, is currently working in her home studio producing paintings for a solo exhibition in Auckland. Her painting experience includes working with both architects and designers for site-specific projects. Keren, is able to encompass and explore the integral elements of each space with fresh artistic vision. Her largest works span up to 3 metres and hang well in generous, well-lit open spaces.