Featured Artist 2011 Samuel Cooney

Each year the ASC selects a Featured Artist for Via Colori®. The Featured Artist must be 18 years old, a full participating street painting artist, willing to assist us with media promotion, and create artwork for the event that will be displayed on t-shirts and promotional materials. The Featured Artist will receive a free 10x10 booth space to display/sell their personal artwork and a 10x10 square to complete during the festival. If you are interested in becoming next year’s Featured Artist, please contact us!

Photo by David Toczko

BIO: Sam Cooney was born and raised in Elizabethtown KY, Graduated from Central Hardin High School, and currently attends ECTC. He plans to continue his education at Western Kentucky University.
Contact info: SamCooney@gmail.com

Artist statement: For me art is a way of life. It was only natural. I didn’t grow up playing video games or lots of sports. Instead I was surrounded by construction paper, paint, pencils and markers. I would venture out to my mom’s clay shop to have fun, or whittle pencils in the wood shop with my dad. So if you were to ask when I started doing art or drawing, honestly there wasn’t a day I remember when I became an artist.
Like I said, growing up I would do art for fun, and that’s when my creations seem to go well. I enjoy learning and discovery. Exploring new techniques or finding new perspectives or recognizing proportions I didn’t notice initially is an endless discovery zone. I enjoy working with graphite and charcoal. These are messy, fast and easy to keep fresh.When inspiration is flowing, I like to have lots of supplies so I don’t have to worry about messing up and ruining the materials. Having several canvases and boards allows me to be free and not stress over making each one a master piece. If I’m having fun surely one of them will express what I’m trying to capture. The process all starts with catching a glimpse of something that I like: an image usually, or an idea. The creation process is just my quest to make what I like come alive, to pull out the beauty in something. I feel it is an honor to be involved in creation.