Chris Cope
From her schooldays onwards, Chris Cope has had a
passion for art in its many forms especially drawing, watercolour painting and
photography. On leaving school, this enthusiasm, together with an intense interest
in the natural world led her to take a degree in Geography and Landscape Studies.
Her knowledge of landscape together with an awareness of shape, form and balance led her
towards garden design and Environmental Art, themes of which followed through in her
subsequent drawing and painting.
On leaving university Chris moved to the southern
Lake District and inspiration. The woodlands, rivers, lakes and mountains provided a
wealth of resources and ideas. At that time she specialised as a wildlife artist working
in watercolour and gouache.
While living here she took a course in silk painting at the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal
- a move that was to shape her artistic future. Painting on silk provided a freedom of
movement, a spontaneity and intensity of colour she had never experienced with watercolour
and gouache. She was hooked.
The qualities of silk and steam-fixed dyes provided her with the opportunity to exploit the themes of water, reflections, shadows and light found in the wilder areas around her home. Chris's natural-world inspired, hand-painted silk scarves sold well through outlets in the Lake District as did small pictures of birds, animals, insects and flowers.
Requests came through for works on larger subjects and Chris started experimenting with different techniques encompassing a wider range of textures, styles and combinations of colours. She set out to combine the best of her watercolour styles with the freedom and intensity of colour offered by steam-fixed silk dyes.
The pages which follow illustrate a selection of the styles, themes and media which Chris has used in her work. Enjoy.
Send an E-mail to Chris
(<-Click here) Last Updated 15 March 2003
Visitors
Click the links below to view samples of work
Silk Paintings
Detail
Mosaics 
Hangings 
Watercolours
Purchase