LITHUANIAN PAINTER EXPANDS HER BRUSH ACROSS THE WORLD
By Nick Christophers
Born in the fabled nation of Lithuania Vineta Cook emerged as an exceptional artist at a very early age. At the age of fifteen she entered into a competition hosted by the European Union Council & Committee where she managed to win a silver medal. This only propelled her to receive an academic scholarship to study art at the Vilnius Pedagogical University in Lithuania. There she went on to complete her BA. Shortly after her graduation she decided to move to the United States to promote her works.
As Vineta explains her inspiration came when she was in the fifth grade from none another than her art teacher. “She showed me how fun and rewarding it was to create my own world through art. Her main influence was the concept of complete freedom in artistic expression. To this day we are still close, so much she attended my wedding two years ago.”
Her teacher was not the only force to inspire her to approach art more seriously. One of Vineta’s favorite artists is Van Gough. As a child she came to know Van Gough through one of his published books which to this day she still uses as reference. Yet she makes it clear that she does not wish to repeat or copy his style but to relate to it deeply. Other artists that intrigued her were Jackson Pollock because of the freedom in his art.
M.K. Ciurlionis a Lithuania artist and composer is also someone who Vineta looks for inspiration for his artistically-musical connection in everything he does. Another Lithuanian artist whose drawing style has also molded Vineta’s style is female abstract artist, K. Zimblyte. When asked in what category would Vineta place her work; “My painting and photography are purely contemporary. In my landscapes in and of themselves are nothing new yet the chromatic blends are something that I do not believe were even explored even by the impressionists.”
Her work has appeared in her native home as well in her new home the United States. Her first exhibition was in the Vilnius Youth Gallery two years ago. She followed that with a show last summer at the American Gallery in Sylvania, Ohio and presently her works are been exhibited in Columbus, Indiana. Even more recently she received the award for excellence from the Manhattan Arts Institute Gallery in 2007.
Her work which even though is predominantly in oils she has used other materials like fabric, paper, string or metals. Her paintings which depict colorful landscapes leave a different effect from her photographs which invoke a spectrum of emotions. She hopes that she will be remembered as a renowned female artist who reached the hearts of a wide audience.
In her formal training she studied privately under artists Rima Briediene E. Skuja and V. Jazauskas in Birzai, Lithuania. Her family through the years has supported her 100 %. Yet they did worry about maintaining a comfortable life as an artist. “My husband is very supportive and helps me often by contacting galleries and discussing details of the exhibitions with them. I consider myself to have had great support from my family and friends over the years. I don’t know how I could be doing today what I am doing without them.”
2007 November Artsource-Newsletter, New York, NY
THE BEST OF 2007: ARTSOURCE EMERGING ARTISTS
By John Ramirez
This year we presented a lot of talented artists from all over the world , every year we at Artsource must pick the best out of the lot. This year we picked two women; Vineta Cook and Joyce Di Bona .
We based our decision on the fact both women are multi talented. Cook and Di Bona both exhibited great ability and knowledge on all the medias they worked in.
Vineta Cook is a photographer and painter from Lithuania ( currently living in the USA ). Cook's photographic is mostly abstract and deals with light values and form. Cooks painting are delightful images with mixture of cool and warm hues. Cook's technical ability in photography surpasses her brush technique; yet she is a real talent in both medias.
The next artist is a hometown girl from Texas. Joyce Di Bona her works not only in textiles creating beautiful tapestries, but she paints and sculpts too!!!!!
Di Bona talented hands can not do wrong in any media she works in, but she has gain fame from her series of "pictographs" sculptures. The worked inspired by the criminal sub culture practice of body adornment ( it is of interest to note that the use of the human body as a "canvass" has it's roots in tribal culture).
Both this artists can be found in our artist's directory with links to their websites. Must see for art lovers.
2008 January Artsource-Newsletter, New York, NY
