Nikole Cooney, “Inner Wilderness”, Mini Solo Show
January 26th – February 17th, 2019
Opening Reception with the Artist: January 26th, 6-8pm
Northport, NY– Haven Gallery is pleased to present “Inner Wilderness”, a solo exhibition of new sculptures by Florida based artist Nikole Cooney. “Inner Wilderness” is Nikole’s first mini solo show at the gallery and features a collection of six sculptures that comingle the natural world with the mystical as a form of healing and admiration of the congenitally occurring beauty found all around us. Cooney’s main medium is epoxy clay intermingled with various other naturally formed media such as crystals and wood but “Inner Wildness” will also include her first hand painted bronze sculpture. Cooney’s sculptures are laced with symbols and derived from her dreams as well as both her upbringing and current residence in nature abound landscapes. Each sculpture focuses on a particular animal imbuing each of their unique visual qualities as well as their biological and spiritual paths. The significance and strength of purpose in each living creature is evident as Cooney sculpts them in their own unique microcosms, yet through their presence harks their kindred nature to us and reminds us of the light, the family and the love we bring to each other as well as ourselves.
ABOUT NIKOLE COONEY
Nikole grew up in a country setting of the small town of Green Valley, Illinois. This sparsely populated but densely wooded environment along the Mackinaw River nourished a long-term appreciation for nature and wildlife. Her formative years were divided between caring for strays, pets, and creating images of the animals she admired.
College years proved to be a continuation of this lifestyle. Nikole obtained a degree in Veterinary Technology from Parkland College moving on to work with exotics at zoos in St. Louis and Peoria. Simultaneously she crammed as many art classes as possible into her schedule. The relentless pull of the art world never ceased. Nikole decided to pursue her artistic education by attending The School of the Art Institute of Chicago on a Presidential Scholarship.
Today Nikole is a full-time artist residing in northern Florida. This tropical environment has proved to feed the work with new life and experiences. Her work has been exhibited extensively in several galleries in Chicago, Peoria, Baton Rouge, New York and more.
