Coakley Brown
Drawing from my first career as a science teacher, but rooted in my childhood passion for art, I see with a sense of wonder that overflows into my painting. Seeking to stay aware and receptive to gifts of the present, I find truth and harmony in the interaction of things convention holds separate. This brings a spirit of playfulness to my work as I explore relationships between color, paint application, subject matter, and self. For me, painting means much more than documentation; it’s a celebration of found treasure. My 2025 journey included Plein Air Easton and Tidelands Artists’ Choice.
Biography
Coakley Brown’s passion for art emerged during early childhood. She recalls in her earliest art memory, literally questioning the lines and experimenting in the space outside them. She found joy in copious paint application (and sometimes pasta) at Art Festivals in PA, and refuge in her school art program when her family moved to VA in the mid-1970s.
Though never straying from her artistic pursuits, love of learning and nature led her to a first career as a science teacher. Drawing upon this perspective, she explores, both through formal training and experimentation, the relationship between observation and her own artistic vision.
Inspired by nature and stories that connect us to nature, her work is joyfully imaginative with a bold playfulness. Deeper than that, however, her motivation comes from a gratefulness for the gift of life, a trueness to self, and a sense of wonder regarding the interaction of light within our natural world.
Coakley’s award-winning work has been recognized nationally and regionally, including awards from the American Impressionist Society, Gloucester Arts Festival, Plein Air Suffolk, Tidelands Plein Air, Floyd Plein Air, Plein Air Westhampton, Coastal Virginia Plein Air and membership in Plein Air Easton 2025.
Artist Statement
Drawing from my first career as a science teacher, but rooted in my childhood passion for art, I see with a sense of wonder that overflows into my painting. Seeking to stay aware and receptive to gifts of the present, I find truth and harmony in the interaction of things convention holds separate. This brings a spirit of playfulness to my work as I explore relationships between color, paint application, subject matter, and self. For me, painting means much more than documentation; it’s a celebration of found treasure. My 2025 journey included Plein Air Easton.