Self-portrait. Image: from artist’s website, see below
Born in 1944, David Cook, A.R.C.A., is an award-winning painter and printmaker, using woodcut, collagraph, drypoint and aquatint. He was was born in Bingley, studied art in the 1960’s at Bradford College of Art and then at the Royal College of Art, London. He worked as a freelance designer on commercial projects until the 1980’s, but since then has concentrated on painting.
His subjects vary from still life miniatures painted on copper plates to larger surreal compositions in oil on canvas. Since moving to North Yorkshire in the mid-1970s, landscape painting has featured prominently, but not exclusively, in his work.
‘New Garden 2’. Image courtesy of the artist
His art has been widely exhibited in Open Print Exhibitions in London, New York, Taiwan, Australia the United States, Australia, Korea, Holland. His work featured in the ‘Images of the Yorkshire Landscape’ Exhibition, Leeds, 1991, and as one of six featured artists in the ‘Yorkshire Artists Exhibition’, January 2012 , at The Gallery, Leeds (see one of the paintings featured, below).
Interior with Flowers. Featured at the 2012 exhibition, The Gallery, Leeds.
Awards:
- Gallery Purchase Award. International Graphic Foundation, USA.
- John Szoke Prize. International Print Biennial, New York. Purchase Award.
- International Print Biennial , New York.
Solo exhibitions in Yorkshire include those at the Manor House, Ilkley; Linton Court Gallery, Settle; Chandler Gallery, Leyburn; John Baker Gallery, Hawes. His work also features in the North Yorkshire Open Studios programme. Elsewhere he has had solo exhibitions at St Helens Well Paintings. Penine Arts, Burnley, and at the Tib Lane Gallery. Manchester.
David Cook’s cover design for the Bill Bryson book, ‘A Walk in the Woods’. Image: David Cook.
David Cook’s graphic design work includes book cover illustrations for Bill Bryson books: Notes from a Small Island; A Walk in the Woods; Lost Continent; Made in America; and Troublesome Words.
David Cook at work in his studio. Image: see artist’s website, below.
He has also had his artwork included in Alive in Parts of This Century, a commemorative book to celebrate Eric Mottram’s 70th birthday. David is also profiled and his work illustrated in Connections. Artists and Writers in North Craven (2007) published by The North Craven Building Preservation trust. He is married to artist, Heather Cook.
‘Allotment – Settle’. Image courtesy of the artist.