Welcome to the website of the Colorado Coalition of Artists.

The Colorado Coalition of Artists is a non-profit artist cooperative. CoCOA was started by artists and is self sustained by the members who volunteer and participate. CoCOA unifies artists in the community and provides a common meeting ground where artistic products are worked on, displayed and sold. This cooperative encourages an enriching and creative environment for artistic expression and dialogue for artists and the community. CoCOA Offers: • Painting Classes • Drawing Classes • Non-Instructed Figure Sessions • Free Portrait Sessions • Gallery Space • Art Workshops and Lectures • Exhibition Opportunities

CoCOA has moved into a bigger space, on the main floor!

Come visit us in our new location, July 3, 2009.

@ the Poudre River Arts Center Gallery, 406 N. College Ave., suite 105, Fort Collins, CO 80524

Quiet Summers at CoCOA

No Monday Night Figure Sessions in August

Figure Sessions continuing through July.  Sessions will begin again in September, Check the calendar for details.

Next Lecture Series, September 9, 2009, 7:00-9:00pm

(No Lecture in July or August)

Kevin Houchin
Lectures are the 2nd Wednesday of each month, at the Poudre River Arts Center, 406 N. College Ave. in Fort Collins.  Admission is free and open to the public.  Donations Accepted.  For more information contact CoCOA at 970.221.3019 or info@cocoaart.com

Exhibitions:

CoCOA Gallery, 406 N. College Ave., Suite 105, Fort Collins

July 3-Aug. 1, 2009:  Exhibiton Featuring Jim Fronapfel, opens July 3, 2009 6-9 pm

CoCOA's gallery is available for rent.  The art center participates in Fort Collins' First Friday Gallery walk where many visitors are touring all the local galleries and museums.  The other artists' studios, and the Center for Fine Art Photography, make the Arts Center a one stop art destination, and it is a great place for a solo or small group exhibition.  Price is $80/month for CoCOA members, or $100/month for nonmembers.  Please call 970-221-3019 to schedule your month, or for more details!

Bas Bleu Theatre Lobby Gallery, 401 Pine Street, Fort Collins

Bas Bleu Theatre is located at 401 Pine Street, Fort Collins, CO 80524.  Box Office/Gallery hours are Tuesday-Friday 12:30-5:30 p.m. and Saturday 1:00-4:00 p.m.  Call 970-498-8949 or visit www.basbleu.org for more information.

June 4-July 12, 2009:  Suzanne Johnson

HURRY, LAST FEW WEEKS!  Suzanne’s Abstract paintings are full of brilliant color and texture and are generally larger in size. In other words, Big and bold!

A Member of Poudre River Artists and COCoa ( Colorado Coalition of Artists) and a tenant of Poudre River Arts Center in Fort Collins, CO.   
www.artattack50.com

July 23-August 30:  William Pilch

Sept. 1-Sept. 27:  Bob Willis

There is no cost for members to exhibit at the Bas Bleu Theatre.  This is one of the many great opportunities for CoCOA Members!  please email Laura Brent at laura@laurabrent.com for more details.

Loveland Museum:  "Wayne Thiebaud:  70 Years of Painting"

Don't miss the big and beautiful show at the Loveland Museum, "Wayne Thiebaud:  70 years of Painting".  Theibaud is an 88 year old artist living in Sacramento, CA.  He is probably best known for his paintings of pies and cakes, but there is a lot more to see.  The show will run until August 16.

On Saturday, July 18th and August 8th, at 1p.m., Don Vogl, a CoCOA member, will give a guided tour of the show. Be sure not to miss the video in the small gallery, where Wayne Thiebaud gives a thoughtful interview about his life and work.

Other News:

Member Mary Harnett, interviewed by Beet Street

Visit the site, http://beetstreet.org/blog/?p=741 to listen to what Mary has to say about the past, present and future of CoCOA.

Excerpts from the Beet Street interview:

Mary Harnett is the past Secretary and Director, now Education Coordinator for CoCOA, the Colorado Coalition of Artists. Mary herself is a fine artist, an oil painter of southwest landscapes here in Fort Collins, and has been with CoCOA from its beginnings as an artist cooperative in 2003.

CoCOA is a non profit, volunteer led and run organization, dedicated to supporting a community of artists in the area. CoCOA was originally a small group of artists who came together at one artist’s studio to do live drawing together. Through this experience, some of the artists, particularly Rachel Herrera, a well known artist in Fort Collins, started the organization and obtained a separate building on Mason Street. From there, CoCOA rented out studio spaces for artists and a space for artists to give workshops and classes as well as continue their core work in live and figure drawing.

CoCOA, as a cooperative of artists, is one tribe of our larger community of artists here in Fort Collins and Northern Colorado. Most artists, are individuals, creating individual pieces and yet, far from competing with each other, in order to survive, artists tend to gather together to support their work. Mary discusses many of these groups in the podcast moving across diverse forms of art. While it is not common for a diverse range of artists from these groups to perform together in an interdisciplinary fashion, they do tend to enter the community to share their works in similar spaces and events.

In this respect, community partners, especially businesses, are extremely important to such creative groups and communities. Donations, be they financial or products, are important, but CoCOA also uses creative techniques to encourage artists to continue their work. One program, the annual Art-a-Thon, invites pledges from individuals for the artists' work time, while another, the support from Everyday Joe’s, a nonprofit coffee house, donates space for exhibitions, and a portion of sales from a drink, the Choco-latte, back to the cooperative.  Finally, CoCOA has a lecture series for the public featuring artists, psychologists and other professionals.

In the future, CoCOA would like to hold a wildlife exhibit and partner with the Division of Wildlife to continue their community outreach. Volunteers have also taught art at the schools and the district drug court, and these are projects CoCOA would like to continue in the future. Like most creative community organizations, CoCOA will need to become more formalized and supported operationally through grants so that they can manage themselves with paid positions, as well as volunteers. This is a crucial transition point for such organizations, and necessary for the sustainability of a creative community and economy.

We hope you enjoy our conversation with Mary about the past, present and future of CoCOA, its partners and like minded artists groups, as well as the actions necessary for supporting a creative community.  As we move through the rest of the year, keep an eye out for opportunities to explore, experience and contribute to our creative endeavors here in Fort Collins and Northern Colorado.

Remember - Art is Us.

Kirsten Broadfoot

www.beetstreet.org

Donations are accepted at any time, and all donations are tax deductible.

A Message from the Director

If you are thinking of getting involved, or want to learn more, please contact us at (970)221-3019, or email info@cocoaart.com. As CoCOA grows, new opportunities for interactions occur, unifying artists in the community, and boosting creativity and thought. Together we can make it great! Enjoy.

Board for 2009

Director:  William Pilch

Treasurer:  Marilyn Edwards

Secretary:  Gale Whitman

Education Coordinator:  Mary Harnett

Gallery Coordinator:  Linda Whiteman

Fundraising Coordinator:  Marcy Silverstein