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Welcome to COCOA!
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 Session
• Gallery Space
• Art Workshops
• Exhibition Opportunities
CoCOA Member Art Events
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Look for us at our new location in the
Poudre River Arts Center at 402 North College Avenue
Upcoming shows:
Gallery Rental for September Available
October - WOW Fort Collins - Auction & Benefit for CoCOA
The mission of the “WOW Fort Collins Art Auction and Show”is to pay
forward to artists in the community , to give them an opportunity for
their art to be sold internationally, to showcase their art and to create
money for the non profit group CoCOA.
November - Jennifer Bunge
December- Member Show
A Message from the Director
If you are thinking of getting involved, or want to learn more, please contact us at 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. .
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Art in hard
times
October 7, 2008
Dear Artist,
During the past couple of weeks this inbox has
been overflowing with emails from artists concerned about the economy. "Things
have been bad for a while--now they are going to get worse," they say. "What can
artists do?"
I'd like to thank those who put their trust in me to make a
few recommendations. In actual practice most parts of the world have been
through a relatively prolonged period of happy times. With loose money lying
around, as there has been, irrational exuberance has prevailed and even
sub-prime art has passed both critical and commercial muster.
Now with
bank credit drying up, home values heading south and the stock market tanking,
the decorative art market will suffer along with the general economy. On the
other hand, it's been my experience that in times of recession, collector and
investment art can continue to thrive.
Just as unpleasant regulations
had to be brought into economies rife with greed and profligacy, artists, who
have no creditable regulating body, must bring in more self-regulation. This may
involve longer hours, better work habits, better processes and more attention to
quality. This also ties in to fair dealing and realistic but progressive pricing
to go with the better art. My guess is that many borderline galleries will go
under during the next while--just as many inadequate or unprepared artists will
look once more to other employment.
Many years ago I had a solo show on
the evening after a significant stock market crash. Fearing the worst, I showed
up late only to find that the show had sold out. Fact is, when times are good
people throw money at art, but when times are bad they turn to art as a possible
life-enhancing investment. Funnily, it was a bunch of stock brokers who took
home most of the art from that show. Funnily, I thought, people must need art
more than other stuff.
Recessions are blessings. Historically, recessions
and depressions have been times when "important" work gets made. Realistically,
our financial outlay for equipment and art materials (unless your medium is
gold) is relatively minor. In hard times artists need to get themselves as debt
free as possible and invest in the joy of their vision.
Best
regards,
Robert
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