My name is Abigail Cook and I am from Northern Utah. I am majoring in the Bachelor’s of Fine Art with an emphasis in Painting and Drawing. I create to capture the beauty of the land we live on before the time of the modern world. In the days of the Wild West life moved a lot slower and people were able to notice the lush scenery around them. They felt the spirit of wide open spaces, as well as the freedom and fears that come with it.  I want people to be able to experience this same feeling when looking at my pieces. When painting these scenes I stick to a more realistic classical approach using mostly oils. I’ve also always been drawn to the simplicity of a good pencil. I love the way I am able to create a realistic piece while still maintaining expressive marks through the grains of pressed lead. I have also recently divided into Soft Pastels and plan on doing a series soon. I like pastels because it forces me to mix colors I wouldn’t have before creating a sense of harmony. 

When I first started creating I was influenced by what my soul was drawn to. I have loved horses and the Native American Culture ever since I was a little girl and always wanted to marry a cowboy. As my art career has continued I find myself paying attention to the works of Mark Maggori and Jermey Limburg. Mark is one of the leading Western Artists of our time. I love the way he is able to paint with exactness the environment of the West. Jermey mainly focuses on capturing the lives of Native American women and the graceful strength they held in their bones. I find his work truly empowering and plan on resembling this statement in my work. In my art I take what techniques and subjects speak to me from these kinds of artists and create scenes of my own that give me the same feeling.

Daily I imagine the world around me being more how it used to be, wild and free. Run on the backs of a horse and a person who still knows about the earth they stand on. Through my efforts of trying to resonate with this era in history I will create works that the viewers can use to travel through time, remember their ancestors before them and how they fought for what has become America. It is my mission to make people reflect on a world outside their day to day and remember who they are. If you are a person who likes to reflect on the beauty that god has placed on this world my art is for you.