Nell Mayes Koopman

I love to paint with color and texture and manipulate the materials to create excitement and movement on the canvas. My artwork incorporates layers of acrylic and gel or putty and I alter the mediums with water, sand, fiber, charcoal and pastel. Many pieces are finished with a metallic glazing medium adding a hint of shimmer and emphasizing the textures and layers in the piece. The abstract and expressive paintings I create are inspired by my surroundings. As a child, I always had an interest in painting and drawing and earned a degree in communications and graphic design from The University of Alabama. I pursued a career in graphic arts and eventually earned a Master of Education in Art from The University of Montevallo. While teaching High School level art, I had the opportunity to explore a variety of mediums including oil, acrylic and watercolor painting, drawing and ceramics. I am a native Texan, but having lived in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham for over 25 years, I consider Alabama my true home.  My southern roots are an inspiration for my work. I currently reside in the Washington, DC metropolitan area and continue to emerge as an artist. Having a background in graphic arts, my work has evolved from lineal to free form, colorful and very textural. I am always experimenting with a variety of mediums creating works that keep the eye moving around the canvas.