An artist’s journey is similar to that of life. Fine arts graduate student Stephanie Cobb has experienced growth and found perfection in imperfections during her three years here at LSU.
I first encountered Cobb’s art at the Baton Rouge Gallery exhibit Surreal Salon in January. Her large painting titled “The Garden” was on display. The ambiguity of this piece drew me in. The colors are vibrant, but the scene feels calm. The viewer is left with much to decide, causing me to dwell on this piece for a while.
Cobb’s understanding of perspective was recognized by her parents and teacher from a young age. Her artistic drive did not fade as she left Kentucky for Georgia to attend the Savannah College of Art and Design. Going to a college full of artists pushed Cobb to find what was important to her and how she could stand out. Undergrad is comprised more of completing coursework than focusing on a specific style. This brought about exploration and failure for Cobb, and this process is reflected in her work now. She invites the viewer into her process by leaving scrapes and mistakes to add a layer of visual interest.
After leaving SCAD, Cobb’s artistic journey was halted. She was working in art and science museums and was constantly surrounded by art, but her own art practice was nonexistent. Deciding to begin creating again was a challenge that Cobb was willing to take on.
LSU stood out in a long list of Cobb’s MFA program options; the University offers a full ride to all its on-campus MFA students. The studio space, which consists of three different rooms, is also free. LSU provides teaching opportunities to MFA students as well. Cobb is teaching an introductory painting class at the moment which she adores. This could help Cobb if she ends up teaching, but she enjoys allowing students to explore during a time when they may not be secure in their work. Cobb can transfer her knowledge of the current art world to help them become more involved.
The years following her arrival in Baton Rouge were not perfect. Any real journey is full of shower cries, and Cobb has not missed out on those. Regardless, Cobb was back where she belonged, making art again.
“Grad school has made me break down all the things that I want to do and then rebuild them back up,” Cobb said.
She worked on cutouts to practice depicting bodies. She had always painted people but had experienced fear, and a teacher instructed her to do something that scared her.
LSU art professors who are currently on Cobb’s thesis committee were another pull factor. Cobb name-dropped Kelli Scott Kelley, Denyce Celentano, Ed Smith and Scott Andresen.
“You can see they have a lot to give as mentors and as artists,” Cobb said.
Three years later and Cobb looks extremely comfortable with her painting. Professors who were important to Cobb choosing LSU have become more than mentors, and her maturation has allowed her to talk with these professors on a more personal level now.
“To see her work transform from intimate abstracted landscapes to masterfully painted large-scale figure paintings… psychologically charged and nuanced, conveying a sense of longing. The paintings are beautiful and thought-provoking,” Kelly, Cobb’s thesis committee chair, said.
Art surrounded me as I talked to Cobb in her studio. Cobb’s ability to leave paintings ambiguous and with flaws while still feeling complete is intriguing. She is not scared of approaching her work from multiple angles, using ladders and such while painting.
Closeness and distance are other key elements in her new style. Cobb makes the viewer wonder, “am I really invited to this?”
She compares painting to poetry in which her art does not give the viewer all the answers. This gives the audience the ability to interpret the art in its own way.
A smaller painting in the room, “Brianna,” with a woman in a red dress was literally eye-catching. The subject’s eyes follow you as you move around the room. Similar to “The Garden,” the painting had a sense of ambiguousness. You wonder if the subject is in motion or if she is still. Are they looking at you or through you? Cobb’s technique reinforces the feeling of uncertainty. A piece that manages to be complete in its imperfections evokes strong feelings that you have to experience first-hand.
The other painting in the room during our interview, titled “Emma,” was massive. Cobb had just taken a sander to the canvas, allowing some of the base white layer to pop back out.
Both of the pieces described highlight people who are close to her. Cobb makes private moments with people she is close to public, using their personal connection as a surrogate for her thoughts while painting.
Cobb took summer classes to free her final year up. Apart from the class that she is teaching, she is focused solely on painting. “I’m dedicated to this now, now that I’ve found some momentum behind my work,” Cobb said,
hopeful of the future. Artist studios that Cobb has worked in here in Baton Rouge have shown her what art looks like as a real job.
Cobb’s figurative painting show, “Fun House,” will be free and open to the public at the Glassell Gallery April 20-24. I recommend visiting the show to anyone who enjoys the real and difficult process of masterful painting.
Emma. Oil on canvas. 62 x 46 inches. 2020.
