Soonja Cook

Soonja has been a resident artist at Golden Belt Art community since 2020 after retiring from a long career as registered nurse. Golden Belt artist community is located near downtown Durham, with 25 fellow artists who represent various art venues, such as painters, textile designers, jewelers, photographers and sculptor. They work in their own studios and show their work. They exhibit their work in the The main gallery and The grand hall gallery year around. Soonja won numerous award since her journey began as an artist 2020. including. Plein Air Magazine's Best water award, July 2024, The best light award, FALC 29th annual juried exhibition 2024, The first merit award for visual artist, Centerfest 2023, The best nocturnal, Paint the Orange, Plein air 2024, Sponsor's award, paint the orange, 2022, Numerous exhibition and participations thru out local gallery and competition settings in statewide. Member of Oil painters of America, American society of Marine Art. 

My paintings represent the calm and tranquility that I see in the world. I am an impressionistic/contemporary realistic painter who works exclusively with oil paint. The oil paint that I use perfectly captures the textures of natural elements. I grew up in the post war Korea, where life was not glamorous or elaborate. I helped my family by selling drawings to American soldiers. Thur my struggles living under difficult circumstances, I created my own visual world that still lives today in my paintings. I sought refuge in soft sky and wild flowers.I found peace and comfort in the nature. My memories of scarcity and questions disappear into the painted world of certain ecstatic blues and oranges that spit like fire. I am a self-taught artist, but have always used the lessons of life as guidance when it comes to the brush. I enjoy taking local and statewide workshop to continue to grow in my skill, in order to better capture the dynamism of  the exterior world reflected in my own heart. The world of lush meadows, deeply knotted woods and eternally spiraling waves, is real to me. i'd love to share my world with you.