Publisher Lucid Dream Atelier Releases New Video Interviews with Artist Cooper Edens, Who, Painting with Words, Channels Impressionist Matisse Through Surrealist Magritte
Seattle, WA (PRWEB) May 05, 2014 -- Art resists description. Artists prefer to let the work speak for itself. For most people, when art talks to them it does so as emotions or feelings, rather than words. But artist-poet Cooer Edens, in a newly-released video interview, sees that conflict between words and images can be a chance to change the way people see the world. Which is what art is supposed to do.
In more than 20 books, Edens has created works that challenge the sense of reality, while encouraging curiosity and self-confidence. In works like "If You’re Afraid of the Dark, Remember the Night Rainbow,” he connects basic, human insecurities (if you’re afraid of the dark) with the kind of advice one won’t get from the Boy Scouts (but probably should).
It’s all about juxtaposition, Cooper says. He read (maybe last week, maybe when he was a child) that Matisse said that it’s not the objects that are important, it’s the space between them. It’s what surrounds the object that gives scale and meaning.
“I got particularly interested in what would happen if I took Matisse’s style of painting, so-called Impressionism, and applied Magritte’s use of juxtaposition, which we call surrealism. If you’ve got butterflies in your stomach, why not invite them into your heart?”
The text that accompanies his art only heightens the unexpected juxtapositions found in the images, similar to the language in a haiku: “If you lose the key, throw away the house.”
In his best-selling books, this technique has found an audience ready for a sideways view of of reality. His two recently released apps, "Cooper Edens Night Rainbow” and “Cooper Edens One More Star” have expanded that view of objects juxtaposed to space with interactive animation and a sound track, while giving the reader basic control over the flow and pacing.
“My own experience,” Edens explains, “tells me that Reality is so complex we only see bits and pieces of it at any one time. If the bits I see help others see that complexity, and not be freaked out by it, then I’m doing what artists are meant to do, or at least what I’m meant to do."
See the Cooper Edens interview clip on YouTube: http://youtu.be/CE01EibckFI.
“Cooper Edens Night Rainbow” (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cooper-edens-night-rainbow/id694877155?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D2) and “Cooper Edens One More Star” (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cooper-edens-one-more-star/id792154901?mt=8) are available, for the iPad, from the App Store—$8.99. A Lite (free) version of “Night Rainbow” is also now available.
About Cooper Edens: Cooper Edens is a Seattle-based author and artist. He has written and illustrated original works, like “If You’re Afraid of the Dark,” “The Star Cleaners Reunion,” Secret Friends” and “Caretakers of Wonder.” He has also compiled a number of “Classic Illustrated Editions” of The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland, Robin Hood, Tales from the Brothers Grimm, and others.
About Lucid Dream Atelier: Lucid Dream Atelier, Inc. (http://www.dreamgatechronicles.com) creates, develops and publishes digital graphic books and apps. Along with the three apps from Cooper Edens, Lucid Dream also has published one app and three iBooks in their original DreamGate Chronicles series.
William Burden, Lucid Dream Atelier, Inc, http://www.cooperedens.me/, +1 (310) 279-6465, [email protected]
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