Another week in quarantine, means another week of the Meet The Artist Series, this week with Louis Copt. Hope all of you ‘cool cats and kittens’ are staying safe and healthy at home. So get cozy, grab a cup of joe, and enjoy learning more about Louis Copt and his stunning paintings.

Louis Copt was born in Emporia, Kansas in 1949. Much of his childhood was spent on a farm, which later sparked his inspiration in his landscape paintings. As Louie stated, “This rural upbringing rooted me to the land and its rhythms. After graduating from Emporia State University in 1971, Louie began his career as a full-time artist in 1985 after a stint at the Art Students League in New York City.

With the influence of the regional landscape throughout his formative years, one of Louie’s most prominent subjects includes the prairie fires in Western Kansas. Each season, Louie travels to Western Kansas to observe and study the controlled prairie fires which creates a renewal, or rebirth of the native grasses. 

Another popular subject matter includes minimalist barns that capture the feature of the rural architecture of the Midwest while still creating a contemporary interpretation of the shapes. 

Louis works in various mediums including watercolor, acrylic, oil, and sculpture.

When asked about other influences, Louie mentions travel, as he and his wife Phyllis went “hitchhiking around Europe in the 1970s for their honeymoon. He has also visited hundreds of museums and galleries across the world. Teaching and sharing his knowledge of art is one of Louie’s passions. He currently teaches at the Lawrence Art Center and has previously taught drawing and painting classes at the University of Kansas. Another passion as stated by Louie is, “Sauna is my religion.”