ARTIST’S EVOLUTION

I find few things more fascinating than analyzing different passages of an artist’s career. Art is such an intangible force - one that loves to evolve. The ideas in an artist’s mind spark and spark to such a degree that it sometimes seems impossible to keep up with them. Some remain unborn, never emerging into flame, and others roar and engulf the artist’s work for years and years - maybe for an entire lifetime. 

I began painting in 2015, and I was deeply passionate about portraiture, mainly using acrylics. Some animals, but mainly strong and bold women portraits. I painted that which I wanted to embody - strong self-assured, and passionate, beautiful women. I was eighteen and very much discovering who I was.

It was in 2020 that I began painting landscapes, using oil, and then came abstract expressionism. Often with my objective paintings - portraits, animals, houses, and landscapes - I would question my technical abilities. With abstract expressionism, I didn’t have any of that. I would connect with color directly and with shape, and different materials, light and texture!

I don’t think that an artist can truly separate who they are as a person from their art. No matter how hard one may try, the truth is in the brush strokes!

Poetry

Tigress

I accept the mess,

The bitter soldiers inside of me have surrendered.

The white flag has been raised,

And the doves are released. 

After thrashing and fighting 

With the invader — a tigress who seems to have moved into my head—

I have surrendered my weapons.

Let her growl,

Let her claw all that which I hold sacred

I take off my armor as I let her muddy my plans with sweet abandon—- she lives in joy.

And even in spite of her recklessness,

I have decided to find the beauty in her

I have decided not only to stop hating her, but to befriend her — as she chews on every one of my possessions, shredding them with sharp teeth. 

We are roommates now.

We are kin. 

-Gena Cohen

(Written over a cup of coffee on 02/02/2025)

POEMS AND PAINT

Today I painted this piece and wrote these poems: All about love:

“Oh Tender Burning Heart and Young Love” 24” by 18” oil on canvas

Pierce

I tumble in Sky,

Endlessly,

I was kissed passionately by a ghost this morning

Now my guts burn

My throat dry and hungry.

The Lovers’ Sting

My heart is an island,

May romance sting it like a bee.

For this is all I long for…

And once I am stung,

May I be grateful for the soreness and the ache.

May the threat of madness that haunts me every day

Never turn that which I love into dust…

“Cold and Broken Hallelujah”

“Cold and Broken Hallelujah” 24” by 24” oil and acrylic on canvas - available - created 04/03/2024

I have been listening to Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah and other covers of the song obsessively. It might by my favorite song I’ve ever heard. One of his lyrics is “it’s a cold and broken hallelujah,” and it just gets me every time I hear it. When I hear that lyric, I feel like all of the affiliation of the world, what’s going on in Gaza, Ukraine, and other nations sadly including the USA where I live, and also personal affliction of the individual is referenced with “cold and broken.” Then Cohen pairs these two words with “Hallelujah,” and through my eyes it perfectly describes life here - because it’s also as beautiful as hallelujah. It may be cold and broken, but there is a hallelujah in it. Life is naturally something astonishing and precious. It’s a cold and broken hallelujah.That song just hits something… wow. I was listening to a cover of it by Safetysuit, where the singer really belts out the song (which I love!) while creating this painting.

24” by 24” oil and mixed media on canvas - 2024

Altar of Sky (poetry book)

Altar of Sky is currently being written and illustrated. This will be my next book of poetry and illustrations. The first is To Sing in the Language of Bees and is out on Amazon now. I am so grateful for all of you have have read it and supported my work. Thank you:)

Here are two of my favorite poems from Altar of Sky:

I run to you 

I want to make music all day,

Let my soul speak through my voice,

Immerse paint on my hands…

And smear some love onto the canvas.

To move my hand, clasping pen, wildly,

As poetry streams in rapture onto the page 

I want to feel in art to live in art,

To drink in sky and marry the sun. 

Song

We are born and we spend lifetime after lifetime

Crafting the song of the soul.

That blood-beating heart in our chest keeps the tempo. 

The wail of the baby,

Is our first wild and untethered lyric.

For we have entered into the arena,

And we are given no words,

But only primal sounds and innocent cooing

We cannot yet walk.