Cooper Cox creates timeless and innovative oil paintings with sculptural surfaces, merging the whimsy and indulgence with modernist abstraction. His interplay of smooth, defined surfaces with dynamic, abstract layers invites a consideration of paint’s physicality—borrowing from both art historical tradition and contemporary style. Echoing the fleeting pleasures of Rococo, Cox’s work revels in soft decadence, where steadfast trees and swirling grasses deliberately and delicately meet. Ultra-matte skies and gilded light evoke the romance of surreal gardens, while ornamental flourishes, reoccurring characters, and undulating textures suggest lavish intimacy. Landscapes bend toward dreamlike spaces, and familiar forms fluidly dissolve into something uncanny. Rooted in his upbringing in Sun Valley, Idaho, Cox’s paintings are both nostalgic and immediate, capturing the ephemeral beauty of nature with a composed elegance that transforms his scenes towards indulgent dreamscapes. Cox (b. 1978, Sun Valley, Idaho) received his dual BA in philosophy and sociology from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. He spent the earlier part of his artistic career directing Outside Magazine shows & events and in his creative design firm collaborating with brands including Hermès, Tom Ford, and Nike. Cox’s paintings have been exhibited at venues including Gavlak Gallery in Los Angeles, CA; The Bunker Artspace in West Palm Beach, FL; OCHI and the Sun Valley Museum of Art in Sun Valley, ID; and Harkawik and 52 Walker in New York, NY. His work has been featured and reviewed in publications including Here + There, Architectural Digest, Sun Valley Property News, Idaho Mountain Express, and Cool Hunting. Cox lives and works between Brooklyn, NY and Ketchum, ID and is represented by OCHI.

SELECT SHOWS + COLLECTOR PREVIEWS

  • People”s New York | Anne Parke Curated | 2025

  • Sun Valley Museum of Art | Idaho Rivers | Sun Valley, Idaho

  • Harkawik | An Average Comet | July 2024 | New York, NY  

  • 52 Walker | Contemporary | February 2024 | New York, NY  

  • Ochi Gallery | Out Here Solo Show | December 2023 | Sun Valley, ID  

  • Intersect Aspen | Ochi Gallery | July 2023 | Aspen, CO

  • Sun Valley Museum of Art | July 2023 | Artist Residency | Sun Valley, ID

  • GAVLAK | Think Pinker | Curated by Beth Rubin DeWoody | Los Angeles, CA

  • THE BUNKER Artspace | 2023 Season | West Palm Beach, FL

  • Nick Weber Studio | Easthampton, New York, NY

  • 403 Greenwich Showcase | Curated by Lois Plehn | New York, NY

  • Preview Show | Moon Portraits + Home 2022 | Pound Ridge, NY