Author | Lightnews

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨

@athenacreative.substack.com

760 followers 400 following 400 posts

fine art painter, illustrator, writer and creativity coach based in Calgary, Canada Website: athenacooper.ca Newsletter: athenacreative.substack.com Dog mom to Lucy 🐾

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jan 11

Cheers to a fresh new year with lots of big creative plans. Stay tuned!

#ArtVsArtist #FineArt #Art #Painting #AcrylicPainting

A central image of Athena Cooper is surrounded by a collection of her acrylic paintings from the past few years. These include paintings of landmarks around Calgary and scenes from Athena's everyday life.

2 1 28

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jul 15

In today’s post for Tilted Windmills, I write about how my experience as a disabled person has given me greater insight into when it’s best to write your own story around what is “normal.”

tiltedwindmills.substack.com/p/the-perils...

The perils of chasing “normal”

A valuable lesson learned from my disability

tiltedwindmills.substack.com

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jul 15

Norms can be a tricky business. In some cases, they can be a positive force, helping to foster shared values, compassion, and connection. In other instances, however, they can seed unhelpful feelings of shame, burnout, and disconnection from others. 👇🏼🧵

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jul 10

She’s been doing well. Lucy’s always been sensitive to the health issues of her pack—both myself and Lola. When Lola’s health took a turn for the worse, that was hard on Lucy and we could see she was trying to comfort Lola as best she could. After Lola passed, Lucy seemed much less stressed.

1 1

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jul 9

Stampede puppy is ready to party! 🤠🐶 #Calgary #BTposse #DogsOfBluesky

Freshly groomed Lucy the Border terrier sitting pretty with her new cowboy boot toy.

1 26

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jul 8

This is the tale of Norman, the title character from one of my favourite childhood picture books, which had a significant influence on me as an artist and newly minted picture book illustrator.

Read all about it in my latest art newsletter.

athenacreative.substack.com/p/i-am-norma...

I am “Norman the Doorman”

A lifetime's worth of influence from one of my favourite picture books

athenacreative.substack.com

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jul 8

An artist with a day job decides to take a big risk to share their art with the world.

No, this isn’t my story — although it could be. 🧵👇

#Illustration #KidLit #KidLitArt #ChildrensBooks

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jun 30

Absolutely loving this paint-by-number that I’ve been chipping away at between other art projects for months. It’ll probably take me until the end of the year to finish, but it’s so going to be worth it. 🎨🥰 #Painting #PaintByNumber

Unfinished paint by number of a goldfish in a sunlit fish bowl

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jun 25

That’s them! I now have 4 pairs of Billy’s as they’ve been the easiest shoes to put on post hospital.

This is my other jazzy pair.

billyfootwear.ca/collections/...

Black Leopard BILLY Classic D|R II High Tops CPMA-Certified AFO-Ready

Zip quickly into your Black Leopard BILLY Classic D|R II High Tops in style. Fast, fun, easy, empowering€”BILLY goes universal, combining fashion with function and adaptive with mass market.

billyfootwear.ca

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jun 25

Billy’s for the win! Sadly that pattern seems to be reserved for kids, but I really like their easy side zipper designs.

billyfootwear.ca

BILLY Footwear Canada

Revolutionize your footwear experience with Billy Footwear! Our unique FlipTop design blends style, comfort, and accessibility, making shoe-wearing effortless for everyone. Embrace the fusion of fashi...

billyfootwear.ca

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jun 25

Lucy was looking especially adorable on our walk tonight. Must’ve been the cheese. 🥹🧀 #BTposse #TerrierTuesday #DogsOfBluesky

Lucy the Border sitting at attention with my splatter paint shoes on the wheelchair’s footrest.

1 1 54

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jun 24

When I started my newsletter/blog three years ago, it was born out of my sense of frustration and outrage at feeling leashed to the social media behemoth.

You can read how my relationship to social media has evolved in the 89th edition of Athena's Art Newsletter.

Why I gave up on social media as a creative entrepreneur

The forgotten art of handshake marketing

athenacreative.substack.com

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jun 22

How considerate. 😂

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jun 22

Lucy is very conscientious about making sure we’re all properly groomed. 😅 #BTposse #DogsOfBluesky

Lucy licking my husband’s closed eyes as he drinks his morning coffee.

2 1 36

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jun 18

And now for your listening pleasure, the musical stylings of Lucy playing her squeaky ball. 🐶🎶 #BTposse #TerrierTuesday #DogsOfBluesky

4 1 46

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jun 18

Happy early birthday. 🥳
I will say that my 40s have been very good to me.

1 1

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jun 18

All work and no paint-by-number makes Athena a dull gal. 😅 #Painting #PaintByNumber

Partially finished paint-by-number of a goldfish in a sunlit fish bowl.

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jun 17

Not yet. I’ve been picking away at it between other projects, but I plan to take my time with it.

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jun 17

A few snapshots from our walk along the Bow River with the pup last night. I think one of these is going to end up as a painting someday. 🥰🌅 #Calgary #PaintingInspiration

Sunsetting behind the clouds over the Bow River

1 1 10

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jun 16

Me: Lucy, I'm trying to work on the picture book here.

Lucy: But... belly rubs? 🥺🐶 #BTposse #DogsOfBluesky

Lucy the Border Terrier stretched out on her back with her belly exposed for rubs. She lays beside my iPad on the beige striped comforter on the bed.

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jun 14

www.dougdriediger.com/public-art-c...

Doug Driediger | Public Art | CUPS

"Giving Wings to the Dream", 1995, Calgary Urban Projects Society.

www.dougdriediger.com

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jun 14

We stopped in to visit some folks I know who are working on a new mural just across from the Telus Convention Centre downtown. They’ll also be touching up the CUPS mural on the side of the same building. Doug was the original artist behind that one too—30 years ago! 😳🕊️ #Calgary #MuralArt

Athena seated in her power wheelchair outside a building with a mural being worked up by folks elevated in a scissor lift platform. The partially completed mural shows a giant, futuristic face with an exposed brain and the building’s windows appearing as the face’s futuristic visor.

CUPS mural with two hands outstretched releasing a white dove.

1 5

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jun 14

😳

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jun 13

Poor Lucy. 😅 The pup was minding her own business when this magpie came by and began trying to tweak the tip of her tail! It wasn’t like it was attacking her and just seemed to want to tease her no matter how often Lucy chased the bird off. #BTposse #DogsOfBluesky

Lucy the Border Terrier sniffing the grass under a tree with a magpie standing right behind her about to tweak her tail.

3 1 30

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jun 10

Actually I’m using another company now called CopyRepro. They’re within motoring distance of my apartment and the fellow who runs the company is great.

copyrepro.ca

Home - High Quality Reproduction Services - Copy Repro Inc.

Experience high quality, low cost printing at Copy Repro Inc. Book your order now.

copyrepro.ca

1 1

Athena Cooper ♿️🎨 @athenacreative.substack.com · Jun 10

Thanks so much for the shoutout, Glenda! They’re even printed right here in Calgary too. 😁🇨🇦

1 1