Ashley Norwood Cooper, born 1970, holds an MFA from Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, United States and teaches art at SUNY Oneonta, New York, United States. She lives and works in Cooperstown, New York, United States.

Domestic themes often find their way into the painting of Ashley Norwood Cooper. Figures caught in the wonder of it all with a child-like fascination or animals in the garden can be found in her works. Ashley Norwood Cooper’s works may reference literature and poetry as much as real-life stories. However, the peaceful and optimistic appearance can be deceiving, as an underlining danger at times strikes the vulnerable scenes. This fragile state of a still undamaged world, that can be hit by a disaster at any moment is also expressed in Ashley Norwood Cooper’s choice of bold and bright colors and expressive brushstrokes. And while her paintings are figurative, the artist also draws inspiration from abstract expressionism.

„Nothing is harder to paint than dumb hope. Yet, if I had truly lost hope, I wouldn’t be painting at all.“
– Ashley Norwood Cooper–