Coco Connolly is an American painter, living in Minneapolis, Minnesota, specializing in watercolor. Her works describe her environment, the landscape, and people around her. Her style blends precise line work and impressionistic flowing watercolors. The landscape studies dwell on the atmospheric qualities of the prairies and farmland in the Midwest, while the botanical works are opportunities for meditative reflection. A lifetime of dance training fuels her interest in painting people. She is intent on capturing gestures that communicate specific emotions.
Connolly has been involved in art since forever. Early training in design and advertising lead to positions as art director with Carmichael Lynch Advertising Agency, owning her own design studio, and creative manager for Target Corporation. She has won national and regional awards for her advertising and design work and her work has been recognized in Communication Arts, Print, Creative Quarterly and Graphis magazines. Coco has been a featured speaker at venues in Baltimore, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Washington DC for the American Institute of Graphic Artists.
Connolly is now focused on making personal artworks and illustration. She takes commissions from both the private sector and commercial venues.
In addition to evolving her painting Coco is teaching watercolor at Minnetonka Center for the Arts, and leading art activities for children with Breanna’s Gift Foundation at Minneapolis Children’s Hospital.
