Stop by Full of Beans cafe in Pasadora Place any time this month and you will be enveloped by the bright colours, patterns, flowers and foliage of Hannah Cook’s paintings.
Hannah, who is Full of Beans’ artist of the month in January, brings the outside in with this exhibition, which features a collection of works of art that focus on local plants and outdoor scenes. Such scenes are far from all that she paints however. Hannah Cook enjoys the rare distinction of being a full time artist, and for the past 12 years has owned her own decorative and fine arts company, through which she sells not only her canvases but also creates bespoke mosaics, faux finishes, murals and custom decorations for children’s rooms.
Although most of her work is in private residences, there are examples to be found around Grand Cayman: She rendered all the mosaics and artwork at the Cracked Conch after Hurricane Ivan, and was also responsible for the mosaic, sign works and faux brick wall at Full of Beans and the mosaic and ceiling mural at the Cabana in Camana Bay.
Reaching this point has not been straightforward, however.
“It’s been a zigzag journey with lots of hard work and perseverance,” she says.
For years, her love for the visual arts vied for supremacy with her love of performing arts. “I wanted to be a dancer and performer foremost from the age of 10. However, I attended academic schools and this career path was not encouraged,” she explains. At the same time, she recalls, “My father gave me his old watercolour set at age 10 (which I still have) and I couldn’t put it down.”
At age 12 she received her first art scholarship to Wrekin college, Shropshire, (in the UK, where she grew up) followed by a second scholarship to Trent College, Nottingham.
For a time she studied fashion at a London University but then her other passion took over, and she embarked on Cecchetti ballet training where, she says, she “experienced the beauty of theatre and the power of the performing arts.”
Since then Hannah has appeared in theatre and TV roles in the UK and joined a small touring theatre group before arriving in Cayman, supposedly to spend six months working for a party company.
While she is understandably proud to now own her own fine art business, her love of performing arts remains strong. Last year Hannah appeared in the Cayman Drama Society production of Blood Wedding and is looking at taking on a role in 2012. “It is addictive and brilliant gelling with a cast ensemble,” she enthuses. “From the raw material to the end production engaging with a live audience is a real adrenaline rush. Performing arts and visual arts are intertwined for me and one form of expression feeds off another.”
Hannah is also active in the community and has donated works of art to numerous non-profit organisations including the National Gallery, National Trust and Cayman Hospice Care.
2012 looks set to be a busy year for her. In addition to her Full of Beans exhibition, she has a second exhibition lined up at the Ritz-Carlton opening 6 February and is in talks with a New York gallery, which is interested in representing her. Between exhibitions and client projects she hopes to find time to make use of the outdoor easel she received for Christmas and paint more of her own work.
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