Athena Cooper ♿️🎨
LightNews LightNews
banner
athenacreative.substack.com
Athena Cooper ♿️🎨
@athenacreative.substack.com
770 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 Replies Media Videos
athenacreative.substack.com
Stampede puppy is ready to party! 🤠🐶 #Calgary #BTposse #DogsOfBluesky
Freshly groomed Lucy the Border terrier sitting pretty with her new cowboy boot toy.
July 9, 2025 at 9:11 PM
athenacreative.substack.com
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
June 30, 2025 at 1:09 PM
athenacreative.substack.com
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.
June 25, 2025 at 1:19 AM
athenacreative.substack.com
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.
June 22, 2025 at 6:36 PM
athenacreative.substack.com
And now for your listening pleasure, the musical stylings of Lucy playing her squeaky ball. 🐶🎶 #BTposse #TerrierTuesday #DogsOfBluesky
June 18, 2025 at 2:56 AM
athenacreative.substack.com
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.
June 18, 2025 at 12:01 AM
athenacreative.substack.com
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 Sunsetting behind the clouds over the Bow River Sunsetting behind the clouds over the Bow River
June 17, 2025 at 7:36 PM
athenacreative.substack.com
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.
June 16, 2025 at 10:59 PM
athenacreative.substack.com
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.
June 14, 2025 at 9:05 PM
athenacreative.substack.com
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.
June 13, 2025 at 9:15 PM
athenacreative.substack.com
Unwinding this evening with my latest paint-by-number after a full day of iPad digital painting work on the picture book.

Phew… sometimes I really just need to paint with real paint. 🎨 😮‍💨 #PaintByNumber #Painting
Detail view of an unfinished paint-by-number showing a goldfish in a fish bowl. Unfinished paint-by-number showing a goldfish in a fish bowl.
May 29, 2025 at 3:52 AM
athenacreative.substack.com
A little over a month ago we had to say goodbye to our sweet senior pup, Lola. She lived 15.5yrs and brought her light to everyone who met her.

She passed peacefully on our bed surrounded by her family—myself, my husband and young Lucy all by her side.

#BTPosse #DogsOfBluesky #RescueDog #SeniorDog
Athena, her husband and Lola, a Pomeranian / Jack Russell Terrier, smiling joyously from her over-the-shoulder carrier. Lucy, the Border Terrier giving Lola gentle licks on her face as she sits in her carrier.
May 28, 2025 at 1:20 PM
athenacreative.substack.com
I’ve become a little obsessed with the Finch #SelfCare app these past few weeks. This morning my birb, Frankie, is looking especially Canadian as he hangs out in Vancouver sporting blue jeans and flannel. I love that he kinda looks like a cozy, off-duty air force pilot. 😅🧵👇🏼 #MentalHealth
Frankie, a cartoonish penguin-like creature, is waving at the viewer as he stands next to his smiling brown turtle outside in an autumn scene in Vancouver. He is wearing a brown leather cap with goggles, pink flannel and blue jeans.
March 5, 2025 at 6:22 PM
athenacreative.substack.com
#BlueSkyArtShow - Monochrome

A couple way, WAY back sketches from my animation school days. I loved this life drawing exercise where we were asked to draw the light on black paper. It’s something I’d love to experiment with again someday.

#FebruArty #Sketch #LifeDrawing
Sketch done in white on black paper of a seated male figure with a sheet wrapped around his lower body. He sits on a folding metal chair with his elbows on his knees and head leaning into one hand. Sketch done in white on black paper of a figure lying on his back with a sheet wrapped around his lower body. He has an arm outstretched and a bare foot propped up on two pillows.
February 15, 2025 at 11:38 PM
athenacreative.substack.com
#BlueSkyArtShow - Monochrome

#FebruArty #Art #Painting #AcrylicPainting
Painting by Athena Cooper of the sun setting through the clouds on a hazy evening. It reflects pale in the wide river and casts the two trees on the near bank and the buildings on the far bank into deep silhouette.
February 15, 2025 at 5:33 PM
athenacreative.substack.com
#FebruArty - Pair

Portrait of myself and my husband that was part of my 2024 exhibit on romantic love and #disability. Technically still unfinished, but that’s also a fair description of any relationship. 💕

#Art #Painting #AcrylicPainting
Painting by Athena Cooper of an able-bodied groom and a wheelchair bride. The groom is a tall, slim bearded man in a dark suit. The bride sits in her power wheelchair with the seat elevated so that she can touch foreheads with her new husband. She has long dark hair woven with a band of tiny white flowers and wears a white, lace wedding dress. They gaze at each other lovingly with the bouquet of flowers held between them.
February 14, 2025 at 3:35 PM
athenacreative.substack.com
There’s comfy… and then there’s Lucy. 😂 #BTPosse #DogsOfBluesky
Lucy the scruffy, tan Border Terrier lying on her back in a mess of grey fleece blankets. Her front paws are in the air and her snout peeks up from the blankets.
February 14, 2025 at 5:17 AM
athenacreative.substack.com
#TerrierTuesday - Princess Lola is so over this ridiculously cold #Calgary weather. 😝🐶

#TongueOutTuesday #DogsOfBluesky #RescueDog
Lola, the golden Pomeranian / Jack Russell Terrier, is lying on the floor under the dining table in her striped harness. She is looking directly at the viewer and appears to be sticking her tongue out in a sassy way.
February 11, 2025 at 3:23 PM
athenacreative.substack.com
#FebruArty - Rings

This painting is based on the photo I took to announce my engagement way back in 2018. My husband picked the perfect ring for me based on this earlier painting inspired by our relationship.

#ArtYear #Art #Painting #AcrylicPainting
Painting by Athena Cooper of a solitaire diamond ring with the diamond embraced in graceful curves on either side. The ring sits atop a stained glass inspired painting with two figures—one cool blue and the other fiery orange—with white light emanating from their joined hands in an echo of the ring’s design.
February 10, 2025 at 3:10 PM
athenacreative.substack.com
A painting I did of our girls, Lucy and Lola.
Painting by Athena Cooper of two small dogs resting on a blue-grey couch. Young Lucy the brown and black Border Terrier lays looking alertly off into the distance. Senior Lola the golden Pomeranian/Jack Russell Terrier is sleeping stretched out beside her.
February 9, 2025 at 5:49 PM
athenacreative.substack.com
#ArtYear - I completed this piece over a decade ago and it’s still one of my favourites. It doesn’t look much like the original stock photo reference, but I still love how delicate and vulnerable she looks.

#FebruArty #Art #Painting #AcrylicPainting
Painting by Athena Cooper of a fair skinned woman with long flowing red hair and bright blue eyes. Her elegant hands tenderly touch her chin and the side of her face.
February 9, 2025 at 5:29 PM
athenacreative.substack.com
#BlueSkyArtShow - Reflections

#Art #Painting #AcrylicPainting #ArtYear
Tall skinny painting by Athena Cooper of a series of puddles along a path reflecting a sunset with pink and lavender clouds. The setting sun casts a fiery orange light behind trees silhouette at the end of the path.
February 8, 2025 at 4:28 PM
athenacreative.substack.com
#FebruArty Day 6 - Eyes

Are there any eyes more soulful than those of a lab? 🥺

#ArtYear #Art #Painting #AcrylicPainting #PetPortrait #DogsOfBluesky
Painting by Athena Cooper of a chocolate lab laying on a rub with a rectangular geometric pattern before an unlit fireplace. The dog gazes up at the viewer deep brown eyes and a slightly mournful expression.
February 6, 2025 at 5:07 PM
athenacreative.substack.com
Lucy felt that the fuzzy socks I laid out for the freezing Calgary weather today were much better suited as a pillow.

#BTposse #DogsofBluesky
Lucy the tan border terrier curled up on our bed using a pair of fuzzy purple, navy blue and pink Nordic style socks as a pillow.
February 6, 2025 at 4:58 PM
athenacreative.substack.com
Sadly, Princess Lola still insists on poop walks—unlike Lucy who has the good sense to use the artificial grass patch on our balcony.

It was, as you say, *bracing*… 🥶
Athena bundled up in all her winter gear seated in her power wheelchair.
February 4, 2025 at 6:46 PM