Linny Coale Freeman
Welcome to my Coale Design website. As a young artist/designer I had a vision of merging art and design into a single more focused idea. I felt that both disciplines had so much beauty and creativity to offer and should be shown together. Coale Design began as a fashion accessory business for women. This work, then led me to pursue painting, printmaking, drawing and public art pieces. My life is devoted to being a creator of art/designs as well as helping others to find their path to creativity. I am on the faculty at The Art Center/Highland Park, www.theartcenterhp.org and The Evanston Art Center, www.evanstonartcenter.org . Please check my events page for current information on shows, publications, classes, etc. Visit shop for a direct link to my Coale Design Store.
"Dance of Strings", dyes on silk
PAINTINGS
My paintings are inspired by nature, our vast universe and my desire to express intuitive feelings of light and energy. I love to use bright, bold colors and strong geometric shapes to create a unique sense of design and rhythm in my work. Color is it's own language, which needs to be felt and experienced by everyone. Each piece is painted on silk fabric using vibrant fiber reactive dyes. I build up images with multiple layers of wax and dyes, creating new spaces and many different textures. Visit paintings to see my collection.
"Jungle Strings", collagraph print
PRINTS
My recent journey into printmaking has been a wonderful experience of rekindling a passion dating back to my art student days at The Kansas City Art Institute. This portfolio consists of monotype, woodblock and collagraph prints. I love to experiment with strong positive/negative spaces and to create surface drama with every stroke. My imagery is inspired by nature, life events and special places that challenge our spirits to reach for deeper meanings. Each print is a unique piece of art, painted and printed one at a time. Visit prints to view my collection.
"Pink Lilly", watercolor pencil and ink
DRAWINGS
Watercolor pencils is one of my favorite medias to work in. I can play with sketching, washing and layering of rich, vibrant colors which are produced from the pencils. My drawings have been a beginning method of study for many of my paintings and prints. I love to start a drawing from live sources, and then allow it to take on a life of it's own as it gets more developed. A simple sketch or drawing can provide a wealth of inspiration for my next new art piece. Visit drawings to see my work.
"Sun Poncho", dyes on silk
FASHION
Years after graduating from The Kansas City Art Institute and Kendall College of Art and Design, I discovered silk painting. I fell in love with designing and creating wearable art for women who had a flare for unique fashion accessories. In 1999, I started Coale Design and painted silk scarves for Nordstrom and Marshall Field's stores. My early trunk shows eventually expanded into many other designs including capes, ponchos, jackets and shawls. Each piece was made with a passion and became a one-of-a-kind work of art. All of my fashion accessories are painted on various silk fabrics, using beautiful fiber reactive dyes. Visit fashion to see my collection.
"2014 Butterfly", enamel paint on fiberglass
PUBLIC ART
My public art work has been focused on outdoor projects for everyone to enjoy. During the summer months they have been displayed in a busy downtown retail zone. Each piece carries a theme based on nature, bold patterns and/or a special art event that has been scheduled in the area. The sculptures are made out of fiberglass and completed with enamel paints. Everything is built and designed to withstand outdoor weather. Visit public art to view my work.