Howard Cook
Illuminating New Mexico’s Soul

By Rebekah Powers | July 2023

Howard Cook, an esteemed painter, is also a luminary whose deep connection to New Mexico and unparalleled contributions have left an indelible mark on the artistic landscape. Exploring Cook’s philosophy of painting, his profound ties to New Mexico, and the elements that differentiate him from other painters in Taos and Santa Fe unveils a captivating narrative of artistic brilliance and a nuanced understanding of color, light and emotion.

Cook’s approach to painting can be described as a captivating blend of realism and modernism with a transformative essence. 

Howard Cook, a native of Springfield, Massachusetts, learned printmaking from Joseph Pennell at the Art Students League in the early 1920s and studied with Max Weber and Andrew Dasburg. The magazine Forum printed his woodcuts from the New England stay and then sent Cook to New Mexico to provide illustrative “atmosphere” for its publication of Willa Cather’s Death Comes for the Archbishop. From then on, he was fascinated by the Southwest. 

Cook continued to travel, learning lithography in Paris and exhibiting his work in New York. From the late 1920s to the early 1930s, he and his wife lived primarily in New York a city under construction, one of Cook’s themes from that period.

1939, the couple finally left the city for New Mexico and Cook took up mural painting. His later work in oils, pastels, watercolors, and graphics won him critical acclaim.

His compositions often feature bold, geometric shapes, infusing his works with dynamism and modernity. Cook’s finesse at merging realism with modernist techniques creates a visual language that illuminates the soul of New Mexico. As a pioneer of artistic expression, Howard Cook’s enduring legacy inspires and resonates with viewers today, securing his rightful place among the distinguished painters of Taos and Santa Fe.

Howard Cook (1901-1980)  “Dark Forest” is currently on display at Chimayo Trading. This painting exemplifies Cook’s dynamic composition and conveys deep emotion through an abstracted distressed landscape. Provenence: owned by the Karavas family who owned the La Fonda Hotel in Taos.

Chimayo Trading has been preserving Native American traditions and promoting the best artists from the past up to the present for 20 years. Curated through a historic lens, our collection is a museum quality treasure trove of significant art. Visit today for an informative and inspirational tour of our many cool adobe rooms in Ranchos de Taos, where history meets art.

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