ARTIST `PIGS OUT' ON PAINTING.

Byline: Victoria Giraud

Patti Cook, president of the Santa Clarita Valley Artists' Association, is known among friends and others as the ``pig lady.''

A realistic artist working in oils, Patti paints a variety of things, but her pig paintings have always been popular.

``Pigs have an upturned lip. They always have a smile,'' Patti observed, and she added: ``I thought `Babe' (the film) was the greatest thing.''

Patti's pig paintings are done in different styles and hang on walls as far away as Raleigh, N.C., or in ornate frames on walls as close as Valencia. One is on display at the local Cafe Bouquet. Some are even cartoonish.

``I don't ever want to get stuck doing florals,'' Patti said.

Some of her favorite subjects are Western. She especially likes to paint American Indian women. ``They have some wonderful faces,'' she said. Flowing water also fascinates her.

A painter since the 1970s, when she quit working in real estate, Patti refers to painting as ``cheaper than a psychiatrist; it's wonderful.'' A resident of the Santa Clarita Valley for 30 years, she always has been interested in art and finally took the plunge to start developing her own talent when a friend was giving lessons in her sister-in-law's home.

Patti's first painting, which she still has, was done with a palette knife and, with lots of texture, depicts light shining through redwood trees.

Patti says she would love to be looser in her painting, but finds she is very detailed. She continues to take lessons. ``There's so much to learn. I don't ever want to stop learning. I still take lessons from Miguel Ramirez.''

Her paintings have won awards. At the recent Artists' Association juried show at River Oaks shopping center in Valencia, Patti won first place in the oils-and-acrylics category for ``First Day of School'' and a judges' merit award for another painting, ``Grouch.''

In 1994 she took first place in the annual Art Classic juried show for a painting of a pair of hands. The painting was inspired by a picture in the National Geographic of the farmer-caretaker at Leo Tolstoy's estate. The photo of the Russian farmer's hands reminded her of her the hands of her grandfather, an emigrant from Russia.

``I'm not a prolific artist because I do a lot of volunteer work and the presidency takes a lot of time,'' Patti explained about her role in the Artists' Association. ``Interrupted time is not conducive to painting.''

She has done only three or four paintings since the Northridge Earthquake, but her painting lessons force her to paint for at least three hours a week.

The Artists' Association, founded in 1989, suffered from the earthquake. ``After the earthquake, everything sort of fell apart. It's taken a while to get everybody back painting.''

The Artists' Association has made many strides this year, Patti proudly points out. It has a new telephone number, a studio and a gallery for displaying members' works. Membership in all age groups and skill levels has expanded to 110.

Patti says the ``most awesome'' thing the association does is provide scholarships to graduating high school seniors who plan to continue their education in the visual arts.

``Judging for the scholarships is one of the most difficult things we do all year. Some of the kids are incredible,'' she said.

Scholarship winners have gone on to become art therapists and costume designers, and one is now working for the new DreamWorks studio. Applications are accepted from local schools in a variety of fields, including architecture, set design, illustration, photography, sculpture, painting, etc.

This year's Art Classic in November will award prizes in oils, acrylics, watercolor and other media. There also will be a prize for the best depiction of Mentryville, the 120-year-old oil town in Pico Canyon.

The Artists' Association meets the third Monday of the month at 7:30 p.m. at Bouquet Baptist Church, 27000 Bouquet Canyon Road, Saugus. Each month's meeting features a different theme. ``Come to the meetings to learn,'' Patti suggested. ``We're always learning from the other guy.''

For information on the association, call [phone].

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Photo

Photo: (color) Patti Cook, president of the Santa Clarita V alley Artists' Association, displays some of her paintings and other members' work.

Terri Thuente/Daily News