Today we’d like to introduce you to Cori Cogburn
Hi Cori, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My name is Cori Cogburn & I am a self taught watercolor & glass artist. I was born in Corpus Christi, Texas but grew up in small farm town an hour north of Seattle, Washington. Since most of my extended family was still in Texas, I came back as soon as I graduated from high school. Since then, I’ve worked in multiple industries but have always gravitated toward artistic endeavors.
In 2018, thanks to my husband & his career, I was able to leave my position in the oil industry, after my son was diagnosed with several learning disabilities including ADHD & Dyslexia, to focus on him. Not only was I able to help him, but I was also able to help myself since shortly after I was diagnosed with ADHD as well. It also freed me to expand my artistic side which culminated in the creation of Fat Rooster Art.
I’ve been lucky to have several friends here in San Antonio that have been mentors to me & have helped me in my entrepreneur endeavors. Most notably is Veronique Cecilia Barretto of Vinously Speaking. She got me started with business classes & her encouragement & support have completely changed my outlook. I’m confident in what I can do because of her help. She also introduced me to Jenn Beckmann, owner of ReRooted 210 Urban Winery. Jenn gave me my first artistic “break” by allowing me to sell my paintings at ReRooted. She bought my first set of custom stickers for her winery & has my art on display in the tasting room. She also has introduced me to many wonderful people that have supported me. I’ve done pieces for Farmhouse Vineyards, & visit San Antonio. I’ve sold hundreds of original paintings & prints in the last 5 years & I honestly never dreamed or imagine that my art would be in so many places.
I have been working with watercolor for 15 years & glass for about 3 years. I’ve also dabbled in fiber art, wood working, furniture restoration, & anything else I can learn quickly. My current focus is vintage reclamation & resell & I do that through my other business, Rooster’s Collectibles.
I also love teaching what I’ve learned & have been offering “Sip & Solder” classes. These are similar to “Painting with a twist” but instead of painting, my students learn hands on what goes into making a stained glass art piece that they get to keep. Stained glass art tends to be more of a closed community & harder to learn by yourself. Teaching has helped me hone my skill to pieces that I didn’t think possible & I love helping others learn a new skill/craft. Sharing what I’ve learned will hopefully encourage others to try that medium without being intimidated.
I’ve figured out that I don’t want to create things just to create. I want them to mean something or the money I make go towards the community. That’s why I really make an effort to connect with people & pay forward all the help that I’ve received. I’ve been a part of events for Dress for Success & Periods SATX.
Unfortunately in 2024 I’ve had to slow down a little because of some health problems but I’m hoping to be back at it again very soon. I’ve got so many ideas for new paintings, new glass pieces & I want to learn to fuse glass to make dishes.
Although my kiddo & husband are my first loves & priority, FRA has become a way for me to express myself in ways I never imagined or thought possible. I love what I am able to do & love that I get to share that love with the world.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There are always obstacles when starting something unknown. I honestly didn’t think about making money from the things I make until a friend told me that one of my paintings would be a great sticker. That comment opened my mind to a whole world of possibilities of things I could do with my little doodles. First I had to figure out what the options were to make stickers from my art. Then figure out which worked best, how to do what worked best & how to sell the stickers. Then it was prints of my art. How would I do that? What would look best but be most cost efficient? Would anyone even buy anything?
A lot of what I’ve done has been trial & error. I get an idea, or someone else suggests something & I find out everything I can about that idea. This is honestly where the ADHD helps a lot because I hyper focus on getting done what I want. So far, there hasn’t been anything that I haven’t been able to figure out.
My primary challenge though is unfortunately either my own mental health or my body. In addition to ADHD, I’ve spent most of my life struggling with depression, anxiety & trauma related issues. Some days I feel like Bob from Bob’s Burgers because I’m in my own way when it comes to success. I want to be successful but I’m scared of it. I don’t want to disappoint anyone so I unintentionally hold myself back from opportunities that I would encourage others to go for.
Somedays I’m on fire. I’m updating my website, I’m creating beautiful things, I’m networking with friends & chasing every chance. Then there are days, weeks, months where all I can do is make sure my kid is taken care of. When I’m feeling great, I try to fit everything I can in a short amount of time because I know it’s only going to last for so long & then I’ll be back to struggling to get out of bed.
2024 has been the hardest though. My husband lost his job early in the year & then my knees started hurting. At first we thought that I had broken something because of how bad the pain was but the X-Rays just show that I have Osteo Arthritis. It’s really impacted my life. Somedays my knees are fine & I’m able to do most things that I’ve always done & other days I can barely stand. This has effected my mental health as well & I’ve been unable to do a lot this year because of it. I’m in physical therapy now & it’s helped a lot. I’ve even started doing markets again & am trying to schedule a couple of Sip & Solder classes for the holidays.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
For a long time I made a lot of pet portraits. I loved doing them but don’t do as many as a few years ago. I do free 5″ x 7″ memorial paintings for those whose pets have recently crossed the rainbow bridge. It makes me feel good to be able to give them a little piece to remember them by without having to spend money.
I love doing pieces that shock people, make them laugh or bring some nostalgic joy. Most of my paintings & stickers are quirky or empowering. My favorite painting is my General Leia in pink monochrome. With the money I made from selling the original painting I donated to Planned Parenthood. It’s one of my best selling stickers.
I also love making Vulva Stained Glass pieces. Every time I make a bunch, I sell out immediately. For a while, it was what I was known for. I even taught a few Sip & Solder classes with the Vulva as the subject. It’s been a hit for sure.
Right now, I’m selling more vintage & collectibles. I’m hoping to be back to creating soon though.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
San Antonio is my favorite city for sure. I’ve lived in so many places & SA is where I’ve stayed the longest & I have no plans to leave anytime soon. My husband & I joke it’s the biggest small town. Whenever we go out, we almost always run into someone we know.
The community & friendships I’ve made here have been amazing. There’s so much culture & diversity here. I feel very blessed to be able to raise my kid in a place that is so welcoming & caring.
There’s always something to do or somewhere to go. The restaurant’s are fantastic, the events the city puts on are amazing. There’s trails through the whole city if you wanna hike or bike. There’s room for everyone!
I do wish there was more public transportation options but I wish that about Texas in general. Sometimes the big events downtown become a mess but you figure out what to avoid.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.fatroosterart.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fatroosterart/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fatroosterart
- Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fatroosterart
- Other: https://www.ebay.com/usr/roosterscollectiblessatx
