The Animals I’ve Painted!!
COOPER COLE•Jul 16, 2026 — Sep 05, 2026
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COOPER COLE is pleased to present a solo exhibition of paintings and ceramic sculptures by Richmond, California–based artist Saul Alegria.
This exhibition is organized in partnership with NIAD (Nurturing Independence through Artistic Development) in Richmond, CA. NIAD has been a cornerstone of the Bay Area arts community since 1982, supporting artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities across painting, ceramics, printmaking, textiles, and mixed media.
Working from images found in books at NIAD, Alegria paints animals with striking immediacy. Monarch butterflies, weevils, sea dragons, buffalo, birds, reptiles, and insects emerge through luminous, unexpected colour combinations that are both intuitive and assured. Asked how he arrives at his distinctive palettes, Alegria replied, “I choose the variety of color I choose.” The answer reflects a practice guided by instinct rather than convention, where colour becomes a way of seeing as much as describing.
His ceramic sculptures…
Exhibition Space

The Animals I’ve Painted!!
COOPER COLE•Jul 16, 2026 — Sep 05, 2026
Press Release
COOPER COLE is pleased to present a solo exhibition of paintings and ceramic sculptures by Richmond, California–based artist Saul Alegria.
This exhibition is organized in partnership with NIAD (Nurturing Independence through Artistic Development) in Richmond, CA. NIAD has been a cornerstone of the Bay Area arts community since 1982, supporting artists with intellectual and developmental disabilities across painting, ceramics, printmaking, textiles, and mixed media.
Working from images found in books at NIAD, Alegria paints animals with striking immediacy. Monarch butterflies, weevils, sea dragons, buffalo, birds, reptiles, and insects emerge through luminous, unexpected colour combinations that are both intuitive and assured. Asked how he arrives at his distinctive palettes, Alegria replied, “I choose the variety of color I choose.” The answer reflects a practice guided by instinct rather than convention, where colour becomes a way of seeing as much as describing.
His ceramic sculptures…


















































































