Daughters We Never Had
Todd Cote´

Artist Statement:  My wife and I are blessed with two sons but often reflect on what it would have been like to have a daughter.  This collection of oil paintings on linen are imaginary portraits of daughters we never had. Being imaginary, the portraits and figurative works are what I call “composites”. I painted them by exploring various parts and elements of my own experience, people I have met, and images in my mind. For me, these depictions of a daughter are acquainted, familiar, and close to me.

I have placed these figures in Irish landscapes and settings as I have, for many years, been visiting, lecturing, and working in Ireland. This insight, along with my Irish maternal heritage has given me a close connection to the Irish land, culture, and people. When I am in Ireland, I feel the ancient and ever-changing Irish landscape offers a constant reflection on life, longing, and finding a place for yourself.    
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I created these works from a parent’s perspective, using old and new Irish proverbs and advice as concepts and titles.  The paintings directly or metaphorically depict specific topics such as strength and resilience, fragility, identity, spirituality, and growth. 

Todd Cote´ is a practicing physician in Lexington, Kentucky. Although nationally recognized for his work in end-of-life care, he has been quietly creating art for many years. In June of 2000, he had a solo exhibit, South France: Exhibit 1 at the Robert Wright Gallery in Escondido, California. He then went back to quietly making art. In 2021, during the covid pandemic, Todd participated in the group exhibition Unprecedented Journeys: Intersections Where Arts and Health Meet that was put on by the Lexington Art League, CREATE, and UK Arts in Healthcare at the Loudoun House in Lexington, Kentucky. Although well-studied, he is a self-taught artist and collects both Irish and New Zealand modern and contemporary art, a small niche market in the vast art world.