Ed Copley's education in art is extensive. He attended the Columbus College of Art & Design in Ohio, and the Famous Artist School in Westport, Connecticut where he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1965. Following these studies, Ed worked as a commercial illustrator for various advertising agencies and continued his career by becoming a highly-skilled restoration artist, meticulously restoring paintings on canvas, wood panels, and oils on copper.

It was through restoring old master paintings that Ed truly developed his depth of understanding of the techniques used by the great artists of the past. The knowledge that he gained over the years helped Ed to understand their methods which he now incorporates with his own creative ability. "Working in a classical or representational style I paint what I would hang in my own home, I paint for myself. This may sound selfish, but I believe that the best artists are the ones who paint for themselves. We are our own worst critics, but that's what keeps us evolving."

When Ed is not working in his studio, he devotes a portion of his time researching sites and historical events in order to create a scene. A significant amount of time is devoted to finding the right model and clothing for the painting. In the last several years Ed has devoted more time to painting Native American Indian tribes in order to put us back in touch with our own rich history of the West.

Affiliations:
Member, American Society of Classical Realism
Member, American Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works
Member, Western Artists of America

Exhibitions:
2002 Tucson Museum of Art
2003 Tucson Museum of Art (Gold Metal Award for Best Oil)
2004 National Western Art Foundation
2005 Hubbard Museum of the American West
2006 Hubbard Museum of the American West
2007 Hubbard Museum of the American West (Silver Award for Best Oil: "Start of a Long Day")

Publications:
Art Book of the New West
Art of the West
Phoenix Home & Garden
Presidio Sentinel (cover November 2001)
Tucson Museum of Art (winter cover 2002)
Art-Life (cover 2003 volume 16)
Western Artist of America (cover show catalog)
Vamonos (cover July 2004 and August 2007)
Ranch & Cove
Tucson Museum of Art Guide
Fine Art Connoisseur
Arts & Antiques
West Art Collector