Visual Artist
Hi. We are all creative in our own way. Painting, photography, video, and producing collaborative performances with artists representing many disciplines are my major forms of expression. And I really enjoy teaching and talking art. How are you creative?I've been an instructor at the Indianapolis Art Center since 2006, and staff for the Religion, Spirituality and the Arts initiative directed by Dr. Sandy Eisenberg Sasso and part of IUPUI's Arts & Humanities Institute.
Joy Cooper with latest painting. December 1959
Photo is a screen capture from 8mm movie shot by Ray Cooper.
History
Having creative influences early in life allowed my imagination to sniff out ways to express itself like a beagle on a hot trail. Born in 1952 in Greensburg, Indiana, I grew up with art lessons disguised as fun by my grandmother, Joy Cooper, who was regionally well known for her oil paintings and especially her finely detailed brush work on china. She kept me busy with crafts, painting, piano, violin, melodica, nature hikes, and just plain playing. After moving to Indianapolis in 1959, summers were still spent on my grandparents' farms. An older cousin & art teacher, Linda Joyce Rogers, gave me a lesson on the simplicity of lines and stylings for portraits still with me. John Shilling, a pipe-smoking neighbor with a big mustache and quick laugh, was a freelance commercial artist with a studio in his home. His drafting table was immense - a place for magic. His gifts of special papers were probably greater than he imagined.
Regional art fair setup circa 1976
Arlington High School in the 60s was blessed with art teachers honored with national and state recognition. John Simpson, art department head, freelanced for L.S. Ayres & Co., the premier regional department store. Marjorie Hindman was a noted portrait painter, and Jane Messick’s watercolors, specializing in Mexican scenery where she spent her summers, were widely collected. Teachers who care about their students reaching their full potential do make a difference. My entrepreneur art career began in high school by making posters and point of purchase signs for H.H. Gregg Appliances.
Art Influences include Pablo Picasso for his genius; Henri Matisse for composition; Marcel Duchamp for philosophy and lifestyle; Maxfield Parrish for color and technique; Caspar David Friedrich for natural symbolism; and Ellie Siskind for friendship and wisdom.
Art Influences include Pablo Picasso for his genius; Henri Matisse for composition; Marcel Duchamp for philosophy and lifestyle; Maxfield Parrish for color and technique; Caspar David Friedrich for natural symbolism; and Ellie Siskind for friendship and wisdom.
Dan with Neil at the “Shocking Show” in the Faris Building, 1990.
The painting was done specifically for this show.
Getting to Indiana University at Bloomington on a full Evans Scholarship was pretty exciting, but I left IU with goals of learning business models firsthand to prepare myself for a career as a self-employed artist. Additional art classes at the University of Indianapolis under Earl Snellenberger gave me just the boost needed to forge ahead with confidence. I began entering shows, and exhibiting at local art fairs around 1974. Then there was the wonderful year of not working while concentrating on painting and photography followed by two rewarding years immersed as a rehab therapist specializing in behavior modification at Central State Hospital. I began developing a recognizable, narrative style.
Quantum Ideas - the 1st virtual agency. L-R in my studio are: Jerry Sargent, my mentor, 4x Sagamore of the Wabash recepient, helped start WTTV-4, newspaper owner, and political consultant; Dan Cooper; Alan Franco, salesman and golfer; Bob Berting, newspaper expert and speaker; and Mark Canada, media buyer. (circa 1992)
Ready for adventure, I briefly moved to Tucson, Arizona in 1978. I flourished creatively & spiritually for several months. After moving back to Indianapolis, life moved quickly. Marriage. Graphic design. Kids. Computers. Internet. Coaching sports.
Volunteer activities included teaching an advanced art class at the Correctional Industrial Facility in Pendleton for 10 years, board member of IDADA (Indianapolis Downtown Artists & Dealers Assoc.), chaired the Ethics & Fair Practices Committee, co-chaired the Communications Committee, and edited IDADA.org. At Castleton United Methodist Church I operate a 4-camera video system, serve on the Live Nativity Committee, and others. I'm a big with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Indianapolis. I'm currently organizing programs to employ artists of different disciplines to work with the wide variety of social programs overseen by CAGI (Community Action for Greater Indianapolis)
Volunteer activities included teaching an advanced art class at the Correctional Industrial Facility in Pendleton for 10 years, board member of IDADA (Indianapolis Downtown Artists & Dealers Assoc.), chaired the Ethics & Fair Practices Committee, co-chaired the Communications Committee, and edited IDADA.org. At Castleton United Methodist Church I operate a 4-camera video system, serve on the Live Nativity Committee, and others. I'm a big with the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Indianapolis. I'm currently organizing programs to employ artists of different disciplines to work with the wide variety of social programs overseen by CAGI (Community Action for Greater Indianapolis)