Visual Artist
b. 1952; Greensburg, IN
Live/Work: Indianapolis, IN, USA
Education:
Indiana University – Bloomington / Fine Arts 1970-72University of Indianapolis / Fine Arts 1974-75
Continuing Education:
Religion, Spirituality and the ArtsButler University: 2014-2018 / IUPUI Arts & Humanities Institute: 2018-present
(in partnership with Lilly Endowment)
“…We are very excited by the caliber of the (12) selected participants,” said Dr. Sandy Eisenberg Sasso, director of the seminar. “They represent talent across the artistic disciplines, and I am looking forward to working with such a dynamic group of artists alongside an outstanding faculty. Artistic disciplines include music composition, painting, photography, poetry, fiction, and sculpture…
“Through the seminar we are working to re-open the ancient dialogue between artistic expression and religious tradition,” Sasso said. “Just as sacred stories have inspired artistic expression, the artistic creation has helped to illuminate religious tradition, to expand and deepen its reach….”
http://news.butler.edu/blog/2014/01/artists/
One-Person Exhibits:
“Adventure Stories in Scienceland”Indy Reads Books
Indianapolis IN
May 2016
“Spiritual Journey”
Jewish Community Center (JCC)
Indianapolis IN
September 2015
“Spiritual Journey”
Unitarian Universalist Church of Indianapolis (UUI)
Indianapolis IN
May-July 2014
“Paintings and Drawings”
Greenfield Chamber of Commerce Gallery
Greenfield IN
January-February 2014
“Seasons”
Gallery 924 (Arts Council of Indianapolis)
Indianapolis IN
June 2012
“Portals II”
Gallery 7
Indianapolis IN
November 1–22, 2011
“Portals”
wUG LAKU'S STUDIO & garage
Indianapolis IN
September 30 – October 31, 2010
Cooper Produced/Curated Shows:
“Wrestling With The Infinite @ UUIA RSA Alumni Multi-Discipline Event
In addition to a visual art exhibit by RSA Alumni, I orchestrated 2 Sunday Services and workshops. A sermon on “Midrash” by Rabbi Sandy Sasso & David Landis was followed by Dan Cooper & Mark Kessling on “re-Imagining Genesis”. Services included readings by RSA poets and original music by Dr. Dawn Batson.
Unitarian Universalist Church of Indianapolis
Indianapolis IN
June 2018
“Wrestling With The Infinite @ Interchurch Center
A RSA Alumni visual art exhibit
Indianapolis Interchurch Center
Indianapolis IN
November-December 2017
“Wrestling With The Infinite @ Clowes”
“Experimental Art” as described by the Clowes Hall staff
A unique event with paintings, sculptures, installations, music, poetry, and storytelling. Artists representing several disciplines studied several stories from Genesis about creation, human sacrifice, murder, and betrayal. The audience was divided and followed poets as music and recitations changed locations creating a chaotic and confused atmosphere. A discussion immediately followed.
Clowes Hall, Butler University
Indianapolis IN
August 2016
“Wrestling With The Infinite”
A Spirit & Place Festival Event (theme: Dream)
A first-of-its-kind event/performance/exhibit anywhere featuring several artists who studied together and created art on the same theme: Jacob’s Dreams. The 14-story glass dome, Indianapolis Artsgarden, was filled with installation art, kinetic sculpture, paintings, poetry, dance, and music.
Indianapolis Artsgarden
Indianapolis IN
November 2015
“Inside II” New Work - Group Show from the Advanced Art Class at the Correctional Industrial Facility, Pendleton, IN
Gallery 7, Pike Performing Arts Center
Indianapolis IN
November 23 – December 30, 2011
“Inside” Group Show from the Advanced Art Class at the Correctional Industrial Facility, Pendleton, IN
Indianapolis Art Center
Indianapolis IN
May, 2011
Juried Exhibitions:
74th Annual Wabash Valley Juried ExhibitionSwope Art Museum
Terre Haute, IN
September 7 – October 21, 2018
Juror: Philip Koch, senior professor at the Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore
“Jacob’s Dream”, juror awarded “Painting of Distinction”
9th Annual IDADA Membership Juried Exhibition
Arch at Chatham, Indianapolis
October 30 – November 15, 2013
Juror: Shaun Dingworth, Museum Director Richmond Art Museum
“Going Somewhere Else”, awarded Honorable Mention
69th Annual Wabash Valley Juried Exhibition
Swope Art Museum
Terre Haute, IN
June 29 – August 24, 2013
Juror: Kris Ercums, Curator of Global Contemporary and Asian Art at the Spencer Museum of Art (University of Kansas, Wichita)
“Spring/Winter”, juror awarded “Eileen and Ted Prose Award of Recognition”
Whitewater Valley Annual Art Competition
Indiana University East, Richmond, IN
October 31 – December 7, 2012
Juror: Barbara Tannenbaum, Curator for Cleveland Museum of Art
“Going Somewhere Else”, Merit Award
Ohio + 5 2012
The Dairy Barn Arts Center, Athens, OH
January 13, 2012 – March 11, 2012
Jurors: Dustin Farnsworth, Dennis Savage, and Art Werger
“Seasons”
Whitewater Valley Annual Art Competition
Indiana University East, Richmond, IN
October 26 – December 9, 2011
Juror: Katherine Sherwood, professor of art at the University of California Berkley
“Seasons”
Unclothed: Exposing the Art Nude
STUTZARTSPACE Gallery
Indianapolis, IN
November 4-23, 2011
“Continuing Journey”
7th Annual IDADA Members Juried Exhibition
wUG LAKU'S STUDIO & garage
Indianapolis, IN
August 31 – September 25, 2012
Juror: Barry Blinderman, Director of the University Galleries and professor in Art History at Illinois State University
“Doppler” – First Prize
2011 Regional Juried Exhibition
IU Kokomo
Kokomo, In
March 9 – April 2, 2011
“Burn 3: Reflection” and “Burn 4: Intention”
5th Annual IDADA Members Juried Exhibition
Domont Gallery, Indianapolis IN
November 6 – November 25, 2009
Juror: Bonnie Kime, Executive Director, The Next Picture Show Gallery, Dixon, IL
4th Annual IDADA Members Juried Exhibition
Pivot Gallery, Indianapolis IN
February 1 – March 3 2008
Juror: Brian Byrn, Curator of Exhibitions at the Midwest Museum of Art in Elkhart, IN
Life Canvas: The Words of Art and History 2008
Sullivan Munce Cultural Center, Zionsville IN
April 12 – June 17, 2008
Hoosier Salon
Indianapolis, IN
1990
“Jupiter Over Indianapolis”
Start With Art
Arts Council of Indianapolis Inaugural Exhibit
Indianapolis, IN
1990
“Agape: Hoosier Summer Innocence”
Group Shows:
“Re-imagining Genesis”Fairfields/Indianapolis Museum of Art
Special exhibit featuring 4 artists from Butler University’s Religion, Spirituality and the Arts initiative
Indianapolis, IN
January 2018
“Reimagining Genesis: Cain and Abel”
The Athenaeum
Indianapolis IN
May 2016
“Reimagining Genesis: Cain and Abel in Art, Music, and Word”
14 selected artists whose disciplines include painting, poetry, installations, sculpture, and video.
Christian Theological Seminary
Indianapolis IN
sponsored by Butler University, CTS, and Lilly Endowment
January 2016
“Reimagine, an RSA Retrospective”
Harrison Center for the Arts
Indianapolis IN
December 2015
Dreams & Sacrifice: Stories of Genesis Re-Imagined
8 visual artists and 4 performing artists interpret stories from Genesis
Arthur M. Glick Jewish Community Center, Indianapolis IN
May 6 – June 26, 2015
Religion, Spirituality and the Arts
12 selected artists whose disciplines include music composition, painting, photography, poetry, fiction, and sculpture.
Domont Gallery, Indianapolis IN
May 2014
Public presentation at Christian Theological Seminary
April 30, 2014
Alpha Omega Prize/Spirit and Place Festival
Center for Interfaith Cooperation, Indianapolis
“art exhibition exploring religious and spiritual risks”
by invitation participation
November 1 – 29, 2013
“Agape: Hoosier Summer Innocence”
Indianapolis Art Center Annual Faculty Shows
Indianapolis Art Center
Annually 2008-2018
The Shocking Show
Coalition of Indianapolis Artists
The Faris Building, Indianapolis, IN
1989
A Creative Affair
Coalition of Indianapolis Artists
The Goodman Building, Indianapolis, IN
1987
Bibliography:
Alpha Omega Arts News, INSPIRE ME! Artist of Month: Dan Cooperby Ernest Disney-Britton, November 5, 2013
NUVO, , Top 5 of 2012: Visual Arts
by Dan Grossman, December 28, 2012
NUVO, Review: Dan Cooper, “Seasons”
by Dan Grossman, June 4, 2012, 4.5 stars (out of 5) review of one-person show at Gallery 924
NUVO, Dan Cooper: Midwest metaphysician
by Dan Grossman, May 30, 2012, Feature article about Cooper’s current work and one-person show at Gallery 924
NUVO, Inside Art
by Dan Grossman, June 22, 2011, Feature article about Cooper’s advanced art class in prison and their group show
Nuvo, Portals: Paintings by Dan Cooper
by Dan Grossman, October 6, 2010
Nuvo, Annual Faculty Exhibition
by Dan Grossman, September 15, 2010
Arts Indiana
October 1987
Indianapolis Star
by Steve Mannheimer, September 16, 1990
A Grand Tradition: The Art and Artists of the Hoosier Salon 1925-1990
copyright 1993 by Judith Vale Newton and Carol Weiss, (Dan Cooper pp 185, 359)
Media:
WFYI 90.1, Art of the Matterhosted by Travis DiNicola, February 20, 2014, Interview to introduce Chinese artist Zuimeng Cao and promote the show Cooper arranged for him at Unitarian Universalist Church of Indianapolis.
WFYI 90.1, Art of the Matter
hosted by Travis DiNicola, May 25, 2012. Interview about upcoming show “Seasons” at Gallery 924. Performance and video collaborators Bovary Taritas, poet; and Justin Lahr, musician, join in the discussion.
WICR 88.7, Conversations
hosted by Jerry Sargent and Lisa Walston, June 10, 2011, Discussed prison art class group exhibit at the Indianapolis Art Center
WICR 88.7, Conversations
hosted by Jerry Sargent and Doug Housemeyer. October 7, 2010, Topics included what’s going on in the local arts community
People Helping People
Syndicated Radio Show, Jeff Cardwell, host, June 4, 2009, Talking generally about arts in Indianapolis. Joining in during the second half of the show are Stewart Lowry, Director of the Indianapolis Parks Department; and Tom Weidenbach, Manager of Garfield Park Arts Center.
WICR 88.7, Conversations
Doug Housemeyer and Jerry Sargent co-host this business oriented talk show, March 2, 2009. Dan Cooper and Mark Rushman were guests to talk about IDADA. Also on the show was Alan Zuckerman of MZD to plug the City Market
WICR 88.7, Conversations: History
Jerry Sargent, March 2, 2009, Dan Cooper and Mark Rushman talked about the development of the downtown art scene over the decades.
WICR 88.7, Conversations
Doug Housemeyer and Jerry Sargent co-host, 1992 to 2009. Dan Cooper is a semi-frequent guest talking about the arts and the business of being an artist.
WFYI – TV 20, Indiana Arts
Bob Beckman, Jr. hosts, August, 1987. Dan Cooper, Ellie Siskind, Dick Nickolson, and Skip Jones were interviewed about the just forming Coalition of Indianapolis Artists.
As well as guesting on shows, Cooper shoots and edits video documentaries covering IDADA First Friday gallery openings and other visual arts community events. Videos can be viewed at
http://www.youtube.com/artistdanc.
Corporate Collections:
Indiana Compensation Rating Bureau5920 Castleway West Drive
Indianapolis, IN 46250
Community Hospital South
1402 East County Line Road South
Indianapolis, IN 46227
National City Bank (currently PNC)
Indianapolis, IN
Individual Collections:
Michael Kaiser, San Francisco, CARobert Bishop, Chicago, IL
James and Maureen Schulz, Houston, TX
Kevin and Becky Clancy, CO
Bill and Terry Shank, Avon, IN
Harold Qualkinbush, Indianapolis, IN
Lisa & Charles Gantz, Florida