Amber Cooper: Layers of Creation
Watch Over My Dreams, Hand Cut Paper Collage, 9 x 12 inches.
Artist Amber Cooper
No Comment, Hand Cut Mini Paper Collage, 2.5 x 3.5 inches.
Autumn's Welcome Party, Hand Cut Paper Collage, 11 x 15 inches.
Summer At The House By The Sea, Hand Cut Paper Collage, 11 x 13 inches.
Sing The Heavens Down, Hand Cut Paper Collage, 11 x 15 inches.
You Are My Flower, I Am Your Bird, Hand Cut Paper Collage, 11 x 13 inches.
Amber Cooper uses a variety of materials, like gardening magazines, used books, and vintage photos to create her own world through the art of collage. Her lush landscapes combined with images of black figures welcome the viewer into an otherworldly dreamscape where anything is possible.
How did your creative journey begin?
I started collaging as a therapy exercise, turning off autopilot and stimulating my brain. I know I've made collages before in grade school. I loved art class and I hate that art classes became less available/non-existent as school went on. However, I count my collages of recent memory as my first conscious, adult efforts to create art. I made a collage for my 32 birthday. It also served as a vision board. Forgive the cliche, but I really was immediately hooked. It was as if I was in a trance or being driven by an outside force. I visited the magazine shop and the second hand bookstore regularly.
Where do you find inspiration for your work?
I have a vivid imagination that conjures up scenes inspired by storybooks and fairytales, romance, beauty, nature, and spirituality. If you've ever heard a child describe an imaginary place, you realize that they create their own logic to make their world work. They are often unencumbered by what is "realistic." For this same reason I am incredibly inspired by other artists, especially collagists. Sorcerers, they are! I am also a religious person. I have such deep respect for all the beautiful expressions of faith and spiritual connection which inspired a series of collages called "The Stuff of Creation" where I imagine what the creation of the world looked like had I been there to see it unfold.
How has your work evolved over the last few years?
I started collaging a little over one year ago! There were two prominent themes in my early pieces: astronomy (as in imagining a Black astro-retro-future) and lush gardens to represent abundance in one way, security in another way, and reckless abandon in a third way. Over time I became more confident in my visions.and added depth and narrative to each piece. Essentially I see my collage practice as worldbuilding.
What does a typical day in the studio look like for you, and how has your art practice grown or changed?
I recently spent several months between jobs and during that time I was collaging all day, every day (give or take a day). Now that I'm back to a 9-5, collaging is a special treat if I manage to get some studio time during the week. Otherwise I save it for a quiet Sunday afternoon. I sit down at my desk without any preconceived ideas and I peruse my materials until an idea pops up. I don't tidy as I go along, so I sometimes end up with a very small work area that's been crowded out by books and magazines and scrap paper. In terms of growth in my art practice, I'm definitely more organized. I keep my common motifs organized and use storage bins for my source material. That's how I can glide through each piece with relative ease (multi-layered pieces can be annoying). I know where everything is. I also like to challenge myself. I recently completed a personal 100-mini collage challenge where I created 100 collages on 2.5" x 3.5" blank playing cards. I've also leaned into the storybook fantasy qualities of my work. Imagining the seasons as larger-than-life beings, using diamonds as tear drops, a gramophone that sounds to heavens, etc.
Which experiences have impacted your work as an artist?
1. The moment I faced my fears and officially started calling myself an artist was a significant experience. It wiped away any remaining self-doubt.
2. Spending most of my time alone means I can get lost in the worlds of my collage art. This may be why I haven't really experienced an art block. My collages are adventures or quests. One artist's "block" is another artist's much needed decompression from the long journeys.
How has social media impacted your work?
Since I started sharing my work publicly on Instagram I have found such an amazing community of artists. I believe it was multimedia artist Brittany M. Reid (@brittany.m.reid) who said that collage is a community-based art form. I believe that 100%. Doing art in community, whether in-person or online, is not about pedigree, credentials, awards, or profit for the sake of profit. We celebrate with each other. My experience as a self-taught artist on social media has been nothing but positive. That being said, even as someone who does not rely solely on selling my art for income, I do feel the pull to establish my presence beyond Instagram. That is my next project.
Where do you find your materials for your collages?
I collect vintage Black magazines like Ebony, Essence, and Jet, and vintage or used coffee table books on various subjects from the second hand book store. I also keep a stack of gardening magazines.
Instagram: @ambers_innerworld