Mobile Photography & Art – ‘Intimate Interview’ with Vicki Cooper from Michigan, United States
We have decided to launch a new intimate style of interview into TheAppWhisperer – the world’s most popular mobile photography and art website. We feel it is important that our community feel close to each other, as it is this support that helps us to nurture one another, gain confidence and continue to grow.
This is our seventh interview, to read the others, please go here. Today, we are publishing this beautifully expressive and engaging interview with talented digital mobile artist, Vicki Cooper from Michigan in the United States. Enjoy.
What was your childhood or earliest ambition?
My earliest ambition, at age 4, was to go to University. At age 8 I became more specific in that I wanted to be an artist.
First Recognition
My first real sense of recognition came in the 8th grade when I was chosen to paint one of my pictures on a business window for the holiday.
First job?
My first job was teaching gymnastics at the YWCA while I was at University as an undergraduate.
Private or state school?
I attended State schools for all of my education.
University or Work?
University of Akron, Ohio.
Who was or still is your mentor?
I’ve been fortunate to have had three mentors in my life: Mrs. Witters my 9th grade English teacher, Dr. Ruth Messenger, my English Professor as an undergraduate, Robert Pope, English Professor and Creative Writing Instructor.
How physically fit are you?
I regret to inform that I’m not as physically fit as I’d wish to be due to ill health. Sigh!
Ambition or Talent: What matters more to success?
I believe both talent and ambition are equally important though I’m not sure that either will insure success. I suppose it depends on how one defines success.
How politically committed are you?
I have always been a political animal. I suspect it’s in my genes. My first trip to the voting booth was when I was 6 and my grandfather took me because he wanted me to know what it was like to participate in our government. Thank you, Grandpa!
What would you like to own that you don’t currently possess?
I would love to own a printer and computer system that would allow me to print out my own large canvases! I would also love to experiment with 3D printing.
What’s your biggest extravagance?
My biggest extravagance ism iPad Pro and my iPhone. I need very few “things”.
In what place are you happiest?
I’ve learned over time that I carry my happiness with me. Physical location is irrelevant.
What ambitions do you still have?
At this point in my life my ambition is to be able to be aware of all that I love and cherish, and to be able to creating my art as long has I can take a breath.
What drives you on?
My passion drives me. My passion for life, for beauty, for feeling the breeze in my skin, the sun on my face, the sound of rain on the roof. Everything drives me.
What is the greatest achievement of your life so far?
My son is my greatest achievement, though to be honest I can’t take all responsibility for his “wonderfulness”. He is the most remarkable person I have ever had the pleasure to know.
What do you find most irritating in other people?
I find bigoted behavior in any form irritating!
If your 20 year old self could see you now, what would she think?
I suspect my 20 year old self would think she was looking at a slightly more progressive version of my grandmother (I’m laughing at myself, lol).
Which object that you’ve lost do you wish you still had?
I lost a picture of a nude that my son painted when he was 8. I had him with me when I was working on a sketch of a life study. He was supposed to be drawing pictures of animals but instead drew and painted with his water colors the nude I was working on. I had it framed and hung it in my home, but unfortunately during one on my many moves it was lost.
What is the greatest challenge of our time?
I believe that one of our greatest challenges is to maintain the integrity of our personal values.
Do you believe in an afterlife?
I believe in reincarnation. Look out folks, because one day I will return!
If you had to rate your satisfaction with your life so far, out of 10, what would you score?
I wish I could say 10, but the truth lies somewhere between 6 and 9.
Please Read…
TheAppWhisperer has always had a dual mission: to promote the most talented mobile artists of the day and to support ambitious, inquisitive viewers the world over. As the years passTheAppWhisperer has gained readers and viewers and found new venues for that exchange.
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Joanne Carter
Joanne Carter, creator of the world’s most popular mobile photography and art website— TheAppWhisperer.com— TheAppWhisperer platform has been a pivotal cyberspace for mobile artists of all abilities to learn about, to explore, to celebrate and to share mobile artworks. Joanne’s compassion, inclusivity, and humility are hallmarks in all that she does, and is particularly evident in the platform she has built. In her words, “We all have the potential to remove ourselves from the centre of any circle and to expand a sphere of compassion outward; to include everyone interested in mobile art, ensuring every artist is within reach”, she has said. Promotion of mobile artists and the art form as a primary medium in today’s art world, has become her life’s focus. She has presented lectures bolstering mobile artists and their art from as far away as the Museum of Art in Seoul, South Korea to closer to her home in the UK at Focus on Imaging. Her experience as a jurist for mobile art competitions includes: Portugal, Canada, US, S Korea, UK and Italy. And her travels pioneering the breadth of mobile art includes key events in: Frankfurt, Naples, Amalfi Coast, Paris, Brazil, London. Pioneering the world’s first mobile art online gallery - TheAppWhispererPrintSales.com has extended her reach even further, shipping from London, UK to clients in the US, Europe and The Far East to a global group of collectors looking for exclusive art to hang in their homes and offices. The online gallery specialises in prints for discerning collectors of unique, previously unseen signed limited edition art. Her journey towards becoming The App Whisperer, includes (but is not limited to) working for a paparazzi photo agency for several years and as a deputy editor for a photo print magazine. Her own freelance photographic journalistic work is also widely acclaimed. She has been published extensively both within the UK and the US in national and international titles. These include The Times, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, Popular Photography & Imaging, dpreview, NikonPro, Which? and more recently with the BBC as a Contributor, Columnist at Vogue Italia and Contributing Editor at LensCulture. Her professional photography has also been widely exhibited throughout Europe, including Italy, Portugal and the UK. She is currently writing several books, all related to mobile art and is always open to requests for new commissions for either writing or photography projects or a combination of both. Please contact her at: [email protected]
