Mobile Photography and Art Interview – Hope In Adversity Interview with Vicki Cooper

I am currently self-isolating for twelve weeks as my Dr has said I am in the high risk category. In my home, we have all had to make adaptions to adjust to this pandemic, although, at least, currently, we are all well. I’ve been recalling many of the good words our dear friend and talented artist Carolyn Hall Young shared with us, not least ‘in any given situation we can always choose, hope over fear‘ – let’s all choose hope. 

I am aware there are many others also in a similar situation at the moment and I felt it would be a good idea to create an interview, reflecting these times with stunning imagery.

This is a new series of interview with mobile photographers and artists discovering what they’re creating and how in these difficult times. Our third interview is with talented mobile photographer, Vicki Cooper. Her artistry demonstrates that art really can change how we picture everything, it changes how we view the world and we’re all the better for it. Enjoy!

To read others in this series, please go here.

If you are social distancing or social isolating at this time, are you using any additional time you may have to create mobile digital art or photography?

Yes, I am social distancing at this time. Though this is a new behavior to many, it has been my life for a number of years. That being said, I’m not only devoting more time to my art, I am applying additional time to printing, matting, and framing.

I’m also taking time to learn a new art app. It must say something about my personality that when I’m told not to go out among people and not to go where and when I want that I feel an increase in energy and desire to do more. I’ve never liked being told what I can or cannot do. My mother called it being bull-headed or stubborn!

If so, have you noticed the style of art that you’re creating changing from what you would normally create?

Stubborn I may be, but I have noticed that I’ve been feeling the need to create using lighter, or brighter colors, active lines, but with a strong underlying background. I suspect that this is in part due to the pandemic.

If yes, to the above, can you explain how your art has changed?

I’ve recently created a couple of pictures featuring flowers. One, “Tulips”, is darker with the bright color of the flowers jumping forward in the picture. Another, “Printemps dans le jardin”, is a light, bright pastel of abstract flowers flowing and moving about the canvas in the way flowers in a Spring garden move and wave in the gentle breeze of the season. Both, though different in tone, feel gentle, hopeful, and full of life. While this is not new to me or to my work, I feel it is needed at the moment.

Have you found additional inspiration to create at this time?

I suspect that I’m not alone in my need to create my work more than ever due to this pandemic that has spread around our world. Some might think that creating my art diverts or distracts me from dwelling on the current situation, but in reality

I believe that my art allows me to think about not only our current situation but past events that have been challenging, disruptive, and painful to go through, and through this process to deal with what may come in a positive way. It was while creating my picture, “Walking Water Street, Remembering Kent, May 4, 1970”, that I realized I was doing just that, remembering the past and comparing it to the present. It helped put perspective on both experiences.

Is creating mobile digital art/photography, helping you at this time specially, how and why?

A recent portrait, “Witness”, came into being due to this situation. In my mind the colors are vivid and strong are are the lines. This situation we are facing demands we witness with great strength. I truly believe we will come out of this much strengthened in character and behavior.

Do you feel that sharing mobile art/photography at this time is spreading a unity of peace?

The need to share our work with the larger world is essential. It’s an important way to acknowledge that we need each other, that we are not alone.  Through our art we share our humanity regardless of where we come from, regardless of our age, our sex, our religion, our race, or any other criteria used to differentiate. Our art, regardless of the school we may follow, unites us and helps promote peaceful unity.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

At this point in my life I can’t imagine what life would be like if I did not have my art and my mobile artist friends. No matter what happens, art and all of you out there in the greater world have continued to, still continue to, and will continue to make life brighter, more hopeful, and worth living.  Thank you.

Please read…