Episode 008 - Elizabeth Cooper

In this episode, I welcome Elizabeth Cooper! She shares her stories about teaching herself drawing and photography, and how art has helped shape her life even as a side hobby (for now!). She talks about what art teaches its participants, and that you don't have to do art perfectly in order to enjoy it. Special note: the ladybug photo for this episode's cover art is Elizabeth's own photography!

 

Get in touch with Elizabeth Cooper: https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.campbell.756412

Artfully Told links: www.facebook.com/artfullytold | www.artfullytold.podbean.com | elevateartskc@gmail.com

Schedule your interview with Artfully Told! https://calendly.com/artfullytold/podcast-interview

 

Intro & Outro Music Credits:

Bad Ideas (distressed) by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3412-bad-ideas-distressed-
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

 

SHOW NOTES:

Episode 008 - Elizabeth Cooper

Lindsey Dinneen:   Hello! Welcome to another episode of Artfully Told. Thank you so much for joining me today. I'm Lindsey and I am delighted to have as my guest today, Elizabeth Cooper. She is a wonderful, wonderful person. I'm blessed to actually know her; we're related, she's my cousin, which is awesome. And we grew up very close together. So she is a fantastic person in general, but she is also an artist in her own right. And I'm excited just to listen to her stories and share her experiences with you all. So thank you for joining me, Elizabeth.

[00:01:04]Elizabeth Cooper: Yeah, thank you for having me. This is a new experience and I'm looking forward to it.

[00:01:08] Lindsey Dinneen: Oh, wonderful. Wonderful. So, first of all, just, do you mind just sharing a little bit about you and the different art forms that you've dabbled in and all that fun stuff?

[00:01:18]Elizabeth Cooper: Okay. So yeah, as you said, I'm Elizabeth. I'm Lindsey's cousin and, I live here in Virginia and, have kind of gone into art as I've gotten a little bit older. It was actually--it was fun watching Lindsey and Ashley dance and, my art story actually starts with Jason. He was kind of my, my-- I don't know what to call him! I always looked up to Jason and for everything, you know, we did everything together, growing up and...

[00:01:44] Lindsey Dinneen: So for--and I'm just going to interject real fast--so Jason is my older brother and Ashley's my younger sister. So, so yeah. So all of us cousins? No, no, you're fine. But for those who don't know all of us-- cousins, we, we spend a lot of time together growing up. So there's, there's your context. Back to you.

[00:02:00] Elizabeth Cooper: Yes we did. Yes. So yeah, I actually started drawing because of Jason. He started drawing mazes back--I don't even know how old we were. And, he started drawing mazes and of course I wanted to copy, you know, everything that he did. So, I started drawing mazes and that's kinda how it started. From there, I don't remember what he ended up doing if that's all he did. Well, he was always doodling something anyway. But, outside of doodling, I started drawing, just usually Lord of the Rings related. 'Cause I was obsessed with that when all and all that came out. So, I started drawing, like copying pictures of, you know, their swords or the crowns or the necklaces, you know, the jewelry, and that kind of stuff that they had.

[00:02:45]You know, I thought they were gorgeous pieces. That's art in and of itself, just the designs that they had. So I started just copying those. You know, I see a picture, I look at the picture and kind of freehand it. And, so then from there I started drawing houses, which I think also might have been adjacent thing. I think he had designed a house or something and something that we had talked about, you know, that it would be fun to design our own houses one day and build them and whatever. And so, so then I started drawing houses, like layouts for houses, just very basic ones, And, you know, all the different ways that you can do it in the different types of houses. So I had a lot of fun with that. And then, we have an uncle that is an artist and I used to look at all of his stuff and I'd talk to him sometimes and be like, all right, "Can you help me with this perspective?" Or, you know, "I want the shadows here," you know, whatever. And he kinda told me things here and there and helped me out.

[00:03:40]Usually what I think of in my head is not what comes out on the paper. So, you know, yeah--so that gets frustrating sometimes, you know. It can be easily like, all right, forget this, you know? And there's been many projects I've done that with--all right, this is not working, I'm done. I remember taking art in school, which is just the, you know, again, the beginning basics of art, but I just really enjoyed it. I enjoy being able to, to take nature or, people or, you know, whatever, and just be able to put it on paper. I haven't done a lot of drawing in the last several years.

[00:04:12]I do like to color, which is a totally different thing and kind of cheating because then somebody else does the art, but I guess there, I guess there's art in the colors and... But so, yeah, so it's been a little while since I've done a lot of like drawing stuff, but I pulled it all out the other day, for my best friend, who's getting ready to have a baby this summer. And, so I started drawing an alphabet book for her, which-- it's coming along very slowly. And, it's definitely kind of saying "Well, it's not quite what I had in my head," but some of the stuff has come out better or different.

[00:04:46] And it hasn't necessarily been a bad different, just different than what I was thinking. You know, that it would be, So, yeah, I, I've enjoyed drawing buildings. I've done some sketches of some old barns and some old buildings that I've either had the privilege of living next to, or of working by. And I really enjoyed that, the landscape, you know, drawing landscapes and stuff. And then with that, I guess that's kind of-- I wouldn't say that drawing got me into photography. I'm actually not sure. I'm pretty sure when I got into photography--I was trying to think about that-- when I started, I've always loved taking pictures as far as I can remember. You know, way back when we had like rolls of film that you had to put in your camera, you know, and hope that you got the shot, right?

[00:05:38]But, you know, on all the missions trips and stuff, I always love taking my camera and I would get rolls and rolls and rolls of pictures. And, so over the years that's kind of developed-- I've done a lot more photography than I have drawing, actually. But, I think my, my favorite thing to do --to take pictures of is, again, nature. I'm a huge outdoors person. I love to be outside. I could literally spend all day outside and, I am just awed by, by the beauty of nature. And, I love capturing it and you know, the colors and the detail of it. My favorite thing, in even within nature to photograph is just details. Like, I've been able to get some really good pictures of grasshoppers, like really up close, where you can see their eyes and, you know, or butterflies--you can see the details in their wings and, I think it's kind of a funny thing, but I think bug's eyes are very fascinating, if you've ever looked at a bug's eye.

[00:06:41]So I have a lot of pictures of, like, close-ups of bugs' eyes. Yeah, so, yeah, I just love the detail and how intricate it is. And I've done--I had the privilege of photographing Ashley's wedding--being one of the photographers for that. And, that was outside of what I normally do, but I had so much fun with that and was very grateful for, you know, for her trusting me to help with that. It's a big, that's a big thing. Right now, most of my pictures, I actually take on my phone, and I'm hoping eventually to actually get a good, working camera, and then be able to do more with it. Someday, my, my dream would be to be able to take a theme, be it, huh, bugs or, you know, or flowers, or even, you know, castles or old churches-- you know, something like that, but be able to go around and photograph all those things.

[00:07:40] And then, you know, make, make a book out of it. You know, be able to partner with somebody that can write and, you know, put together like a picture book. Just to be able to showcase, you know, all the, all the beautiful things that are, that we have in this world.

[00:07:56] Lindsey Dinneen: That'd be amazing.

[00:07:57]Elizabeth Cooper: Yeah. So that's kind of on the, that's on the bucket list. That's the, you know, a dream thing to do maybe someday.

[00:08:02]Lindsey Dinneen: Well, and, correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe you actually kind of have dabbled in creating products from your photography. Is that correct?

[00:08:12]Elizabeth Cooper: Yes. Yeah, I have, yeah, I've done stuff through Shutterfly, where I've been able to take the pictures that I've taken, and I make a calendar for my mom every year. And, I honestly, I'm trying to see what else I've done with it-- the calendars I've done. There's so much you can do pictures, you know, just plain, plain pictures, little gift things. I've always thought it would be neat to be able to take the pictures and do something with it, whether it's, you know, selling products with the pictures on it to raise money for, you know, a charity, or for a mission or something like that.

[00:08:43]I'd love to be able to, to share the pictures that I have, but then also do something, you know, do something good with it too. Not just, not just sell it, but like I said, do something good, some sort of charity or something that I can then help donate to.

[00:08:56] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. Yeah, that would, that would be incredible. So for both photography and drawing, have you had any training, so to speak, in them? Or like, have you taken classes? Or is this you've just sort of learned as you go?

[00:09:10]Elizabeth Cooper: It's really been a lot of learning as I go. For drawing, the only thing that I, like, classes that I've had for that was what we took--goodness--a long time ago.

[00:09:21] Lindsey Dinneen: Oh, yeah.

[00:09:23] Elizabeth Cooper: When we did, when we did AMP. Yeah. And, so that was a while ago. Yup, yup. Again as kids. So that's actually the only, you know, the only lessons that I've had, as far as art goes. You know, I've looked stuff, I've looked stuff up online, like for this book that I'm doing now for my friend, you know, I'll look stuff up online. Okay. How do you draw, you know, kind of follow like the step by step instructions. And I have, I, over the years, I've bought all kinds of books on drawing, you know, how to do pencil drawings and nature drawings and, you know, stuff like that. Kind of, you know, detailed books on kind of the techniques of how to, but I've never actually taken like an art class like that, like a drawing class, which I think would be be a ton of fun to do. 'Cause I really do enjoy it. I enjoy drawing and yeah.

[00:10:16] And then for photography, no, I haven't taken anything for that. And I've talked to different people and again, I have books and stuff that I've purchased over the years that I've looked through 'em or different people that I've talked to, but nothing, you know, no official class or anything. Which, again, that would be something, I mean, I would love. I would love to take an official class. 'Cause I know, I know nothing compared to, you know, the things that you could, especially with these, you know, the cameras that you can get up. So many settings and stuff. There's so many cool things that you can do with them. So hopefully someday I'll be able to expand and kind of do more of that and, become better. Which is the beauty of, well, really any sort of art form, you know, you can always expand it and work on it and learn, learn new techniques and stuff to, you know, to to make it better or, or just different, not even better, just different.

[00:11:11] Lindsey Dinneen: Absolutely. Yeah. New perspectives even, or, or different techniques or, or just, yeah. Yeah. I love that. So I know this is going to be probably a difficult question to answer, but do you have like a favorite photo you've ever taken? Something that like really stands out to you?

[00:11:26]Elizabeth Cooper: Hmm. That is a

[00:11:28] Lindsey Dinneen: I question.

[00:11:29] I know! Or like a couple, I mean, it doesn't have to be one, but I'm just curious if you were like, "Oh my goodness, I can't believe I captured this moment!" You know, or something like that.

[00:11:38] Elizabeth Cooper: Yeah. I do have a few like that. And the few that are, like some just, flowers that I've gotten, where like the lighting was just perfect. And so I do have a couple of flower pictures that, you know, that definitely rank up there as some of my favorite ones. And then, like I said, I have a lot of pictures of closeups of, you know, bees or butterflies or grasshoppers. And, those tend to be my favorite too. I really liked those, I guess. I don't know why it fascinates me so much. Just, I think, cause they're, they're different, and I dunno. But I do have some of those that, that would also probably rank up there as some of my favorites. I have a really good one, actually that I got recently of a, a lady bug on a leaf, and it's like this perfectly green leaf and a lady bug. And it's--the lady bug sticks out so nicely on the green leaf. The only problem is that it's not facing me. If it was facing me, it would be like the perfect picture.

[00:12:34] Lindsey Dinneen: Oh!

[00:12:35] Elizabeth Cooper: But, but it's, but it's still good. And I have said that I really, I really liked that one too. It turned out really well.

[00:12:40] Lindsey Dinneen: That's neat. Kind of a random question, but have you ever captured a bumblebee?

[00:12:45]Elizabeth Cooper: Yeah. I do have pictures of bumblebees! Now, they're not generally flying. but I do have some pictures of bumblebees.

[00:12:52] Lindsey Dinneen: They're really cute. We have this one that's been like hanging out with us every time we'll, you know, we have spent time outside for whatever reason. There are these two, like, enormous bumblebees that are like super fluffy and they just hang out and I've been trying to capture it. And I can't. So.

[00:13:10]Elizabeth Cooper: Yeah, well, there's one section of our fence that I think that they're in, that's kind of where they've made home. And so we have a bunch of these wood bees by our gate, actually. And, I've noticed this year, when I go to fill up the dog bowl outside, just, you know, the regular spigot, you know, off the house. A couple of times I've turned that on and a bee will fall out of there. So, I don't know why they're in there. It's kind of an odd thing, but then, you know, then their wings are wet, so then they can't fly. So I've actually been able to, you know--I'll usually find a leaf or something that I can pick them up and move them somewhere I know it's going to be safe, that they can dry out and then can go on their way. But because I've had them right there on that leaf, I've been able to get some good close-ups of them being right there. Last year I got a really good one of one clinging onto the fence. Yeah. So, so yeah, I do have a few.

[00:14:03] Lindsey Dinneen: Okay, well, that's awesome. I was, I was thinking about this. It's just top of mind when you were talking about the bugs and I was thinking that just bumblebee, I mean, they they're hovering really close to us and, and they're just so cute. I mean, they're very fascinating. I've never seen a bumblebee or maybe it's, maybe it's a wood bee or whatever, but I've never seen one so close. And yeah. Anyway ...

[00:14:25] Elizabeth Cooper: They're not afraid. They just, yeah, it would be really neat to be able to capture one like mid air. You know, flying. That would be really cool. And I don't know, because I use my phone most of the time all the time. I don't, I don't know how easy that would be to do, but I would imagine with, you know, with a good camera. Then yeah, I'm sure that would, that would be something that could be captured.

[00:14:50] Lindsey Dinneen: So, thank you for sharing. That's, it's really, it's inspirational to me to know that, you know, sometimes you look at--well, we were talking about this actually before we started recording--is sometimes you look at it, an artist that's, you know, first of all, probably had years and years and years and years and years of experience, but also, you know, just this caliber where you think, "Oh my goodness. I mean, it's just amazing. And I could never do that." And, so I think it's really inspiring to hear that, you know, yeah, there's, there's maybe some forms of drawing or photography that you look at and you go, you know, that's, that's not me now, but I think it's amazing that you're, you know, you're creating art in a different way. I mean, you're creating what you are interested in creating, and it doesn't have to be like masterpiece quality from day one, and you're still trying, you know?

[00:15:44] Elizabeth Cooper: Right, right. Well, I think that you, you know, with, with art and any form of art, whether it's dance or whether it's photography or, you know, it really teaches you patience, and you know, the importance of, of trying to get, you know--you failed, doesn't look like how you want to do. Alright, let's try it again and try something different, you know? And it, you know, so it really, it helps teach you perseverance and patience and, yeah, the importance of, of like you're saying. Yeah, it doesn't have to be perfect the first time. It doesn't have to be perfect ever really. I mean, as long as you, you're enjoying doing it and you're trying your best, you know, that can be good enough.

[00:16:19] Yeah,

[00:16:20] Lindsey Dinneen: I love that. I love that perspective. It's, there's value in the creation process and not just the final product, you know?

[00:16:27]Elizabeth Cooper: Yeah. Yeah.

[00:16:28] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah, that's that's really good perspective. I like that a lot. Well, I have a couple questions for you if that's okay. So I like to just kind of, you know, hear different perspectives on these, these questions. So first, how do you personally define art or what is art to you?

[00:16:46]Elizabeth Cooper: So I never really, honestly, I never really thought about that before, but I think I would say, I would define art as a piece of, of work that, that someone is inspired by. Like someone sees something around them and they're inspired by it. And so they want to then recreate it in a way that means something to them. Does that make sense? So, I mean, I feel like art is, is, you know, it, it's a very personal thing. You know, everybody sees it differently. And so, yeah, I guess I would, I would just define art as anything that, that is inspired by the things around you, that then you create something from that inspiration.

[00:17:36] Lindsey Dinneen: I love that. That's perfect. Okay. What do you think is the most important role of an artist?

[00:17:43]Elizabeth Cooper: I would say being true to yourself and your passion. A lot of art is--it's interpretation of what, what you see around you and what inspires you. So, you know, I would say that it's really being, being yourself and letting yourself and what you see, shine through.

[00:18:09] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. So being true to--yeah, being true to yourself as you, as you create. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, absolutely.

[00:18:16] Elizabeth Cooper: Yeah.

[00:18:18] Lindsey Dinneen: Okay. And then the, final question I have-- I'll define it a little bit further than the question itself, but, do you think that art should be inclusive or exclusive? And kind of where I'm going with that thought is, so with exclusive, it's kind of an artists creates something, kind of puts it out in the world and doesn't provide any context behind it. So it's completely up to the viewer or participant or whatever, to kind of draw their own conclusions. Versus inclusive, meaning that, you know, you have--they provide some context to their work, so maybe it's a description or what inspired it, or what was going on in their head. You know, like just having a little bit more context as far as what the artist's intention was.

[00:19:04]Elizabeth Cooper: I think I'm actually, I'm actually torn on that. Because I, because art does tend to be such a personal thing, I feel like there's, there's place for both. You know, if I, as the artist, draw something very specific and I have a story that goes with it, and that's what I want to portray, then it might be important to have some sort of, of background out there to know kind of what's going on in the picture. So that way, when the person is looking at that piece of art or looking at that piece of photography or whatever, then they, they know what I, as the artist, am seeing and thinking.

[00:19:42] But then I think there's also a place for--okay, here, I'm going to make this masterpiece and this is what it means to me personally, but here you look at it and what is, you know, what do you think it means? Okay. Or what do you want it to be to you? So I feel like there's really place for, for both. Yeah. I don't know that I would say that, you know, one or the other is, is better. I think it really depends on the piece and the artist's intention behind it. So, I mean, I know for me sometimes when it comes to like some of the dance stuff that, you know--like we've gone to watch you and you and Ashley do. But it's nice, it's nice to have a little bit of the background to know, Oh, okay. This is what's going on. You know, like in the, you know, for this dance, this is what this is supposed to mean, or whatever. But then that's not always, you know, it's not always necessary. So I really do think that it depends on, on what the art form is and, and, what the intention is behind it.

[00:20:34] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah, absolutely. I love that. That's a great answer. Well, thank you so very much for joining me today. I really appreciate you taking the time to do so. And, you know, I--again, I have some context here that maybe some of our listeners don't, but I have seen some of Elizabeth's drawings and her photography and she is a beautiful artist, doing....

[00:20:59] Elizabeth Cooper: Aww, thank you.

[00:21:01] Lindsey Dinneen: Really, truly, I really love what you do. I think it's really fun. And, I like your different perspectives, especially with your photography. I've really, yeah. I like that-- like you were talking about the details and I thought, "Oh yeah, that is something that you just have really honed in on." And that's, that's neat! That, that gives you something that's a little different than just like a general shot, you know?

[00:21:21]So I just want to say thank you for creating art. I think that in general, when you are willing to, kind of, create and share, I think that just brings more beauty and inspiration to the world. So thank you. And, yeah, actually I've, I've been the recipient of some of the artwork, so, or the artwork products, I guess. So I, I'm super happy about it too. Biased, but no, I really there's a lot of value to that. And thank you for sharing your insights just about, yeah, your creation process and sort of what kind of, what inspired that journey. That's, that's really cool. So, I appreciate it.

[00:22:00]Well, that wraps up that and thank you so much to everyone who is listening to this. And if it particularly inspired you, if you wouldn't mind sharing it with a friend and, and keep making the world a beautiful place!