Biography

Canadian-born artist Austin Cooper is a master of multi-media work. His images seamlessly inter-weave painting and collage into pieces of beauty and depth, whilst maintaining a level of abstraction which invites viewers to study the pieces closely in order to pick of the subtle stories which the titles convey. Cooper’s works are a combination of delicate hues and jewel-like colours, leading to a body of work which has something for everyone. Those who collect him are passionate about his work, and he is at the present time, one of the best kept secrets in the art world, which given his pedigree is something which will not remain so for long.

Cooper was born in 1890, and moved along with the rest of his family to Cardiff in 1896, where he went on to study at the city’s School of Art. From there a scholarship took him to the Allan Frazer College ofArt, Arbroath, after which he moved to London to attend evening classes at the City and Guilds School. He was not destined to remain in London though, and returned to Canada in 1915 where he worked as an interior decorator until the outbreak of war when he joined the army. He fought in Flanders and returned to Canada when he finished his service. In 1922 he settled back in London where he worked designing poster for the London transport services until 1943.

At this stage, Cooper began painting, and it marked a new stage in his artistic career. His first solo show was at the London Gallery, and he went on to show at Galerie Craven in Paris in 1959. His work has been exhibited with Gimpel Fils in London since 1955, and a number of independent national and international galleries since 2000.