DANA COOPER
You mention that your childhood was influenced by a ‘post colonial’ Bermuda. Please outline for us how you incorporate that era into your art? |
| Bermuda has had a colonial relationship with the UK since it was first colonized in the early 1600’s. Bermudians are linked to Britain in many ways in culture, habits, names of places, public holidays, sports, as well as the Westminster style of Government. I reflect that in my work by using a visual vocabulary that plays with this theme in various ways such as using symbols of British rule, traditions, such as horse drawn carriages, early sea trading vessels, vignettes of historical reference. This helps create a timeline that stretches back to that era from the perspective of a multi generation Bermudian in 2009. |
| You are a publisher of a series of children’s books. Please tell our readers how you got the idea for the series and how you got the project off the ground? |
Quite by accident, really. I was learning the process of Intaglio (zinc plate etching) back in 1991 which led me to researching the early master printmakers, and hand coloured illuminated manuscripts at The Morgan Library in New York. I loved the narratives and colours that came off the pages in the prints and manuscripts. I thought how wonderful it would be to create a Bermuda book – compiled of hand coloured etchings. The etching process is very labour intensive and I wanted to start with something simple, because in etching whatever you engrave into the plate becomes a reverse image. There were very few Bermuda books at that time, so I decided to do a book that would please children as there were no Bermuda children’s books.
I thought the most essential book for a child would be an alphabet book and decided to do a Bermuda version - it would be titled, “My Bermuda ABC” and one thing led to another. The book is now in its third reprint. Although it took many months to produce, almost a year and half, I had a great time doing it. I created a mock up of the book on a computer, which in those days had a very tiny screen, but I somehow managed to get the book laid out. I then presented the idea to bookstores on the island, to see if they would be interested in selling the book. Once I got their commitment, and enough orders, I took the next step and prepared the book to be printed. |
| What is the process that you go through when you put on an exhibition of your art? |
| Well, it depends on whether there is a theme or not, or what I am working on at the time. I take into consideration the space in which it will be viewed and then consider the installation process, which pieces will be shown and if they should be framed or not. I am very selective about what I will show. |
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| How has working as a Commercial Designer assisted you in your art? |
| It keeps me informed of current ideas, trends and technology as well as what is going on in the world around us, which also informs my art. I enjoy the contact and collaboration with writers, photographers, other designers and the media in general. |
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