Revel Cooper facts for kids

Revel Ronald Cooper (born around 1934 – died 1983) was an important Indigenous Australian artist. He was a key part of an art movement that started with children at the Carrolup Native Settlement. This movement grew in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Early Life and Art Beginnings

Revel Cooper was born in Katanning, Western Australia, in the mid-1930s. As a young person, he was placed at the Carrolup Native Settlement.

The Carrolup Art Movement

Starting in the 1940s, children at the Carrolup school received special art lessons. Revel Cooper was one of these talented young artists. They were often called the Children of Carrolup.

Their artwork was shown in exhibitions during the late 1940s. These shows took place in Perth, the capital of Western Australia, and even in India. An English woman named Florence Rutter helped arrange for their paintings to be shown in New Zealand and Europe. In 1952, some of his art was featured in a book by Mary Durack called Child Artists of the Australian Bush.

Revel Cooper's Artistic Journey

Unlike many of the young Carrolup artists, Revel Cooper kept painting as an adult. After leaving school in 1951, he worked briefly as a commercial artist in Perth. Later, he returned to Carrolup to work on a farm and on the railway.

Art Through Challenges

Revel Cooper faced many challenges in his life. Despite these difficulties, he continued to create art. His experiences often influenced his unique style.

In the mid-1950s, he spent some time in Victoria. There, he worked for Bill Onus's Aboriginal souvenir business. He is thought to have influenced the artistic style of Bill's son, Lin Onus, who also became a famous artist.

Exhibitions and Signature Style

During the 1960s, Cooper often showed his work in galleries across Victoria. He received help from the Victorian Aborigines Advancement League. By this time, his beautiful landscape paintings had become his well-known signature style.

In 1968, Cooper wrote an article called "To Regain Our Pride" for the Aboriginal Quarterly magazine. In this article, he shared his childhood dreams and later thoughts about life.

While at Fremantle Prison in 1976, he illustrated Mary Durack's book Yagan of the Bibbulmun. This book was a story for young people. He also painted twelve artworks for a church restoration project during his time there. He even taught art to other artists at Fremantle Prison.

For a period, he also worked as a driver for the Director of Aboriginal Welfare in Melbourne.

Legacy of Revel Cooper

Revel Cooper passed away in early 1983. His body was found in December 1985, and he was buried in January 1987.

His artworks are now held in many important collections. These include the National Gallery of Australia, the Art Gallery of Western Australia, and the Berndt Museum of Anthropology. His paintings continue to be admired and studied today.