Wayne Cooper (artist) facts for kids
Wayne Cooper is a famous artist born in 1942 near Depew, Oklahoma. He is part of the Yuchi people. Wayne is known around the world for his Western Art. His art often shows scenes from his childhood in Oklahoma and his Native American heritage. He started his art career in the early 1960s and is still creating amazing artwork today.
Learning to Be an Artist
Wayne Cooper learned from many great teachers. One of his first teachers was Woody Crumbo. Woody was a famous Potawatomi artist and a teacher at Bacone College. Wayne also took classes from the Famous Artists School. He studied at the Gary Artist League in Gary, Indiana, and at Valparaiso University in Valparaiso, Indiana. Later, he learned more at the American Atelier in New York City, New York.
His Artwork
Wayne Cooper uses many different materials for his art. He works with oil paints, watercolors, and charcoal. He also uses pencils and creates sculptures from bronze. Sometimes, he makes prints called lithographs. The Oklahoma State Capitol has asked Cooper to create more than fourteen pieces of art for them.
He started making art around 1963. Many of his early paintings showed barns. These paintings reminded people of famous works by artists like Andrew Wyeth and Eric Sloane.
Art Shows and Special Projects
Wayne Cooper has shown his art in many special places. These include the Will Rogers Memorial, the University of Kentucky, and the Indiana Capitol Building. He also had shows at the University of New Mexico and the Governor's Mansion in Indianapolis. His art has been displayed at the Oklahoma State Capitol.
The town of Perkins, Oklahoma asked Cooper to create two large bronze sculptures. Each sculpture is 12 feet tall and stands on a pedestal, making them 18 feet high. One sculpture is of the legendary cowboy Frank Eaton. Frank Eaton is also known as “Pistol Pete”, who is the mascot for Oklahoma State University. The other bronze sculpture is of “No Heart”, a chief from the Iowa people.
