bio and about the artist cynthia y cooper

Cynthia Cooper is a visual artist whose paintings use pattern, repetition and mathematics to create evocative and rhythmic works of art. Always embracing contradictions, Cooper mixes straight lines that drop into a dynamic convergence of curves., ordered systems with additions of randomness, and solidity with motion to form kaleidoscopic compositions that vibrate with tension. Though each line retains its clarity and strength at any distance, an up close reading of her surfaces reveals that these works are unmistakably done by hand. The dissolving pencil marks and gently wavering borders of paint invite an intimacy that grounds the viewer into a present, very human moment.

Recent works employ shaped panels that Cooper assembles into varying constructions, some inspired by the forms, color and graphic motifs of insects in nature and others referencing physical space and architecture. Earlier work like her pools series engage this reminiscent sense of place, eliciting memories of immersion and freedom, while deftly toggling between figuration and abstraction. Other series provide an immediate aesthetic pattern and only slowly reveal their more personal references to familiar home dwellings, traditional textile design, and sweeping landscapes.

While her works reflect an interest in mathematics, color theory, branding and advertising, Cooper embraces wide readings and interpretations. Her intentionally iterative works encourage a vast array of responses. Each new combination and formal addition draws out its own dynamic response, the tone and hue communicating its own mix of exhilaration, sorrow, humor, security, or tranquility. For Cooper, every subtle change holds untapped potential and the powerful opportunity for connection.