African Hunting Gazette – July 2019

(Tina Sui) #1

130 http://www.africanhuntinggazette.com


An innate knack for drawing, an encouraging art teacher, and a passion for wildlife have inspired


and motivated Debra to take her art to legendary levels.


Artist Profile:


Debra Cooper


D


ebra was born in Manistee
Michigan, a little tourist getaway
on the coastline of Lake Michigan.
Most of her schooling was in the Manistee
area, and she graduated from Manistee High
School with three passions: her family, her
community, and her talent.
Like any artist, she had a number of
influences in her life which have guided
her style, the greatest being that of her
high school art teacher, Ken Cooper. Ken
was always a source of encouragement; he
knew she was mostly self-taught, but often
reminded her that the origins of one’s art
didn’t matter – it was just the talent and
desire to run with it. It was his words that
gave her the drive, and self-confidence,
to take her art even further. And it wasn’t
until Debra started working for Legends,
Taxidermy that she began to see other styles
that resonated with her, the most influential
being those of John Banovich and Craig
Bone. Their paintings depict a hauntingly
realistic perspective of the wildlife they

portray and, said Debra, “It was wonderful
to meet these great artists in person at some
of the venues I have attended.”
Debra has chosen to focus on wildlife for
one particular reason - the animals. As a
young girl living in Michigan, she was blessed
to have the opportunity to witness the antics
of the local wildlife. From her back door she
could see a whitetail deer nibbling on fruit
in the orchards, a groundhog chasing around
the yard, and even the entertaining hunts of
the family cat! Animals are an intricate part
of our environment, and it is her desire to
capture it in her artwork.
With her current position at Legends,
she has had the privilege to appreciate
animals, from around the globe, portrayed
in their natural habitat, from the plains of
Nevada, the snowy landscapes of Alaska,
showrooms in Honduras, to the shores of
North Africa. However, by far, her favorite
creatures to paint is the elephant. Awesome
behemoths, these animals have an array of
emotions that humans may find difficult to

comprehend - they offer a subject she finds
utterly fascinating.
Debra feels that painting creatures such
as the elephant are essential for African
conservation efforts. “We have such a
Western view of conservation, we focus so
much on preserving the cycle of life that we
forget that hunting, and breeding programs
are a part of that cycle. Working with the
Legendary Consortium, I have witnessed
firsthand how artwork reminds everyone
that in order to protect wildlife, we must
accept the entire cycle. From birth, to play,
to death, to exhibition, every step is a part of
the process to save these great beasts.”
The mechanics of Debra’s artwork can be
broken down simply: she is a huge fan of
acrylic paints! “Acrylic paints dry fast and are
easy to paint over which gives the flexibility
to make adjustments after the fact. That being
said, the speed of drying makes it difficult to
make correction on the fly, so the greatest
advantage is also the downside!” Typically,
inspiration will strike when she least expects
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