Jessica Cooper - Artist

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Learning to find a sense of self. Juggling a career and daily life and motherhood. Giving up smoking.

What motivates you to do what you do?

A thirst for knowledge and understanding. A love of art and life. Since being a child, I’ve always had the feeling that ‘there’s something out there that I haven’t found yet ‘and that life is about the need to ‘keep on searching‘ .

What do you owe your mother?

I owe my mother a lifetime of emotional support and quite a lot of money. My mother is one of the most compassionate, humanitarian, generous, intelligent, beautiful, annoying, stubborn and funny people that I know.

Which women inspire you and why?

At this moment in time these women inspire me: my daughter for her courage and her kindness ; my women friends for their unconditional love - each one is mad, bad and beautiful; artist Annie Albers for her innovation and commitment to her art; and Director Nadine Labaki for highlighting personal and world issues through her art of film.

What are you reading?

I have three books on the go that I’ve been trying to finish for the last year: ‘Less Than Zero’ by Bret Easton Ellis , ‘A Little Life’ by Hanya Yanagihara and ‘Colourless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage’ by Haruki Murakami.

What gender barriers have you had to hurdle?

Not many to date, I have been lucky. However, I think I am quite good at standing my ground when situations do arise whether gender based or not, and i also walk away from things and let them go, so that the other party involved has to think about things.

How can the world be made a better place for women?

I think if women and men could accept both their places and roles in society on an equal footing and work together, the world would be a better place for everyone, regardless of specific gender .

Describe your perfect day?

A friend once told me to find one thing in each day that you love. Maybe that way each day can be a perfect day. Perfect days would need to include, amongst other things: the sea, the sun, art, a city, people, space to breathe, chocolate and the man that I love …. but maybe not all at once!

We've noticed there really aren't many (if any) statues of women around Cornwall - who would you see remembered?

This is a really hard one. I think it would be great if each district in Cornwall could vote for a woman that they felt should be remembered, then there could be six statues! Whether it’s the lady who works in the fish and chip shop or the next potential female noble peace prize winner .

Give us a tip?

Ok, here’s a quid. Be kind but take no shit. Listen more. See both sides of an argument. Remember that a smile can work miracles .

That’s five tips .

About Jessica Artist Jessica Cooper lives in Newlyn and has lived and worked in West Penwith’s weather worn landscape for most of her life. She studied at Falmouth College and Goldsmith’s College, London and is a member of the NSA, PSA and an RWA. She exhibits regularly on a national and international basis, including exhibitions at The Exchange and Newlyn Art Gallery, the RWA, Tate St. Ives, Kestle Barton, Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens and the New York and International Art Fairs with Edgar Modern Fine Art. Cooper’s work is permanently on show at The Belgrave, St. Ives and Beyond The Sea, Padstow . She has received awards for drawing from the University of the West of England and has been shortlisted for the NOAC and Art Rooms exhibitions. Cooper has worked on design projects and product ranges, in collaboration with Arbor ( USA ), Nathan Outlaw ( St. Enodoc Hotel ), Tate Enterprises and Tate St. Ives, Simon Marsh ( Paupers Press ), Art Press, King + McGraw ( John Lewis ), Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens, Seasalt ( Cornwall ).

Further information and links: www.jessicacooper.co.uk