Cathy Cooper (artist)
Encyclopedia
Cathy Cooper is a postmodern artist
and wardrobe stylist
who lives and maintains a studio in Los Angeles
. Working as a costume and wardrobe designer, for the past 22 years she has been collaborating with directors, musicians, commercial advertisers and photographers. Her specialty in the media industry is the use of humor and irony; her high-profile wardrobe and costuming work is seen regularly on numerous commercials for Nike
, Coca-Cola
, Heineken
, Buick, McDonalds, ESPN
, Orbitz
, Honda
and many others. Her work was nominated for the MVPA 2009 Best Costuming Video Award for the Modest Mouse
hit single "Dashboard
" music video. Other notable music videos she has produced costuming work for are with bands such as Alice in Chains
, The Cramps
, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb1o42RdVzA&playnext=1&list=PL99258B053D07A027Cut Copy
], Stone Temple Pilots
, Aerosmith
, and Weird Al Yankovic. Her album/CD jacket design work can be seen with record labels such as Centaur Records
, Geffen Records
, Sony Records, Interscope, and A&M Records
.
, the second daughter of four children (two girls, two boys); the family grew up in nearby La Habra. Her mother, Georgie, was influential on the all four children as a professional pianist, teacher, and aficionado of literature and the arts. Cathy Cooper's interest in sewing and ability to quickly produce high-quality garments, along with her keen interested in fashion and the graphic arts, were evident. Though she was to become an artist, her athletic ability in the 800-meter run was widely noted on the West Coast and enabled her to receive an athletic scholarship to the University of California at Irvine. She eventually transfered to the art program at California State University, Fullerton
and eventually received her B.A.
in Fine Arts from California State University, Long Beach
.
and Coco Chanel
; a great deal of her work with costuming is categorized as post-modern urban.
"Cathy Cooper’s mixed media sculptures describe a natural world that grows out of garbage and decay." Her sculptures are pieced together with fabric, found objects and paper mache; they are constructed in bright color combinations much like the clothing she designs and has been influenced by.
She has been a part of the prominent Silver Lake, East Side Los Angeles alternative rock band Touch Candy.
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
and wardrobe stylist
Wardrobe stylist
A wardrobe stylist is the job title of someone who selects the clothing for published editorial features, print or television advertising campaigns, music videos, concert performances, and any public appearances made by celebrities, models or other public figures...
who lives and maintains a studio in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Working as a costume and wardrobe designer, for the past 22 years she has been collaborating with directors, musicians, commercial advertisers and photographers. Her specialty in the media industry is the use of humor and irony; her high-profile wardrobe and costuming work is seen regularly on numerous commercials for Nike
Nike, Inc.
Nike, Inc. is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. The company is headquartered near Beaverton, Oregon, which is part of the Portland metropolitan area...
, Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
, Heineken
Heineken
Heineken is a Dutch beer which has been brewed by Heineken International since 1873. It is available in a 4.6% alcohol variety in countries such as Ireland. It is the flagship product of the Heineken company and is made of purified water, malted barley, hops, and yeast. In 1886 H...
, Buick, McDonalds, ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, Orbitz
Orbitz
Orbitz Worldwide, Inc. is an Internet travel company headquartered in the Citigroup Center in Near West Side, Chicago, Illinois. Through its primary web site Orbitz.com, Orbitz Worldwide enables travelers to research, plan and book a broad range of travel products, facilitating 1.5 million flight...
, Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
and many others. Her work was nominated for the MVPA 2009 Best Costuming Video Award for the Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse
Modest Mouse is an American indie rock band formed in 1993 in Issaquah, Washington, by singer/lyricist/guitarist Isaac Brock, drummer Jeremiah Green, and bassist Eric Judy. They are based in Portland, Oregon. Since their 1996 debut album, This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think...
hit single "Dashboard
Dashboard
A dashboard is a control panel placed in front of the driver of an automobile, housing instrumentation and controls for operation of the vehicle....
" music video. Other notable music videos she has produced costuming work for are with bands such as Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains
Alice in Chains is an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1987 by guitarist and songwriter Jerry Cantrell and original lead vocalist Layne Staley. The initial lineup was rounded out by drummer Sean Kinney, and bassist Mike Starr...
, The Cramps
The Cramps
The Cramps were an American rock band, formed in 1976 and active until 2009. The band split after the death of lead singer Lux Interior. Their line-up rotated much over their existence, with the husband and wife duo of Interior and lead guitarist Poison Ivy the only permanent members...
, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tb1o42RdVzA&playnext=1&list=PL99258B053D07A027Cut Copy
Cut Copy
Cut Copy are an Australian electronic band formed in 2001 by Dan Whitford on vocals, keyboard and guitar. Other members are Tim Hoey on guitar and sampler, Ben Browning on bass guitar and Mitchell Scott on drums. Their second album, In Ghost Colours peaked at number-one on the ARIA Albums Chart in...
], Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots
Stone Temple Pilots is an American rock band from San Diego, California that consists of Scott Weiland , brothers Robert DeLeo and Dean DeLeo , and Eric Kretz ....
, Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...
, and Weird Al Yankovic. Her album/CD jacket design work can be seen with record labels such as Centaur Records
Centaur Records
Centaur Records is one of the oldest and largest independent classical labels in America. The company is located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and was founded in 1976. Their recordings are available in major markets throughout the world, and their catalog includes classical, historical, pops,...
, Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
, Sony Records, Interscope, and A&M Records
A&M Records
A&M Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group that operates under the mantle of its Interscope-Geffen-A&M division.-Beginnings:...
.
Early years growing up
She was born Catherine McPeak Cooper in Whittier, CaliforniaWhittier, California
Whittier is a city in Los Angeles County, California about southeast of Los Angeles. The city had a population of 85,331 at the 2010 census, up from 83,680 as of the 2000 census, and encompasses 14.7 square miles . Like nearby Montebello, the city constitutes part of the Gateway Cities...
, the second daughter of four children (two girls, two boys); the family grew up in nearby La Habra. Her mother, Georgie, was influential on the all four children as a professional pianist, teacher, and aficionado of literature and the arts. Cathy Cooper's interest in sewing and ability to quickly produce high-quality garments, along with her keen interested in fashion and the graphic arts, were evident. Though she was to become an artist, her athletic ability in the 800-meter run was widely noted on the West Coast and enabled her to receive an athletic scholarship to the University of California at Irvine. She eventually transfered to the art program at California State University, Fullerton
California State University, Fullerton
California State University, Fullerton is a public university located in Fullerton, California. It is the largest institution in the CSU System by enrollment, it offers long-distance education and adult-degree programs...
and eventually received her B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in Fine Arts from California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach
California State University, Long Beach is the second largest campus of the California State University system and the third largest university in the state of California by enrollment...
.
Style, media, influences, and music
Cathy Cooper notes influence designers such as Edith HeadEdith Head
Edith Head was an American costume designer who won eight Academy Awards, more than any other woman.-Early life and career:...
and Coco Chanel
Coco Chanel
Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel was a pioneering French fashion designer whose modernist thought, menswear-inspired fashions, and pursuit of expensive simplicity made her an important figure in 20th-century fashion. She was the founder of one of the most famous fashion brands, Chanel...
; a great deal of her work with costuming is categorized as post-modern urban.
"Cathy Cooper’s mixed media sculptures describe a natural world that grows out of garbage and decay." Her sculptures are pieced together with fabric, found objects and paper mache; they are constructed in bright color combinations much like the clothing she designs and has been influenced by.
She has been a part of the prominent Silver Lake, East Side Los Angeles alternative rock band Touch Candy.