Darren Cooper

I initially began my art career in 1993 as 23-year-old Aboriginal artist painting artefacts with my elders at Yarrawarra Aboriginal corporation, the desire was predominately to connect with my culture and community. Over the years from the first project given to me by my community it seems to grow into higher level each year, I learn on the job by working out how to create an effect and build on layers. So, for me I suppose it was like learning to ride a bike but turning myself in to a trick rider was additional acquired knowledge that came with persistence. To me a mural artist is like someone coming out of an apprenticeship, studying a chosen field to be a specialist of a particular genre of art you aim to represent, but you can branch out into other fields. Mural’s art is mostly a public statement and it is testing your spirit in ways you could almost hear it speaking to you in a challenging way. For me I can’t let it beat me, it’s always a rule to absolutely given it your best, nothing less or lose your passion and settle for average is good enough is not an option. The rewards are you grow past who you were year by year decade by decade with keenness looking for the next challenge. The beauty of art is patients is your friend and walking with that focus, I rarely hear of a flop and wonder what will be my final and greatest artwork I leave to this world. However, I hope and believe I will have a long life and keep improve defining my murals, I recently was approach by a gym to paint from a digital image of the Hulk onto a wall in the style of pop art. It was a totally new area for me to accomplish, but it was a huge success for me and the pop art direction into commercial wall space. So, I guess I am an ambitious artist who enjoys learning new styles of murals and I am always up for suggestion of interest I am knot tide down to one style. I do believe I will always be very strong in caricature whatever genre it is, mainly accomplishment with sea and colourful tropical scene that fits in with cultural setting.