Michael Cooper

Born in 1943 in Richmond, California, Michael Cooper is a multimedia sculptor whose kinetic works incorporate engineering, mechanics, and traditional craftsmanship. Initially hesitant to work in fine art but fascinated with making, Cooper pursued BA in commercial art and later a MA in sculpture at San Jose State College.

While completing his MA, Cooper was introduced to Fletcher Benton, an up-and-coming sculptor who had recently joined the faculty. Cooper cites the exhibition American Sculpture of the Sixties, which featured the work of his new professor, as a professional turning point. Motivated by the exhibition, Cooper went on to complete his MFA in sculpture from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1969.

He taught art at Foothill-DeAnza College in Cupertino, California, for 34 years before retiring in 2004.

Cooper has mounted solo exhibitions at galleries and museums along the West Coast and in Australia. He has been recognized with a fellowship in sculpture at the American Academy in Rome (1979-80), a fellowship at the Crafts Council of Australia (1979), and a Craftsman's Fellowship Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (1978). Michael Cooper was elected a Fellow of the American Craft Council in 2016.