Selected Press
curriculum vitae
EDUCATION
1986 | MFA
California Institute of the Arts, Valencia, CA.
1984 | BA
University of California at San Diego, La Jolla, CA.
TEACHING
2018 to 2023
Professor and Chair, Fine Art
Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA.
1990 to 2018
Professor and Associate Chair, Fine Art
Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA.
Faculty Bio
SOLO AND TWO-PERSON EXHIBITIONS
2023
"Laura Cooper," RDFA, Los Angeles, CA
2020
"Rob Clayton and Laura Cooper," Hey There, Pasadena, CA. Two person show.
2018
“Tangle,” Post, Los Angeles, CA
2013
“Single Species Translations: Opuntia,” Perlman Teaching Museum, Carleton College, Northfield, Minnesota. Dual solo show with Jessica Rath's take me to the apple breeder – under the combined title “Single Species Translations.” About the Exhibition
2011
“Laura Cooper & Nick Taggart,” The Yellow Wall, Alias Books, Los Angeles, CA. Collaborative work on paper.
2003
“One Photograph Every Morning Before Waking” aka “The Sleep Piece,” (Laura Cooper and Nick Taggart), Angles Gallery, Santa Monica, CA. Review Online | Review as PDF
2002
“Laura Cooper & Laura Paddock: collaboration and individual works,” Coleman Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.
1996
“Aquaflora,” Gateway Fountain of the Los Angeles Arboretum, Arcadia, CA. An installation and performance in the Los Angeles Garden Show with guest artists.
1995
“Laura Cooper & Nick Taggart,” Bliss, Pasadena, CA.
1993
“Nightly,” Sue Spaid Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA.
1992
“Chutes and Ladders,” Sue Spaid Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA.
1988
“Struggles with Zeuss,” Pacific Beach Storefront Project, San Diego, CA.
GROUP EXHIBITIONS AND
COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS
2022
“Material World,” Goat Gallery, Landers, CA. Adrian Adar, Laura Cooper, Cybelle Row, Heidi Schwegler, Coleen Sterritt, Curated by Nicola Vruwink.
2020
“Hey There in Space,” Hey There, Pasadena, CA.
2019
“Inaugural Show,” Hey There, Joshua Tree, CA. Rob Clayton, Laura Cooper, Alejandra Fernandez and Carlos Ramirez.
2018
“Every (ongoing) Day,“ Arena 1 Gallery, Santa Monica, CA. Curated by Jody Zellen and Pam Posey. Catalogue
2016
“Urbanature,” Alyce de Roulet Williamson Gallery, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena. CA. Curated by Constance Mallinson.
2015
“Oasis,” Sturt Haaga Gallery, Descanso Gardens, La Canada Flintridge, CA. Curated by John O’Brien.
2014
“The Polaroid Years: Instant Photography and Experimentation, Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach, FL. Catalogue Exerpt
2013
“The Polaroid Years: Instant Photography and Experimentation,” Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York. Collaboration with Nick Taggart. Curated by Mary Kay Lombino.
“Animal Intimacies,” Sam Francis Gallery, Santa Monica, CA. Curated by Jessica Rath.
2012
“LALALAND,” Tent Gallery, Edinburgh, Scotland. Curated by Kristina King.
2011
“Chain Letter,” Shoshana Wayne Gallery, Santa Monica, CA. Curated by Christian Cummings and Doug Harvey.
2010
“Criss-Crossing,” Kellogg Gallery, Cal Poly Pomona, Pomona, CA (Collaborative works with Laura Paddock.) Curated by John O’Brien. Installation
2006
“The Young Ones,” Sundown Salon, Los Angeles, CA. Curated by Iris Regn and Joyce Campbell.
“Bugology,” Armory Center, Pasadena, CA. Curated by Patricia Watts. Installation
2005
“Wives/Husbands,” Domestic Setting, Los Angeles CA. Collaborative work with Nick Taggart.
2004
“The Garden LAb Experiment,” Art Center College of Design, South Campus, Wind Tunnel, Pasadena, CA.
2003
“L.A. Post Cool,” Ben Maltz Gallery, Otis College of Art and Design, Los Angeles, CA. Catalogue with essay by Michael Duncan.
2002
“L.A. Post Cool,” San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, CA. Catalogue with essay by Michael Duncan.
2001
“Cross-Pollination,” Holland Tunnel Gallery, Brooklyn, N.Y. Travelled to Los Angeles Arboretum, Arcadia, CA.
“Cultivated,” Trans-America Pyramid Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
2000
“Exquisitely Wrought,” The Brewery Project, Los Angeles, CA.
“L.A. Art in The Early 90’s * ReCharge * The Gift of Peter and Eileen Norton,” Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Beach, CA.
1999
“s/he bugs me, s/he bugs me not,” Post, Los Angeles, CA.
“The Flower Show, An Invitational,” Patricia Faure Gallery, Santa Monica, CA. Organized by Zazu Faure. Sculpture/installation.
“George’s Phototron 2000,” George’s, Los Angeles, CA.
1998
“Blast Off,” Fred Hoffman Fine Art, Santa Monica, CA.
“The Dark Side: An Homage to the Surreal,” with The Germinators, and “The Vampire Garden,” Los Angeles Garden Show, The Arboretum of Los Angeles County, Arcadia, CA.
Sculpture/Installation, collaborations with Nick Taggart and The Germinators.
1996
“Shirts and Skins,” Honolulu Museum of Contemporary Art, Honolulu, HI.
“True Bliss,” Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions (LACE), Hollywood, CA. Catalogue with essay by Julie Joyce.
“Be Specific,” Rosamund Felsen Gallery, Santa Monica, CA. Installation of “The Sleep Piece,” collaboration with Nick Taggart.
“Romance,” Alyce Williamson Gallery, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA. Installation of “The Sleep Piece,” collaboration with Nick Taggart.
“Real Goods,” Manhattan Village Shopping Center, Manhattan Beach, CA. Catalogue with essay by Marilu Knode.
1995
“Love Flight of a Pink Candy Heart: A Compliment to Florine Stettheimer,”
Holly Solomon Gallery, New York, N.Y. Catalogue, essay by Michael Duncan.
“Flowers,” Boritzer/Gray/Hamano, Santa Monica,CA.
“Fabrication: formal, found and funky,” Guggenheim Gallery, Chapman University, Orange, CA. Essay by Michael Duncan.
1994
“Fairies, Pixies and Netherworlds,” Sue Spaid Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA.
“The Sacred and the Profane,” Jan Baum Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.
“The Green Show,” The Bradbury Building, Los Angeles, CA.
1993
“Daylight Fantasy, The Night’s Dark Side,” Riverside Art Museum, Riverside, CA.
“The Domestic Object,” Rio Hondo College Art Gallery, Whittier, CA.
1992
“The LAURA Show,” TRI, Los Angeles, CA.
Review Online
Review as PDF
1991
“Les Fleurs,” Parker/Zanic Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.
“The Store Show,” Richard/Bennett Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.
“The Chapman Market Show,” L.A. Place Projects, Los Angeles, CA.
“Ovarian Warriors vs. Knights of Crissum,” Parker/Zanic Gallery and Sue Spaid Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA. Essay by Sue Spaid.
1990
“Heart in Mouth,” Fahey/Klein Gallery, Los Angeles,CA. Catalogue with essays by Nick Taggart, Sue Spaid and Benjamin Weismann.
“Best of the West,” Zero One Gallery, Los Angeles, CA.
1989
“Dark as a Space,” Marc Richards Gallery, Los Angeles, CA. Essay by Jeremy Gilbert-Rolfe.
PERFORMANCES/EVENTS
1996
“Aquaflora,” Gateway Fountain of the Los Angeles Arboretum, Arcadia, CA. A week long public installation and performance, with guest artists.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
2023
Dambrit, Shana Nys, “Meet Elemental Ethos Artist Laura Cooper,” LA Weekly, February 27.
LA Weekly interview
2018
Ollman, Leah, "One bed photo per day, for years and years: Mesmerizing moments from an art show about daily life," Los Angeles Times, April 9.
Los Angeles Times article
Wood, Eve, "Practice, Practice Every (ongoing) Day at Arena 1 Gallery," Art and Cake, April 3.
Art and Cake article
2016
Mallinson, Constance, “Urbanature – New Perspectives of the Natural,” Urbanature exhibition essay. p. 9.
2014
Kameon, Judy, “Gardens Are For Living,” Rizzoli, pp. 47, 106, 116, 117, 148, 165, 187.
2013
Lombino, Mary-Kay, "The Polaroid Years: Instant Photography and Experimentation,"
Delmonico Books / Prestel / The Frances Lehman Loeb Art Center, Vassar College. Exhibition catalogue, pp. 9, 25, 88, 89, 213, 222, 223.
2012
Mikutta, Petra, “Kalifornische Moderne Im Wohnraum,” Architektur & Wohnen Magazin, Germany, February.
Sarah Amelar, “Colorful Remodel in Los Angeles,” Dwell Magazine, cover story July/August issue.
2011
Soler, Ivette, “The Edible Front Yard,” Timber Press, pp. 20, 24,180.
2010
Broodwork, a cross-disciplinary art and design project. Online Article
2008
Sheff, David, “Beautiful Boy,” Houghton Mifflin, pp. 211-212.
2004
Carpenter, Susan, “From the Desert to the Sea, LA in 16,000 Square Feet,” Los Angeles Times, September 9, Calendar section.
2003
Levick Melba and Riquelme Kathleen, The Studio Book, Universe Publishing/Rizzoli International, pp. 168 -173, 284.
Lennard, Erica and Cygelman, Adele, “Secret Gardens of Hollywood and Private Oases in
Los Angeles,” Universe Publishing/Rizzoli International, p. 34-39.
Hart, Hugh, “Art of the Unconscious,” Los Angeles Times, July 29, Calendar, p. 3. Review
Goldman, Edward, “Sleeping Beauty at the Angles Gallery,” Art Talk, KCRW. July 15, 6:55 p.m.
Ollman, Leah, “Caught in Sleep but Not in Repose,” July 11, Los Angeles Times Calendar. p. 30. Review
2002
Duncan, Michael, “What’s so cool about cool anyway?,” LA Post Cool, catalogue essay.
Thompson, Elspeth and Eclare, Melanie, “The New Decorated Garden,”
Ryland Peters & Small (London, New York) pp. 4, 52-53, 59, 66-69, 80, 83, 92,115, 132.
2001
Smaus, Robert, Los Angeles Times Garden Calender 2002, July.
Thompson, Elspeth and Eclare, Melanie, “The New Country Garden,” Ryland Peters and Small (London, New York) pp. 50, 95.
Jerrom, Stephen, “Birdland,” glue, July/August, p. 61.
Heeger, Susan, “Fertile Imaginations,” Los Angeles Times Magazine, May 20, pp. 30-34. Article
Eclare, Melanie, “California Dreaming,” Garden Inspirations Magazine (U.K), pp. 58-63.
2000
Jerrom, Stephen, “au natural Flower (bed) bath & beyond,” Glue Magazine, July/August, p. 69
Heeger, Susan, “The Dirty Dozen”, Los Angeles Times Magazine March 6, pp. 24-27.
Gardetta, Dave, “Here Come the Germinators”, Garden Design, February/March Issue, pp. 40-55. Article
1998
Kuromizu, Nobuko, “Laura Cooper and Nick Taggart: Artists and Garden Designers in Los Angeles,” Kapeigaho Besapsu, (Japan) Spring, pp. 22-26.
1996
Morse, Marcia, “Shell Game,” Honolulu Weekly, December 18-24, p. 21.
Joyce, Julie, “Neutral Grounds, Fertile Territory: A History of Bliss,” True Bliss catalog,
Los Angeles Contemporary Exhibitions (LACE) pp. 34-35.
Cooper, Laura, “Special Project/Nick Taggart & Laura Cooper,” Exhaust Otis Magazine, 1996 issue, pp. 4-5.
Knode, Marilu, “Gardens,” zingmagazine, Winter/Spring, pp. 137- 39. Cooper, Laura, pp. 152-153.
1995
Duncan, Michael, “Laura Cooper and Nick Taggart at Bliss,” Art In America, July, p. 92 .Review
Picot, Pierre, “Fashion Art is not Fashion, It’s Art,” Prism- Pan Pacific 2, Arts of the Pan Pacific, (Korea), June, pp. 48-49.
Curtis, Cathy, “Weaving New Life Into Everyday,” Los Angeles Times - Orange County Edition, April 4, F2.
1994
Duncan, Michael, “L.A. Rising,” Art in America, December, pp. 79 and 82.
Pagel, David, “Urban Diversions,” Los Angeles Times, August 4.
Kandel, Susan, “Taking a Collective Look at ‘The Sacred and the Profane,’ Los Angeles Times, July 8, F26.
1992
Duncan, Michael, “The Laura Show,” Art Issues, November/December, p. 39.
Review Online
Review as PDF
Kandel, Susan, “Grouping of Laura's Shows Arbitrary but Witty Choices,” Los Angeles Times, September 3, p. F4.
Nolan, Timothy, “Chutes and Ladders,” Visions, Summer.
Pagel, David, “Dreamy,” Los Angeles Times, February 13, F6.
1991
Gilbert-Rolfe, Jeremy, “Slaves of L.A.,” Artspace, Summer.
Veigener, Matias, “Heart in Mouth,” Art Issues, February/March, p. 29.
Curtis, Cathy, “Men v.s. Women,” Los Angeles Times, January 11.
Anderson, Carolyn G., “Exalting the Visceral ‘Heart in Mouth’ at Fahey/Klein Gallery,” Artweek, November 22, p. 30.
1989
Clearwater, Bonnie, “Young Artists Shift Gears: The Post-Cal Arts Generation,” Journal of Art, August.
O’Brien, John, “Subtleties that Challenge Sight,” Artweek, July 15.
Curtis, Cathy, “Dark as a Space,” Los Angeles Times, July 7, F15.
ARTIST RESIDENCIES
2024 : Willapa Bay AiR, Long Beach Peninsula, WA
LANDSCAPE DESIGN
1996-2014
Residential landscape design as CooperTaggart Designs. Collaborated with architects on integrated landscape/architecture projects.
Award winning exhibits at the Los Angeles Arboretum in 1996 and 1998.
DWELL Magazine, cover story "Designers at Home," July/August 2012, Vol. 12 Issue 08
DWELL Article
Los Angeles Times Article