The Omaha guide., 1932-12-24
PREACHER, PAINTER TAKING
RANK AMONG ARTISTS

A. cooper OF the First Methodist
Church of this city is fast attracting
attention as a portrait painter of
merit. In 1880, a painting Of his
"The Vanishing Washerwoman," was
sent to the national exhibition of the
Harmon Foundation in New York,
and though the Rev. Cooper has new
er taken a lesson the picture was ac-
corded honorable mention and chosen
as n Of the pictures for the travel
ing collection of the foundation.
Recently the Rev. Cooper, taking
such tim>/as he could from his min
i~sterial duties, attended the annual
exhibition of the North Carolina Art
Society and was given much favor
able attention. He still gives his
first allegiance to his ministerial du-
ties goes whenever he can to art ex-
hibitions throughout the State and
within a possible radius of his church.
This aspiring genius was born in
Hillsboro in 1895, the son of Young
and Annie Cooper, poor but respected
Negroes of the little old town. He
still goes back to Hillsboro to see his
family and to secure the only training
he has eve received in the studio of
Clement Strudwick there. Strudwick
has given him encouragement as we'll
as instruction and regards Mr.. Coop
er's work as showing the highest
promise.
The Portrait of My Father" paint
ed by Mr.. Cooper, is regarded as one
of his best works.
The Preacher--painter tells his own
story al follows:
"My father was a farmer having
had practically no school advantages
but the common sense to respect and
get along with people. My mother
finished her grammar school training
in the schools of Orange county
where she taught until her marriage.
1t was my fortune to attend the little
school in Hillsboro conducted by the
American Missionary Society, finish
ing that school in the spring of 1910.
Hungers for knowledge
THE poverty of my parents made
it impractical for them to finance me
in an effort for higher education but
-
the hungering for knowledge created
by the work already done led me TO
enter the High Point Normal and In
dustrial Institute (now discontinued)
at High Point as a work student
Having Joined the church and felt
the call to the ministry, / entered the
National Religious Training School
OF Durham, now the North Carolina
College for Negroes, as a theological
student and received the B. TIL. de-
gree in 1914.
"ln 1920 | was held indoors with a
severe cold. My desire to use this
time h~elpfully preparing for my pull
pit work led me to paint some pictur-
es for an illustrated sermon. The
results were SO pleasing and the work
so highly praised that 1 continued to
venture farther and farther in the
field of art until a question as to the
possibility Of making a worthwhile
contribution to the race group led me
to feel that I could best serve by
reading law. devoted all my hours
out of, the pulpit to social service eff
forts. Twas admitted to the North
Carolina bar in August 1922. For a
long time | did not touch the paint
brush.
Born Anew
"In the spring of 1880 while pastor
ing at Dunn, l was demonstrating the
use of colors to some of the teachers
Of the Harnett County Training
School just as | had done while head
ig the Bible Department at Greenville
College, Greenville, Tennessee. and
other places where l had labored This
effort attracted attention and through
the encouragement of DR.. Paul Hood,
DR.. G. B. Codrington and Miss Sue
Smith | was led to feel that I had
been born anew.
"a new passion had been born
a passion that made me want to
paint, to paint, not for money nor
praise, but for the love Of painting.
The work produced Pounds its way
that year to the Harmon Exhibition
in New York and one of my paintings
The Vanishing Washerwoman-re-
ceived honorable mention. This recog-
milton encouraged me and aroused the