Will Cooper has always been one of the most creative people I know. When we first started seeing each other, he made me beautiful meals, brought me bouquets of wildflowers, wrote me love songs, and painted pictures for me. Over the years, he has worked as a teacher, an electrician, and an artist, and he has renovated all eight of the old houses we’ve lived in together.
Will and I have travelled a lot, living in South Korea, New Zealand, and Nova Scotia. Six years ago, we bought what we hope will be our last fixer-upper, on the Habitant Estuary. Here, we’ve built an amazing gallery and studio for Will where he has space to create, away from our often busy life of kids and animals.
-Written by Jen, Will’s wife
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Which ’hood are you in?
I live at LAILO Farm Sanctuary in Lower Canard, Nova Scotia, with my wife, our three children, and many rescued animals.
What do you do?
I spend a lot of time cooking, cleaning, maintaining the property, and chauffeuring children. I’m also a writer, and I just published my first book, a love story called LOTUS. But I’m best known as a visual artist.
As an artist, I use a scroll saw to cut wood into little pieces, then I sand, paint, varnish, and glue these pieces together to create my vibrant, whimsical, mostly Maritime-themed artworks. I usually hide a little heart in each artwork as a reminder of what it’s all about.
What are you currently working on?
I’m working on a commission that will represent the life story of a man who immigrated to Canada as a refugee in the 1970s. I’m excited about it, and I feel honoured to have been chosen for this project.
Where can we find your work?
You can visit my gallery by appointment, or shop online. My work is also available at stores around Nova Scotia, including Sea House and Jennifer’s of Nova Scotia in Halifax, and Mosaic in Lunenburg.
You can also follow me on Facebook and Instagram.
