For high school, college, and adult art students at all levels
Taught by American artist Ken Cooper
A sampling of Ken’s paintings, prints, and pottery are available for
purchase at Lloyd Henry’s Gallery, 429 River St. in Manistee, Michigan.
Artist Ken Cooper serves as visitng artist-in-residence at Starr Commonwealth in Van Wert, OH.
Starr Commonwelath is dedicated to helping boys with social, emotional and behavioral problems turn their lives in new directions. Also located within the Starr Van Wert campus is the Montcalm School for Girls, a private, therapeutic residential treatment facility for young women ages 12 - 18 who have experienced the pain of abuse, depression, behavioral or academic problems.
The Coopers were invited to Starr by Assistant Director Mike Kitson, son of the late David and Betty Kitson of Manistee. Of his experience there, Cooper says, "Starr is a great place, and it was a privledge to be able to teach the kids there new skills, to help them, and, hopefully, make a difference in their lives."
Boys at Starr attend the on-campus Lincolnview-Langley school, which for many students, is their first successful academic experience. In addition, the school provides a natural, healthy environment where the Montcalm girls can step back and take the time they need to heal and grow.
Cooper works with both the boys and girls each day teaching them drawing and watercolor painting techniques during their regular art classes at Lincolnview-Langley school. He also interacts with them in their residential settings.
Cooper is accompanied by his wife Ruth, who serves as his teaching assistant in the Montcalm classes.
Floyd Starr founded Starr Commonwealth in Albion, MI, nearly a century ago as a refuge for "homeless, dependent, neglected and delinquent boys." It strove, as it still strives today, to change personal outcomes, one individual at a time. In 1951 when Starr wanted to expand the mission of Starr Commonwealth, he acquired property just outside of Van Wert, Ohio. The property, known as the Auglaise Gardens, was purchased from Harry Beckman, the Midwest's "Peony King.," and became Starr's second campus.
While working on this campus, the Coopers are housed in part of Beckman Hall, Mr. Beckman's former residence in which one of the large rooms has been rehabilitated to serve as Starr's chapel.
Today, Starr Commonwealth operates dozens of troubled youth and their families in Michigan and Ohio. Nationally recognized for outstanding results, each year, Starr Commonwealth helps more than 5,000 children, families, and professionals find themselves and a new beginning.
Artist Ken Cooper returned in 2008 to teach his Art & Architecture Painting with Watercolors course at the world-famous John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC. Cooper found the Folk School's rural campus, filled with venacular stone and wooden buildings, great subject matter for his class.
Based on the Danish folkehojskol, John C. Campbell Folk School opened in 1925 and has been a force in Appalachia every since offering a unique combination of rich history, beautiful moutain surroundings, and an atmosphere of living and learning together.
The non-profit Folk School offers over 800 classes annually in traditional and contemporary craft, art, music, dance, cooking, gardening, nature studeies, photography, and writing. Cooper says he particularly enjoyed the Folk School's philosophy of bringing adult students together to explore their creativity in a supportive and non-competitive way.
On the last day of the week, an exhibition of all the students' work was held. Cooper's students' paintings were shown along with the with the gold jewelry, dolls, knitted garmets, brooms, tables, wood carvings, pottery, and iron work created during the week. The week ended with a closing ceremony and a concert in the Folk School's community room.
Cooper says he thoroughly enjoyed his experience at the John C. Campbell Folk School and hopes to return.
In Sept. 2008 Camp Lookout, which sits on a wooded hilly peninsula between Lower Herring Lake and Lake Michigan six miles south of Frankfort, MI, will host Ken's Painting with Watercolors Workshop.
Camp Lookout has everything expected of a great northern Michigan Camp along with a long history. According to research by Sivert Glarum in this 1983 book "Our Land and Lakes", the site where Camp Lookout presently stands had its camp beginnings in 1917 when the land was purchased from the Stubbs family by the Rector, Church Wardens and Vestrymen of Christ's Church, Winnetka, Illinois. as a location for the church's choir boys to spend their summer vacations to reward them for their efforts and continue their training. Often on a summer's evening, the cottagers around Lower Herring Lake could hear the choir singing from the camp's beach.
According to county records, the operation of the camp by the church ended following the stock market crash of 1929. In 1934 it was sold to Verne Handley and Roy E. Robinson, who operated it as a private summer camp for boys. It was then known as Camp Lookout. Under various owners it continued as such until 1976 when Elizabeth Howard purchased the camp and opened it as Camp Marameg for Girls. After her death in the early 1990, Dave Reid, Kathi Houston and Fred Oeflein purchased the property ,and Reid and Houston re-opened Camp Lookout as a camp for both boys and girls.Their traditional and innovative programs continue at Camp Lookout today and information on the camp can be found on the website: www.lookoutfun.com
Ken with workshop students at the |
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Page Updated February 2009
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