Photo of the artist Anna Cooper
For multimedia artist Anna Cooper, Cups was the first step in getting her work out to the community. While getting her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree at Mississippi College, Anna heard about Cups from a friend and saw it as an opportunity to gain experience and widen her network.
“She said that I could display my artwork there, and I thought that was a really cool opportunity. It was the first time my work had been displayed in an actual shop setting!”
Pictured above: Anna’s mugs on display at Cups in Clinton.
Her mugs, inspired by the elegance of Renaissance and medieval architecture, quickly picked up attention and intrigue. Anna’s work was soon featured at the Mississippi Museum of Art, where she began to realize the importance local venues play in building an artist’s confidence and relationship with their audience.
“At the museum, people can really only look at your work,” she said. “There was more of a relaxed environment at Cups. People could interact with my art, and I felt that there wasn’t so much pressure on myself as an artist. It was a good break from all the critiques you deal with on a normal basis.”
Pictured above: A close-up of the mugs on display.
Anna continues to make art, including her Renaissance-inspired mugs, while working as a studio technician at Hinds Community College. She’ll visit Cups in Clinton when going to see friends and is sure to get a vanilla frappuccino with either caramel or raspberry syrup during her trip.
To any local artists wanting to have their art displayed at Cups, Anna had this advice to share:
“Cups is a great opportunity to reach more people! They can actually see and touch your artwork and will just appreciate it on a deeper level than they would from an Instagram post. If you have work you want to share, put it on display!”
Stop by Cups in Clinton to see what new items of hers are available! You can also follow her on Instagram to see more of her work and support her on Patreon.