Marcella Cooper
Born in Wimbledon, South London, Marcella showed great interest in drawing and painting from a young age. Upon leaving school she went to work with horses, eventually pursuing a career that brought her to Newmarket. There, she found a home, a husband and eventually, had two children. Marcella was drawn to the natural world of British fauna and flora and moved to the quiet village of Bury St. Edmunds where she spent her time home-schooling her two children. During her time in the picturesque countryside, Marcella dabbled in drawing and painting, often selling pieces to friends and family. Inspired and encouraged by her artistic surroundings, Marcella began painting hares and dogs which became successful sellers in Newmarket locations like The Leaping Hare and the Wicken Vineyard.
At the age of 44, Marcella made the decision to go to the University of Suffolk and completed a degree in Fine Arts. It was there that she learned to take her artistic talent more seriously and was first introduced to print-making. Marcella realised how the stark composition of lino cuts allowed simple designs to make a strong impact. With the help of her husband, a converted mangle and another move to the small village of Dalham, Marcella began producing prints. Her once figurative and literal style transformed into simple, paired down designs that accommodated the hard, clean lines of lino printing.
“I want these prints to be in a window, and for someone looking in to see exactly what it is, and what it means, without having to search it out.”
Marcella returned to painting with acrylics and oils when she found that certain images within her mind could not be properly conveyed and captured by the smooth lines of lino printing. Even so, Marcella found that her painting technique had changed and now mimicked the unassuming, simple lines that were found in her prints. It was a subtle transformation that Marcella took to, as did many others who went on to describe both her prints and paintings as enchantingly ordinary.