Katherine Cooper
Katherine Cooper is a Hobart-based artist whose work is dedicated to raising awareness about the beauty and fragility of our wildlife, their habitats, and the urgent environmental issues facing our planet. With a special focus on birdlife, Katherine’s art explores the unique ecosystems of Australia’s wilderness areas, islands, and oceans, capturing the delicate balance between nature and the environment.
Since 1990, Katherine has exhibited widely in both solo and group exhibitions across Australia and internationally, with her work held in prestigious collections in Australia, the UK, Switzerland, and the USA, including the House of Krug in France. Her art resonates with collectors and admirers for its detailed portrayal of wildlife, as well as its profound message of conservation and environmental stewardship.
Katherine’s career has been marked by numerous accolades and awards. In 2014, she was awarded the Wildlife Art Society of Australia’s Artist of the Year for Round 3. She has been a finalist in the BBC Wildlife Artist of the Year competition in both 2012 and 2011. Additionally, her work has been honoured with the People’s Choice Award at the Wrest Point Art Award (2017) and the Holmes Art Prize for Excellence in Realist Bird Art (2015). She has been a finalist and recipient of an Award of Excellence in the same prize on multiple occasions, including 2016, 2019, and 2021.
Katherine’s achievements extend beyond Australian borders. In 2019, she was a finalist at the prestigious Society of Animal Artists’ Exhibition in San Antonio, Texas, USA, where her work earned the highest recognition – the Award of Excellence. She continued to gain international recognition as a finalist in the Society's 2020 International Member’s Exhibition, 2022’s Winged Things Exhibition, and in the 63rd Annual Exhibition at the Stifel Fine Arts Centre in West Virginia in 2023.
Through her art, Katherine encourages viewers to contemplate the deep connections within our environment and the shared responsibility we all have in safeguarding it for the future.
