Art flowering at Carriageworks

Floral arrangements become fine art in the hands of artist, florist and author Dr Lisa Cooper.

Dr Cooper, who completed a PhD in Art at UNSW Art & Design, is currently engaged as a Resident at Carriageworks.

Dr Cooper will develop her creative process further in the Carriageworks space, using it as a base to create unique floral creations for major events and organisations. Her studio is filled with lemon garden roses, pure white cymbidium orchids, purple snapdragons, a weeping cherry tree branch and a single stem of black hollyhock.

The artist's spectacular floral sculptures will be on display around the multi-arts precinct throughout this month. If you're a regular at Eveleigh Markets, there are plans to create something special for the weekend crowd.

Cooper has created floral installations for clients including the Australian Ballet, Tiffany & Co, Museum of Contemporary Art Australia the National Gallery of Australia, fashion label Romance Was Born and the Sydney Theatre Company, where she has worked closely with theatre designer Alice Babidge and director Benedict Andrews. Cooper created the crown worn by Cate Blanchett in The War of the Roses and filled the stage with gladioli for The Maids.

As an emerging artist, Cooper painted for three years before moving towards sculpture, installations and video projections. In these works she explored her fascination with nature, life and death. 

"I realised flowers are my primary artistic medium.” Cooper told the Sydney Morning Herald. “I can harness them. I understand how to make them work. I'm just completely intoxicated. When I see certain flowers, I can feel my heart beating more loudly in my chest."