he showed them what can be achieved with determination, passion, and a good sense of humour. Keeper Of The Craft Cooper learned the craft on his own initiative, and built a network of, in his words, “beautiful bastards on speed dial that I can ask for advice/bribe to assist me/ listen to me cry, etc”. But this was far from a one-way street; he was always there to offer help and advice to those coming up behind him. This came from a place of empathy, knowing first hand the struggles faced by beginners, and those attempting something new. He also taught classes at his workshop in Bristol, hosted them for international Websites: www.bl.ag and www.ghostsigns.co.uk Social Media: @betterletters (instagram) @mrghostsigns (instagram) visitors, and was a consistently positive presence at Letterheads meets. He cherished the craft and passing it on, and there will forever be a big Cooper-shaped hole at these events. A True Gent Cooper’s contribution to sign painting has been immense, but above all that is who he was as a person. He lived life to the full, and everyone that knew him inside and outside the trade can testify to his kindness, generosity, and sense of humour. He had a rare capacity to make people feel special, and this came from what his cousin Fergus described as his “seemingly endless capacity for love, for giving people time, and for making them feel heard”. He was one of a kind, and our collective thoughts are with his wife and partner Katie, and daughter Billie-Marie. We miss you Coops. I have written a bit more about my personal relationship with Cooper at bl.ag/dapper. 33 Issue 249 - October / November 2023 email: news@signlink.co.uk ▲Cooper and Katie at Rochester Letterheads in 2014 ◄Palette and mahl stick in hand at London Calling: Letterheads 2018 JAMES COOPER TRIBUTE
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