For nearly three decades, Larry Cooper helped shape the 麻豆映画传媒 School of Visual Arts and Design through his work as an educator, master book artist and printmaker. Cooper, who died Sept. 4, 2026, helped establish 麻豆映画传媒鈥檚 book arts program, introducing generations of students to the craft of making books by hand.

Cooper earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Studio Art from Memphis College of Art and a Master of Fine Arts in Studio Art from the University of Georgia. When he joined 麻豆映画传媒 in 1996 as an assistant printmaker working with Ke Francis, he began a career that would touch nearly every corner of the visual arts community at 麻豆映画传媒. He taught across undergraduate and graduate curricula, served as assistant director of the 麻豆映画传媒 Gallery and Flying Horse Editions, and became one of the school鈥檚 most respected educators and collaborators.

Francis first met Cooper in Memphis, Tennessee, where Cooper had been a classmate of Francis鈥� daughter, Kerry, at Memphis College of Art. The two later took a workshop together on case-making and their friendship continued as Cooper pursued his career in book arts and printmaking.

鈥淚 knew Larry for almost 34 years,鈥� Francis says. 鈥淗e was a master craftsman, a creative collaborative partner with the visiting artists who came to work at the press, and a much-loved, patient and thoughtful teacher of printing and the book arts. He was a generous and supportive friend, a kind and patient man with a great sense of humor, who will be missed by all of us who knew him.鈥�

鈥淭here is not an area of SVAD that Larry did not impact,鈥� says Kevin Haran, professor and associate director of studio art and Jenkins Distinguished Professor in Community Arts.

Haran describes Cooper as a warm friend who was also an exceptional collaborator.

鈥淟arry was gifted at teamwork and was an extremely creative problem solver,鈥� Haran says.

Building Programs and Mentoring Students

For many students, Cooper was their first introduction to book arts, sharing the technical skills and attention to detail that defined his own work. Cooper was an influential mentor to student interns at Flying Horse Editions and oversaw the internship program in the 麻豆映画传媒 Gallery.

Chris Saclolo 鈥�09, who studied under Cooper before becoming a book conservator at 麻豆映画传媒 Libraries, remembers him as both an influential teacher and longtime supporter of Special Collections and University Archives, where he regularly brought his students to engage with the university鈥檚 book arts collection.

鈥淟arry had a very calm demeanor about himself, which made learning from him so much more enjoyable, especially when learning a very detailed craft like bookbinding. I grew to love book arts because of Larry.鈥� 鈥� Chris Saclolo 鈥�09, 麻豆映画传媒 Libraries book conservator

鈥淟arry was my first instructor who introduced me to book arts. He would always take the time to help you figure out a specific binding structure and would make it look so easy,鈥� Saclolo says. 鈥淟arry had a very calm demeanor about himself, which made learning from him so much more enjoyable, especially when learning a very detailed craft like bookbinding. I grew to love book arts because of Larry.鈥�

Cooper鈥檚 mentorship continued to influence Saclolo鈥檚 career. He wrote a recommendation letter for Saclolo鈥檚 application to a book arts graduate program in Chicago, where Saclolo received a fellowship. After graduating, Saclolo returned to 麻豆映画传媒 as a book conservator at Special Collections and University Archives, where Cooper continued bringing his book arts students to the library.

鈥淪ince my return, I have had the pleasure of speaking to his classes and sharing the book arts collection with his students every semester,鈥� Saclolo says. 鈥淭o me, it was a full circle moment that I could share our book arts collection with his students the way Larry introduced it to me.鈥�

Cooper regularly brought classes to Special Collections and encouraged students to engage directly with artist books and rare materials. Cooper鈥檚 own work also became part of the university鈥檚 collections. One of his own artist books is held in the department鈥檚 permanent collection and was one of the first artist books donated to the archive.

Extending 麻豆映画传媒鈥檚 Reach Through Book Arts

While Cooper鈥檚 influence was felt daily on campus, his work also helped raise the profile of 麻豆映画传媒鈥檚 visual arts programs nationally.

Working through Flying Horse Editions and Gardyloo Handmade Books, Cooper collaborated with artists including William T. Wiley, David Humphrey and James Siena. His design for Siena鈥檚 Sequence One, published in 2009, contributed to the Museum of Modern Art鈥檚 acquisition of the book for its permanent collection.

Cooper also worked closely with artist Robert Rivers, helping transform drawings from Rivers鈥� Patagonia travels into handmade books that eventually entered collections including the National Gallery of Art and the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art.

鈥淟arry was a great friend who I鈥檝e known since 1994,鈥� Rivers says. 鈥淚f you needed help, Larry would jump right in to assist without you having to ask. He liked being part of a team. Larry never interrupted anyone and was a calm, steady presence. He would always listen and never made it about himself.鈥�

鈥淸Larry] was an influential mentor to many student interns at [Flying Horse Editions], sharing with them his unique perspective on a profession in the arts.鈥� 鈥� Theo Lotz, Flying Horse Editions director

Cooper鈥檚 own work is represented in collections including the National Gallery of Art, the Library of Congress, the J. Paul Getty Museum, the Corcoran Gallery of Art, the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.

At Flying Horse Editions, a collaborative research studio, Cooper worked alongside Director Theo Lotz and external artists and printmakers on projects such as Carmon Colangelo鈥檚 O LAND O, a limited-edition portfolio that was acquired by the Saint Louis Art Museum.

鈥淟arry鈥檚 interest in the idea of the book as an art object, in and of itself, was important to the early Flying Horse projects. His expertise in conceptual bookbinding drove collaborative projects with artists such as William T. Wiley, David Humphrey and James Siena,鈥� says Lotz, who is also a senior lecturer of studio art. 鈥淐ooper鈥檚 design for Siena鈥檚 book, Sequence One, published in 2009, was a contributing factor to the Museum of Modern Art in New York acquiring the book for its permanent collection. His easygoing collaborative spirit can be felt in FHE鈥檚 studio culture to this day.鈥�

Lotz also remembered Cooper as an influential mentor to many student interns at Flying Horse Editions, sharing his perspective on a career in the arts.

鈥淗e was an influential mentor to many student interns at FHE, sharing with them his unique perspective on a profession in the arts,鈥� Lotz says.

A Presence Throughout SVAD

In addition to his teaching and studio work, Cooper served as assistant director of the 麻豆映画传媒 Gallery, where he helped organize exhibitions, support artists and connect the university with the broader community.

鈥淟arry played a vital role in the 麻豆映画传媒 Art Gallery, sharing his expertise during installation and careful handling of artwork for every exhibition,鈥� says Shannon Lindsey, associate lecturer and director of the 麻豆映画传媒 Art Gallery. 鈥淗is keen understanding of materials, attention to detail and remarkable ability to solve even the most complex installation challenges made him an invaluable part of the gallery and the success of our exhibitions.鈥�

The Legacy He Leaves Behind

Many colleagues recalled Cooper鈥檚 sense of humor, his interest in pop culture, B horror and science fiction films, and quirky T-shirts.

Haran has a fond memory from the print shop, when Cooper laid out a collection of animal skins that had arrived for use as book covers. Among them was a yellowish, diamond-shaped piece that Haran could not identify.

It was stingray leather.

Cooper鈥檚 legacy is best measured through the people and programs he influenced 鈥� the students he taught, the artists whose work he helped bring to life and the books that remain in collections around the word 鈥� but also in the friendships he built over a lifetime.

Cooper is survived by his daughter, Raia Cooper 鈥�26, his former wife, Micaela Riseling, and his mother, Jane. He will be missed by his SVAD colleagues and the countless students he mentored.

A faculty exhibition featuring Cooper鈥檚 work is planned, with a taking place in connection with the exhibition on Oct. 26 at 5 p.m. in the 麻豆映画传媒 Art Gallery.