Rising Stars: Meet Trevor Coopersmith of Culver City

Today we’d like to introduce you to Trevor Coopersmith.

Hi Trevor, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up immersed in a creative family; my father is an artist and he’s been influencing my work since childhood. My dad creates these intimate airbrushed scenes of nature – orchids, cacti, irises, ferns, palm trees – and also makes large mixed-media work with psychedelic colors and textures. Being surrounded by these works and physically working outdoor art fairs with my dad, Justin, really exposed me to the arts in a way that showed me that becoming a professional artist is an extremely taxing yet feasible career.

I never fully gravitated towards becoming an artist until a visit to Ensenada, Mexico as a teenager where I firsthand witnessed “aerosolgrafia”, or spray paint art. It’s a super fast-paced street art technique that utilizes found objects like cups, sponges and newspaper to create surreal landscapes in minutes. I was captivated by the gestural movements and sublime celestial scenes created before me. It moved me to explore the techniques profoundly, which I still use in my work today.

Fast-forward through Community College, a study abroad program in London (which I dropped out of during COVID), and a few thousand hours of artistic exploration – I am where I am today because of my artistic community in Los Angeles. Getting my Masters in Fine Art degree at Otis College was a huge milestone for my artistic career. I feel much more confident after going through some intensely conceptual and emotional critiques. My colleagues and professors really dug into the roots of my artistic practice, which has been quite the self-reflective journey. It really helped me understand why I create the art that I create, alongside pushing the boundaries and building the right community that supports my work to its fullest potential. The experience also helped solidify my teaching background, explore ceramic object-making, and develop my public art practice as well. It pushed my multimedia practice of creating artwork that connects people to the natural world in the same way that I experience and highly regard it.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Having a distinct childhood experience with an artist father and also moving across the country twice really changed my perspective on what it means to feel at home. We moved from California to Arizona to Kansas to Florida and then back to California, in search of the next big art market for his shows. This affected me intensely growing up, as I don’t have any childhood friends and have a transient view of home.

I also discovered some of the most valuable art techniques during the toughest part of my life. As a teenager I got expelled from high school for a mixture of drugs, fighting, angst and rebelliousness. On top of that, I had to completely self fund my college education – working multiple jobs, attending Community College and living at home to save up for school. Art was a major turning point for me and basically saved my life. I also turned to the natural world. It acts as a solace for me, something stable and always an important breather from the complicated stressors of everyday life. Surfing, camping, hiking, gardening, diving and backpacking are ways in which I connect with my natural environment. Those experiences and memories I cherish deeply.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
What really sets me apart as an artist is my passion for education and accessibility. I have spent over fifteen years creating public artworks, working with students from all diverse backgrounds and even starting a scholarship foundation to support high school creatives. The majority of my teaching influence comes from my mother, who is an educator and works with at-risk youth and students with special needs. This inspired me to volunteer at non-profits and eventually start my scholarship foundation. I currently teach youth art classes privately and at various schools like Culver City Middle School and Otis College of Art & Design.

Education and art are intertwined for me. I create murals, paint utility boxes, make immersive installations and work with civil-engagement projects throughout Southern California. Beautification and accessibility are important values within my work. I want people to be able to digest it, feel a sense of wonder, contemplation and the feeling of being immersed in nature. These themes I engage within my teaching practice as well, by getting people to rethink our relationships to discarded materials and overlooked natural creatures.

Within my studio practice I take these themes to new heights by utilizing mixed media. Ceramics, paper pulp, woodworking, organic and reclaimed materials are just some of the techniques I incorporate to build my artistic language. I’m ultimately capturing the essence of nature rather than depicting a one-to-one relationship. I create wall-sculptures and installations inherently connected to the natural world, engaging people to question their understanding of what something means to be “natural” rather than “constructed”. I’m interested in the moment when something familiar becomes uncanny, when an object appears natural but is revealed to be constructed, or when something ordinary is given the authority and significance of an artifact.

We all have a different way of looking at and defining success. How do you define success?
My definition of success is partly built on the practice of being a successful artist (being able to survive through artistic endeavors and teaching etc.), but also just feeling like my job can actually be fun. Feeling like I am coming home to something fulfilling is super important as well for my idea of success. Shoutout to my supportive wife Kaoru and my two clingy kitties for helping me feel appreciated.

I’m also a soon-to-be father, which I know will absolutely change my perspective on life and art in general. Excited for the crazy journey and the next chapter ahead!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.TrevorCoopersmith.com
• Instagram: @Trevor.Coopersmith

Image Credits
Dustin Klemann from Culver City Gov. “Kick it with Culver City” Event

(photo of soccer mural)