Ebony Elizabeth Thomas. On a personal level, I felt deeply heartened by the supportive presence of a fellow Mvskoke creative, charmed by his warmth and charisma, and delighted by his many achievements. Mvto, dear cousin.
Rest well. Thank you, Floyd, for giving so much and shining so bright. You will always be a light. And he did it with not just dedication and incredible artistic vision, but also with humility and a gentle sense of humor. Brother Floyd was the one who came up with it. Floyd never thought of himself as kidlit royalty, though I certainly did. Generous, humble, and real , he was a loyal friend who mentored and encouraged and cracked us all up on the regular. A gift to all he expressed black joy, history and glory that will be indelibly printed on our hearts and souls forever.
Thank you, Floyd for modeling what it means to always give your very best with pure intention of kindness and caring. And his love of his work and its subjects was matched by what a joy it was to work with him. Thank you for your friendship. You will be missed. You have been a blessing!
What a gift you were! Your work and memory will continue to inspire us! Love you, Brother! By using a simple eraser, he could reveal the deepest of human emotions and the beauty of the African American experience. We will miss his friendship and his tremendous contributions. Not only was Floyd a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, like me, but we were also initiated into the same Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc, collegiate chapter.
I remember reading everything I could about him while I was in college, and I would tell myself…if Floyd could do it, then maybe I can, too. Rest in peace, Brother Floyd. Floyd: Research is always a very necessary part of my process because all of my books to this point have been historical.
Floyd: The model for Willie is my nephew. I try to use models at least for the main characters because of the nature of my art. I tend to focus on the humanity of my subjects, the details of expression that add a certain reality to the work. She got my work in front of the right people and basically launched my career. Floyd: My method is subtraction. I use erasers to make the images in my paintings.
You really have to see it to fully get it, but it is basically erasing shapes from a background of paint. See him in action at the National Book Festival. It usually does and then right away I begin visualizing with a series of tiny, tiny, thumbnail sketches. Just blocked in shapes that I then enlarge a add details to. Sometimes a model is acquired, usually my son and his friends. Once sketches are approved, I start to paint.
I like to give myself at least a couple of months to work, but things can move quite fast, if the story is just right I can finish in a couple of weeks. It just depends. What inspires you as an illustrator? Floyd: I like people.
My family is a part of my work. They contribute throughout the process with critiques, advice, opinions, etc. Floyd: I visit schools. You can learn more on my website: floydcooper. Floyd: I love the cinema, sports, playing basketball and hanging out with the fam! However, I believe that our last collaboration may be his crowning achievement, his most important work.
That is exactly why I thought of him. Together, we strove to give voice to the victims and the survivors whose stories were never told and whose losses may never be fully measured. Floyd poured Grandpa Williams memories into this work.
The resulting art is nothing short of masterful. Only Floyd could have created that searing cover art of a family in flight and in embrace amid the violence. The Tulsa Race Massacre may well be the truth that Floyd Cooper was meant to bring to light; and Unspeakable , the legacy that he was born to leave us all.
The Millions. Sign up for our Children's Bookshelf newsletter! Children's Announcements. Stay ahead with Tip Sheet! Free newsletter: the hottest new books, features and more. Premium online access is only available to PW subscribers. If you have an active subscription and need to set up or change your password, please click here. He was Cooper was born in Tulsa and educated at the University of Oklahoma. Both received starred Kirkus reviews. Cooper was remembered by admirers on social media.
Floyd Cooper has passed away. His depth of talent was greater than he knew. I feel so blessed to have worked with him, and to have called him friend. It's impossible to calculate how much he will be missed. I will be weeping off and on all day, without apology.
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