Single mother’s paintings “Overcoming the Odds” featured at Community Action Gallery

No one knows more about the struggles of single parenting than Erica Cooper. Finances, court trials, childcare and making decisions alone sometimes makes it feel like the weight of the world is on her shoulders. But when her six year old son, Akire, goes to bed at night Erica is able to paint about the possibilities of optimism with single parenting.

Her work in Overcoming the Odds is a project grant funded by The Kentucky Foundation for Women to research the cycle of poverty for young, single mothers in Northern Kentucky. The goal of the series of paintings was to capture images of both the struggling and successful life as a woman and mother while raising a child alone.

“Erica Cooper’s paintings succeed in engaging the viewer immediately by their unique perspective, cleanness of line and purity of color. Her art makes a subtle, emotional connection between the viewer and the work simply - without obvious effort or gimmick” said Arlene Gibeau Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission’s Gallery Curator.

Erica says that education and good health seem to be the key in finding what is needed for a good quality of life. But says without hope and ambition it cannot be accomplished. A graduate from Northern Kentucky University with a Bachelor’s in Fine Art and a minor in psychology she has worked hard to get where she is today. Her positive attitude and her creative outlet in painting certainly have minimized some of her daily struggles.

This exhibit will open with an artists’ reception on Friday, August 1st from 6:00 pm until 9:00pm and coincide with Covington’s 1st Friday Gallery Hop. The exhibit will run through September 27th. Refreshments and hors d'oeuvres will be served.

The Community Action Gallery is located on the ground floor of the administrative services center of Northern Kentucky Community Action Commission, 717 Madison Avenue, Covington, KY. The gallery opened in October, 2007 with a special exhibit of work by students of the Duvenek Center. The Gallery is open from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday and is closed on holidays and weekends.

Community Action Gallery

2008 Gallery Exhibits

For more information, contact NKCAC at 859 581-6607, or by email.