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Andrew Cooke | Episode 1097
Until age 40 Andrew Cooke was a car body repair technician until he was forced out of his career due to being diagnosed with arthritis. Andrew then went back to art as therapy and, after a foundation in fine and applied art, Andrew completed his degree in 2013 in University of Ulster in Belfast.
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When you approach a new piece you want to make what kind of inspirational sources are you drawing from?
I do go online and search or else I try to take something from our culture. Tiki is such a mix of different ideas and cultures type of thing so I really go with that type of thing. It’s hard to explain.
How does being the only Tiki maker in town impact your relationship with the community?
It’s funny because I was heavily involved in the local craft scene and all and it was probably Covid that really knocked everything back so I actually don’t see an awful lot of them now. Funny enough I had seen one the other day and she asked if I was still making Tiki mugs, because they do know I make Tiki mugs, which is nice.
What motivates you to continue to be a maker?
I think it’s in my genes, it really is. I am that type of person. I am just a hands on guy and I just love the satisfaction of making something and looking at it and doing it the best that I could possibly do. It’s a challenge, every day it’s a challenge.
How do you feel that your work impacts the world when people reach out and bring one of your pieces into their lives?
It probably gives me as much satisfaction as it gives them. I just shipped a piece to Australia and I can’t believe that somebody on the other side of the world took the time and energy to reach out and buy one of my pieces. It just blows me away. It absolutely blows me away.
Where do you see your work being in your life in say five years?
I would like to do more of my sculptural work, which I really enjoy, but I want to take time to do what I want to make if you know what I mean. I am not a big commercial maker by any means.
How has your education helped you as an artist and a maker?
It probably actually gave me more self confidence than anything. I am very much my own man would you call it. I do things my way. I find it very hard to follow instructions so it really just gave me the confidence. If I had not been to University I could not have reached out to you. I would not have had the confidence to do it. So I think that was the main thing I got out of it.
Book
Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert M. Pirsig
Contact
Instagram: @kookietiki