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"My program is built around combining disciplines within the arts, so my cohort has film artists, dancers, theatre/performance artists, visual artists, etc.—and more importantly, most of the people in my cohort also make interdisciplinary and intermedia work. My professors and cohort are wonderful."
Kittie Cooper
Contemporary Arts master's student in the Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology
I am a sound and intermedia artist, performer, and educator now based in Vancouver, BC. I build sculptural DIY electronic instruments and perform regularly on guitar and electronics. I also compose works for other performers, frequently text and graphic scores that incorporate physical gestures, lighting, and/or other visual components. Before I came to SFU, I taught music at Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind, an almost 200-year old school in Staunton, Virginia. Currently I am faculty and Director of Composers Forums for the Walden School Young Musicians Program. I also like ghost stories, chili, and cats.
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO COME TO SFU?
For many reasons—I was looking for an interdisciplinary program since my artistic practice lies between sound and other media. I also really liked the faculty and current students here that I met when I was interviewing. I'm from Seattle originally as well, so a return to the Pacific Northwest was welcome after a few years on the East Coast.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR RESEARCH OR YOUR PROGRAM TO A FAMILY MEMBER?
My program is built around combining disciplines within the arts, so my cohort has film artists, dancers, theatre/performance artists, visual artists, etc.—and more importantly, most of the people in my cohort also make interdisciplinary and intermedia work. My courses are taught by professors from different disciplines, so we get perspectives from outside our own field.
WHAT ARE YOU PARTICULARLY ENJOYING ABOUT YOUR STUDIES/RESEARCH AT SFU?
My professors and cohort are wonderful. I also was working ~50 hours a week before this, and I'm so grateful for the opportunity to just focus on art and research for a few years.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR PROGRAM/POSTDOC POSITION TO SOMEONE STILL SEARCHING FOR A PROGRAM OR POSTDOC POSITION?
It's difficult to find a truly interdisciplinary program for artists, and I feel for the most part that I've been free to do work outside of just sound/music at SFU. I have many sources for feedback from whatever disciplines I'm working in (or from people completely outside of them).
Contact : kittie_cooper@sfu.ca