Meet Cooper Warner

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Cooper Warner. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Cooper, so excited to have you with us today. So much we can chat about, but one of the questions we are most interested in is how you have managed to keep your creativity alive.

Creativity lives in curiosity and play. Creativity dies in doubt. I am my most generative– whether that be with words, art, or ideas–when I allow myself the space to be playful and follow whatever I am curious about. Creativity is abundant. The more you make, the more you make. The key is to not allow your inner critic to keep you from making things. If you watch a child play, you see that they don’t question their ideas; they go boldly and joyfully forward. That is the best way to make art. When I get stuck, I try to remind myself that art is about having fun and seeing what happens. It isn’t about the outcome as much as it is about the process.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I resent the fact that one must have a “brand” because it implies a coherence and simplicity of self that does not truly exist. Much of the first chapters of my personal story have been about me fighting against this idea because I did not ever feel I fit nicely into one box. I studied journalism in college and then went to law school. I tried very hard to be what I thought a lawyer was supposed to be. I succeeded but despaired over the loss of my creative endeavors. Inside me also lives a 10 year old girl who loves to write stories, a teen who is passionate about capturing photos of people, and a painter fascinated by expressing emotions through color.

Two years into my law practice I took some time off to write a literary fiction novel and began a Substack newsletter called C. Etcetera. I went back to law full time for a year and decided that while advocacy was rewarding, I needed to walk a more non-traditional path. Now, I am embracing all the versions of me; even if it doesn’t make for the cleanest branding.

I am in the querying process to get an agent and a publisher for my book, Growing Pains, which is a book about family, feelings, and the love that exists as both a duty and a gift. It’s about the quiet tensions of a suburban, upper-middle-class home, where privilege and penny-pinching coexist, where love is tangled with comparison, resentment, and the weight of expectation. It’s about the aching feeling of comparison, the sting of being misunderstood, and the loyalty of love.

I also write and edit contributions to my newsletter C. Etcetera. Readers will find personal essays about feelings, work, success, well being, and culture. You can also find audio stories and lengthier podcast style conversations. Visit cooperwarner.substack.com to check it out.

I remain a licensed attorney in Wisconsin specializing in civil litigation, probate, and guardianship. A good day’s work for me means giving voice to someone who otherwise is overlooked.

Finally, I am currently pursuing my other creative and artistic endeavors through my brand RBL. I am a vendor selling original paintings and designs as well as hand picked vintage clothing and curios in my booth at 5th Street Revivals in Lacon, Illinois. You can follow RBL on instagram @rblstandard.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Curiosity–
As a journalist and a lawyer I know the value of asking good questions. I’ve had mentors tell me you should listen more than you talk. I think this is especially important for people early on in their journey. Asking good questions shows initiative and interest and can open doors otherwise closed. Half the reason I’ve done so many cool things is because I asked a question and got someone talking.

Whimsy–
This goes with curiosity. It is the importance of following a spark– whether that be an idea, intuition or path. The more fun you are having, the easier it is to create things, to be flexible in the face of adversity and to see the good. Whimsy looks different for everyone, but it always comes with authenticity. If you give yourself permission to be you, what you make will be much richer and it will invite others to safely do the same. I periodically ask myself, “if you’re not being you, then who is?” To practice, say yes (!) to something that excites and scares you. Wear a fabulously unnecessary outfit to the grocery store. See a cover band on a Tuesday night. Solo travel. Take a class. Get a book from the library about your city’s architecture and dazzle your friends with facts. Follow your curiosity and whimsy will come naturally.

Determination–
Do not give up. No matter what. But this doesn’t mean striving with bull headedness or force. The ability to pursue a goal to fruition requires flexibility, creativity, and resilience. This means giving yourself grace through the natural periods of production and rest, and knowing that both are necessary. My success or failure cannot be linked solely to followers or dollar signs. My goal is to make new things. The only way I fail then is to give up the act of creation.

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

I am always looking for writers for my newsletter. I want to feature diverse voices and opinions.

I’d love to partner with visual artists to do creative videos and or photoshoots. In this dream I find someone(s) to tackle projects larger than what I can do alone. If you have a concept and are passionate about it, we can run with it.

I am also looking for fashion designers, seamstresses and people passionate about clothes (especially sustainable fashion). My goal is to expand my RBL brand and to have more people loving the clothes they are in.

You can connect with me at [email protected] or on Instagram at coopercwarner.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://cooperwarner.substack.com
• Instagram: coopercwarner; rblstandard
• Facebook: Cooper Warner
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cooper-warner-051505128/
• Other: Tik Tok: coopercwarner

Image Credits

Cooper Warner, Jo Recker