Behind The Scenes: Audrey Cooper — Spirit, Grace, and Style.

By Beth Stewart

This is the thirteenth in an ongoing series in which The Beat Magazine 2025 takes readers “Behind The Scenes” to meet the talented creative individuals who make the London area such a vibrant arts and culture community.

In this segment, Beth Stewart profiles Audrey Cooper, founder and owner of Art with Panache, on the eve of her 99^th birthday.

(Audrey Cooper. Photo by Beth Stewart.)

Audrey Cooper moved to London in 2003 to be closer to family and, in 2005, with little prior experience, she began painting.

Cooper was inspired to capture in acrylic on canvas her experience of growing up in the Danforth area of Toronto in the 30s and 40s after seeing school children of this century idling during recess. She recalls, “They were standing in the school yard, on their phones, not playing games or even talking to each other.” She wanted to show how different it was when she was in school.

(One of Audrey Cooper’s earliest pieces. Acrylic on wood. NFS. Photo by Beth Stewart.)

“I didn’t want that time to be forgotten. We would skip double Dutch and play ball. We would play Red Rover, hopscotch, and have lots of fun,” says Cooper.

Then, she went further and showed her life from approximately nine years of age until age sixty. She captured carnivals, family outings, coffee klatches and Tupperware parties.

(Audrey Cooper’s acrylic painting “Crack the Whip (Evening Skating at Withrow Park)” depicts the park’s role as a vital winter gathering place for generations of families. Photo courtesy of Audrey Cooper.)

A self-described “city person”, Cooper classifies her own work as “Urban Folk Art”. Her vibrant cityscapes are chock-a-block with people and things. Her crowded canvases boast meticulous detail and spin rich narratives with their deeply personal mix of realism and nostalgia.

(Audrey Cooper’s acrylic painting “Carnival (Judging for Miss Danforth 1939)”, captures the excitement of small travelling carnivals that rotated through vacant east-end lots near her home. Photo courtesy of Audrey Cooper.)

Much to her surprise, Cooper discovered London did not have a gallery that would show the artworks of emerging artists such as her self.

(Audrey Cooper’s 2008 acrylic painting “The Bluebell” shows the steam-powered sidewheel ferry that carried passengers between downtown Toronto and the Toronto Islands from 1906 until 1955. Photo courtesy of Audrey Cooper.)

Then, she happened upon an empty space in downtown London’s Talbot Centre and fell in love with its potential. “Its purpose was clear to me,” she says. “It was the perfect venue to show everyone what a talented and creative community of local artists we have in London”.

So, in 2013, at the age of 86, Cooper founded Art with Panache, and a dream was born.

People began to drop in, and Cooper soon recruited a roster of talented artists.

Art with Panache now boasts 20 local artists, including owner Audrey Cooper. Member artists have input into what goes on in the gallery. They sit the gallery a minimum of two times per month. In return, they have the opportunity to show and sell their work at the venue.

(Member artists are featured on the main wall on a rotating basis. This is a selection of work by Diane Flemming. Photo courtesy of Diane Flemming.)

Member artist Dianne Fleming, who has been with the group for three years, calls the gallery “a hidden gem”.

Cooper concurs and gives kudos to all the artists who have worked in the gallery, who have brought in their collections, and who have waited patiently to be recognized by the London arts’ community.

(A selection pf work by member artist Catarina Bezuidenhout. Photo by Beth Stewart.)

In 2024, Audrey was named to the City of London’s Mayor’s New Year’s Honour list in the category of arts. This list celebrates the diversity of philanthropic work taking place in the London community.

Audrey Cooper turns 99 years old on September 18, and stills works in the gallery Monday through Friday. To celebrate, the gallery is planning a retrospective of Cooper’s work which will run September 14 to 18, 2026.

Cooper’s birthday coincides with the gallery’s 13th anniversary, and a party for both is planned on September 18 from 11 am to 3 pm.

Art with Panache will be putting out a Call for Artists in October. This is an opportunity for non-member artists to show their work and get a taste of what the gallery has to offer. The theme is still in flux.

Art with Panache is located at 465 Richmond Street in Talbot Centre. For more information, visit: http://www.artwithpanache.ca Follow on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/ArtWithPanache

By Beth Stewart