Sydney Cooper is a Washington, D.C.-based visual artist whose work explores her dual passions for film photography and acrylic painting. Raised in Southwest Atlanta, Sydney’s creative expression from a young age was rooted in the richness, culture, and pride of growing up Black in the South. Sydney’s inspiration also stems from her grandfather—an archivist and photographer—and his work documenting Black life in the Midwest.

Sydney studied film photography and painting in grade school and has continued her passions as a way of honoring memory—capturing moments, holding on to them, and later, presenting them. Sydney’s work combining film photography with acrylic painting has been nationally recognized, including two Scholastic Art & Writing Gold Key Awards.