We were lucky to catch up with O’Neal Cooper recently and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, O’Neal thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?
One of the most meaningful projects I’ve done to date was creating a custom blazer for Robert Earl Keen’s last show ever. I was approached by Scott Friedech of The Graphic Guitar Guys to make the project happen as a surprise gift for Mr. Keen. I still can’t believe I was lucky enough to create such a special custom piece for an exceedingly momentous occasion. It meant the world to me that Scott put complete trust in me as an artist. He gave me total creative freedom in every aspect, from conceptualizing to executing Robert’s custom jacket. There were so many elements representing Robert’s extensive musical catalog included in the design. My favorite element on the blazer is a nod to one of Robert’s most notable songs, “The Road Goes On Forever”. I made a winding road out of black leather, which served as the base for incorporating the actual sheet music of the song that was pieced together entirely out of rhinestones. So much love went into that project and I can not thank Scott enough for giving me such an insanely paramount opportunity. Robert even wore the jacket for a photoshoot with Texas Monthly and I still have a hard time grasping the fact that this all actually happened. Talk about a dream come true!
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
From a young age, I discovered that I am a person who would never fit in to one box. It was both intimidating and exciting for me as a kid. My recognition that I could creatively express myself via my eccentric and constantly evolving style has taught me how to be brave, even if I’m experiencing self doubt or a case of unhealthy body image. It’s a skill I’ve gained that has been a consistent source of happiness, confidence, and originality. If I can create something for my clients that gives them that same realization of how worthy and deserving they are of self love, I know I’m at least doing one thing right!
About 6 years ago, I started customizing garments from my existing wardrobe, in a sense, to rebel against following fleeting trends. As I began to wear my custom pieces out in the wild, more and more people asked where I was getting my clothes, if I would style them for events, and/ or help them to refine their wardrobe . This gave me the boost I needed to take a chance and pursue designing and customizing clothing full time.
Providing my clients with the immense joy and confidence achieved from dressing in original pieces of wearable art is my top priority. When you give yourself permission to wear something that’s one-of-a kind…yours and yours alone, it allows for expression of your true self without having to say a word. In short, life’s too short not to wear the damn outfit!
We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?
A few things I had to unlearn as a creative are that failing means that you shouldn’t continue to pursue your art, being liked by everyone is a top priority, and that being different is not a gift, but something that should make you an outcast.
Growing up, I felt an intense need to focus on perfection over progress, to be accepted by every single one of my peers, and to follow the status quo. This caused me to experience so much anxiety, shame, and fear, which-over time- developed into bigger feelings of sadness, defeat, and loneliness.
My parents have been my biggest cheerleaders. My Mom is my biggest supporter. She has never once made me feel like I couldn’t be my authentic self, like I should have be a certain way in order to be shown love, and has always encouraged me to have the grit and guts I need to try new things, to have the courage to pivot when something doest workout, and to show up consistently, even when I feel I’m at my lowest.
My Dad is a songwriter and has been an unmatchable example of disciple and resilience in the continual process of refining your craft and chasing your dreams. He’s never gotten knocked down and not gotten back up. He’s shown me that if you want to be an artist/ creative that you have to be willing to make mistakes, to constantly be learning, and never to back down.
Though it took me a long time to internalize those lessons and to give myself grace, I finally learned to loosen my grip on fitting in and accept myself for who I am. I can never thank them enough for that.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
Man, these books will kick your ass, but I highly recommend the read. I’d say these are my top 3: “The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield, “Never Split The Difference” by Chris Voss, “The Tipping Point” by Malcom Gladwell.
Some people I follow either through social media platforms or podcasts are Rick Rubin and Jay Shetty. They are both convicting and reassuring in the way that they communicate to their audiences and they really inspire me to always try to be better than I was the day before, in addition to providing the tools you need, both mentally and physically, to achieve your goals.
Contact Info:
- Website: In the building process. Stay tuned!
- Instagram: @the_strange_ranger
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/onealleatherscooper
- Other: TikTok: @the_strange_ranger
Image Credits
Sam Wiseman: Instagram @samwisemanphoto (pics of the brunette man in the suit with the guitar) Mackenzie Holmberg: Instagram @bonafidecowboy (pics of the girl in the black jacket and green fringe)