In this interview, James Cook, a skilled typewriter artist, shares his unique journey and creative process. His work is deeply influenced by Paul Smith, an American typewriter artist who, despite suffering from cerebral palsy, found control and expression through the use of a typewriter. Smith’s condition limited his ability to make precise hand movements, but he used the typewriter as a tool for creating art. James credits Smith’s legacy, which spans over 70 years, as the primary inspiration for his own typewriter drawings.

James' ever-growing collection includes almost 30 typewriters, ranging from mechanical portable machines from the 1950s to early electronic models from the 1990s. He alternates between these machines to create a diverse range of works, including album covers, celebrity and pet portraits, as well as architectural illustrations. With a lifelong passion for architecture and an impressive portfolio of over 300 drawings in the past decade, James has fully embraced his transition from architecture to typewriter art, creating pieces that reflect both his love of design and the influence of typewriter artists who came before him.

https://jamescookartwork.com/