Cooper’s tribute to hip-hop uses Japanese crochet technique
Adwoa Cooper, a Supervising Registered Nurse II (SRNII) at California Medical Facility (CMF), took home two State Fair awards for her artistic hip-hop tribute.
Her fair entries won Best of Division and took first place in the amigurumi category, a Japanese crochet technique.
“It is a Japanese word that just means little knit or crocheted stuffed animal. We take it to the next level and make people and different things with it,” said Cooper.
Her work, titled Happy 50th Hip Hop, is currently on display at the fair at Cal Expo Sacramento.
Cooper’s continuing ode to hip-hop has also gained her exposure.
“I grew up listening to hip-hop so I like to honor hip-hop artists with their own dolls,” said Cooper.
For the fair contest, Cooper made dolls resembling rappers Too Short, E-40, Tupac Shakur, Snoop Dogg and others. Competition coordinator Delgreta Brown called the dolls a “culturally relevant celebration of African American music.”
Cooper said she is looking forward to retiring in five years. Then she plans to open a shop in downtown Fairfield where she can teach other people, particularly youth, to make dolls.
Story submitted by Lt. Priscilla Gonzalez, AA/PIO
California Medical Facility
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