DC Photography West Coast

DC Photography West Coast

Donald Cook grew up in the town of Paraburdoo, Western Australia, where he became obsessed with drawing and art as soon as he could hold a pencil. In those days in rural Australia, art was not seen as a manly pursuit.

However, Donald’s mother would encourage him to follow his passion by putting new pencils under his pillow and sharing his work with all her friends.

When Donald was old enough, he wanted to study art, but his father felt an apprenticeship would more suitable. Bowing to pressure, Donald took up an apprenticeship in house painting as it was the closest acceptable profession to the the life of art he craved.

After completing the house painting apprenticeship, Donald took the first plane he could get to Paris. He had always dreamt of escaping to a place where he could drown himself in art and culture.

From the red dust of Paraburdoo to Paris, the city of art. For the first time in his life, he felt at home. He travelled throughout Europe and the Middle East, settling for a spell in Kibbutz, Israel, before returning to Perth, Western Australia, to enrol in the Perth Institute of Art.

His studies were paid by selling art on the streets of Perth, ultimately achieving a Diploma in Graphic Arts with a Major in Illustration and Photography.

Over his career, Donald has kept his hands in the arts as a photographer and muralist, supplementing his income with work in retail, hospitality, power stations and an alumina refinery. 

He has found new passion in photography passing his skills onto his teenage son, who shares his father’s talent.