'Music and art, they love to speak to each other'

Bonnie Cooper's love of art began at 6 years old when she and her sisters would "break the rules" coloring.

"My sisters and I since the early '60s, in coloring books, would purposefully go out of the lines, break the rules and make patterns," she said. "You know what kids do, we loved to have fun."

Today, the 16-year Tehachapi resident continues to color, creating unique and beautiful artwork with Prismacolor colored pencils.

She likes creating special pieces for people in her life and is currently working on a whale for her son. She also made a special piece for her grandmother that combines her love of words and writing. The piece includes a poem, special to her grandmother, weaved between a graceful ballerina.

"Because I love music, art and writing so much when I listen to music, I actually see drawings. And I'll keep the music in my ears and let the music draw the art. So the music and the art speak together," she said.

While she creates art she listens to a variety of genres from classical and jazz to rock n' roll and movie scores.

"Music and art, they love to speak to each other, back and forth," she said. "You feel it and just get into another zone. I love it."

Cooper said she used to perform on stage with a rock n' roll band at Antelope Valley College.

"I always just tried to stay with the music. I'd always feel the music and as I was feeling the music I would say, 'wow, I'm seeing these drawings coming about.' So I thought ... just put it to work, just go for it," she said.

With her love of writing, she has produced a few children's books as well that she is hoping to get published.

"Children love to have fun. So if you're doing something you feel is fun, you can express it and the children are taking it all in. There is satisfaction in seeing them like it too," she said.

When she's not writing, gardening or creating beautiful works of art, Cooper works at the Tehachapi Post Office.

She has worked in the postal business for 29 years and when there was an opening in Tehachapi, she jumped at the chance to apply.

"I'd seen this beautiful city and I was like, 'wow this city is so cool,'" she said.

With all of her art and her work within the community, she always hopes to connect with people.

"I would just like the art, music and books to take me where it needs to go and make people happy," she said. "When you get someone who can say they are happy with what they see or read that means a lot. You can write about something and never know it, but it could change someone's life."