the graphite house

My name is Jameela Cooper, and I am the artist behind The Graphite House.

Graphite has always fascinated me for it’s ability to transform a simple sheet of paper into something deeply personal and meaningful. Through detailed pencil work, I create portraits, architectural sketches and calligraphy, with a focus on capturing character, emotions, detail and timeless beauty.

My portraits are created to become more than an Artwork, they are intended to become heirlooms, preserving the people, places and memories that matter most.

The Graphite House - where memories become art

A curated collection of Mrs.Cooper artworks

From heartfelt portraits to fine architectural sketches and bespoke calligraphy, each piece is crafted with care to be treasured for generations

Who We Are

The Graphite House is a collection of timeless artwork created to celebrate the people, places and moments that hold meaning in our lives.

Combining portraiture, architecture sketches and calligraphy, The Graphite House brings together traditional artistic techniques with a deeply personal approach to creating one of a kind artwork.

A Portrait is more than an Image. It is a moment, a personality and a story captured on paper. Whether it is a loved one or a cherished memory.

Architecture holds stories too, from Family homes and childhood houses to treasured buildings, Historical properties and meaningful places.

Each sketch captures the character, the beauty in Graphite & Ink.

Calligraphy can hold words just as much meaning as Photos and Sketches. Meaningful names, dates, Life, poems and special messages can be transformed into artwork. A gift, a Memorial piece or a personal keepsake. Calligraphy adds a beautiful and intimate touch to your story.

The Graphite House is about creating artwork with meaning, pieces that are not simply displayed, but remembered

F10_9492.jpg
F10_9493.jpg
F10_9494.jpg
F10_9491.jpg

The Graphite House

The Graphite House

Filters

These are the incredible moments in the life of Australia's greatest racehorse, Phar Lap, like a flash in the sky during the depths of the Great Depression in the 1930s.

At a time when Australians were hungry for good news, Phar Lap became an icon of hope, lifting the spirit of the nation. By the time of his death in 1932, he had earned the love and applause of an entire country.

With heavy hearts, we bid him farewell as he entered the last and farthest lap of all. The mightiest horse ever to come out of Australia has returned to the dust, where he now rests in his forever home.

$0.00

In the year 1994, Jameela and Yasmeen were taken on an adventure to be introduced to the wildlife of equine beauty. I was always in search of a black beauty horse, while Yasmeen was fond of the white.

My father said he wanted a “blue beauty.” I told him they didn’t exist, but he said he would paint one.

When you travel through the countryside of Australia, the farmlands and the bush, horses are often part of the picturesque view. But to witness the sheer beauty of a galloping black horse is a majestic experience. They make you wonder what stories their lives could tell.

My father promised a horse each for Yasmeen and me when we turned twelve. On the morning of my impatient birthday, I waited by the front window, peeking through the curtains. I saw only my dad’s van arrive. I asked him where my horse was, and he said, “Jameela, it ran away.” Yasmeen and I were upset, so we asked Mum if we could go look for them. She said no.

Later that night, while everyone was asleep, we took Mum’s house keys and unlocked the back door. We jumped over the fence and left. I don’t remember how long we walked for, but it was sunrise by the time we stopped. We reached a stable farm filled with horses, visible from the highway, but we knew our horses weren’t there.

Years passed, and now we’re adults. Yasmeen trained to work with horses, learning how to provide care, attend races, and work alongside some of the best trainers. As for me, I photograph them, and one day, I came across the mysterious, true black horse. Her name is Lara.

$0.00

In 1997, my cousin introduced me to the magical film The Secret Garden, where two cousins discovered that their mothers were twins who had lived separate lives and distant relationships. Yet together they shared something in common.

Their bedrooms were architecturally the same, with matching accessories. They even had the same twin ivory elephants. Still, the reason for their separation remained unknown. One twin lived in the secret garden, while the other lived among the hot sands of India.

Today, my own twin and I have gone our separate ways, but we know where to find each other. Together we grew our own secret garden, dressing and dancing to Indian music.

The love between twins is unlike any other. It can be both the best and the most challenging relationship, where situations test you, yet love always prevails.

$0.00

My beloved, before the silent witnesses of the night, and before the ancient moon that has watched centuries fade into dust, I take you as mine beyond the fragile promise of mortal time.

You are the dawn I cannot touch, the warmth I cannot claim, yet you are the very soul that calls me from the abyss.

I vow to guard you through every shadow and to stand beside you when the world sleeps, and when eternity stretches cold and silent before us.

My love for you will not fade with the seasons, nor will it weaken with the passing of years, for I have no years to lose. I have only forever to give.

$0.00

This story tells the tale of one of the biggest mysteries that some say remains unsolved.

In 1918, the Imperial Russian family was executed in Yekaterinburg by the Bolsheviks. However, in 1922, a woman claimed to be the Grand Duchess who survived the execution, that she had escaped the terror. Her name was Anna Anderson. Unfortunately, her claims were later proven untrue when the real Anastasia’s remains were recovered in 2007.

For me, this story was part of my childhood. There have been books written about it, and it has been a major subject in the film industry.

My twin sister and I share a bond through our study of criminology. In 2019, I became aware of the true facts concerning Anastasia. I immediately began my research and created a collection of paintings for ‘The Romanovs’ exhibition here in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.

$0.00

In the 1980s, we had home telephones. No mobiles, no laptops, no tablets. All we had was paper and a phone call after school, usually to my best friend.

I would write in my journal. I wrote letters to my sister, who wasn’t home for many years, and I would wait for her letters to arrive in the mailbox. Every month, I’d ask my mother, “Did we get a letter today?” Sometimes yes, sometimes no.

Then I’d return to my journal, writing and crying tears onto the page, until finally, my letter arrived.

$0.00

Wilhelmina is a complex and resourceful woman who embodies the Victorian ideals of purity and faith in 1897. She became a popular character intertwined with the historical legends of Vlad the Impaler.

She would write in her journal, which I refer to as "The Art of Letters", sharing her thoughts with her former fiancé Jonathan, her worries with her best friend Lucy, and her deep, profound desires for Count Dracula.

When her heart felt lost, she would tear the pages one by one and cast them into the wilderness seas on stormy nights. Still, she held onto her notes to Dracula and imagined the words she would speak to him.

This romantic character fights the battles of love, crossing oceans of time in search of it. She reveals her nature through faith and purity, but she loves completely and without restraint. Though the men may hunt the beast, she refuses to sacrifice the one she loves.

$0.00
Sold Out

From the terror and through the romance, this artwork is inspired by the 1992 film Dracula, based on Bram Stoker’s legendary tale of the vampire Vlad the Impaler.

Dracula travels across centuries in search of his true love, Mina. But in order to cross time, he becomes the beast, the unforsaken. He lives as a vampire, taking blood to quench his thirst.

When he finally finds Madam Mina, his charm and gentlemanly nature make her feel it is destiny. She walks beside him in the garden and dreams of life together once more, with a head count at their castle in Romania, where they can live as the beloved couple they once were.

I dedicate this painting to my daughter, Meena, whose name inspired this work and reflects the love and unity of family. May we always find one another through time and time again, and play in our secret garden, my Madam Meena.

$0.00
Sold Out

On a beautiful day, the clouds were dark and light grey. A young lady was standing outside the Opera House, gazing out towards the water as a cool breeze blew through her long brunette hair.

She turned to look at me with a gentle smile in her expression. In that moment, she had forgotten about her daily activities, her schooling, and her schedules.

She was free to simply be her true self, in her own place of happiness. Her eyes told me that she loved to run across the clean sands and into the ocean waters every weekend.

How wonderful it is to see a child so free.

$0.00
Sold Out

No results found

No results match your search. Try removing a few filters.