Carylon Ann Cooper was born in Detroit Michigan. She moved with her family to Nashville, Tennessee at an early age and received her first art instruction at Middle Tennessee State University. After attending college, Killebrew took an extended absence from creating Art to raise a family and then to focus on bringing physical fitness to the unreached population in Chattanooga, Tennessee for which she received the Governor’s award for physical fitness. Thereafter, Carylon resumed her painting initially as a printmaker, employing a theme of repeated patterns, yet producing surprising variations of images through subtractive and “light field” applications of ink. Often she would accentuate the print by applying paint with oil sticks. Because of the size limitation of the press bed, Cooper transitioned to canvas and board, producing larger and bolder images. Characterized by many as a colorist, she has expanded her subject matter to include interior landscapes and situational figurative studies.

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Her desire is to make art that is pure, simply honest and unadorned – consequently, her style is not elaborate or busy but one that is a simple, bold, fulfilling, honest, and a reflection of physical creation.