John Hooper
&
Nelda Warkentin
Opening Reception:
May 24, 5:30 – 7 PM
Exhibit: May 24 – June 13, 2024
The Rangeley Friends of the Arts will host an Artist Reception celebrating the works of John Hooper & Nelda Warkentin at the Lakeside Contemporary Art Gallery, located in the lobby of the RFA Lakeside Theater 2493 Main Street in Rangeley, on Friday May 24, 2024 from 5:30 – 7:00 PM.
Come on out to meet the artists, enjoy full concessions and a beer/wine cash bar. The Exhibit continues through June 13, 2024. Gallery hours are Tues-Sat 10am to 2pm.
For the RFA’s complete schedule of events and programs, visit rangeleyarts.org.
John Hooper-I live in the middle of a wildlife protection area on the shore of Rangeley Lake, at the edge of Maine’s 100 Mile Wilderness. This gives me the opportunity to observe wildlife, up close and personal. If I haven’t seen most species of fish, mammals and birds from the comfort of camp, then I’ve seen them in the woods, fields and waters of this beautiful part of the country.
I have chosen to capture the images in the medium of wood. Through sculpting and relief carving, I bring to life animals, birds and fish, often in their habitats, doing something that comes naturally.
The wood I use in my work is “found”, usually from a tree that has been blown down or cast aside in the woodlot. Folks often will drop a stump off in my yard, in anticipation of seeing the finished sculpture that emerges…after as many as 200 hours of chipping away the unwanted parts. I will work with as many as 75 different tools and materials in the process of carving from stump to finished piece, often starting with a chain saw, and finishing with the finest grit sandpaper.
The dimensional lumber I use is scrap, repurposed to create frames, shadow boxes, surfaces for relief carvings and bases. To-date I have utilized 16 native species of trees in all facets of my work. Discarded premium cabinet doors, for example, provide fancy frames for relief carvings.
I absolutely love the creative process involved in this endeavor, and appreciate the ability to create with my hands, what is in my mind’s eye. I carve for the sheer pleasure of it, and get great satisfaction from sharing my work with appreciative audiences, like you.
Nelda Warkentin
– Living in rural Maine, I am very aware of Nature. Here there are towering 100’ pines that dance in the wind, Native plants that thrive, a night sky that reveals galaxies, a river that rises and falls with the weather, symphonies of birds and bugs, and critters that share the property. Observing all this on a daily basis, I have concluded everything seeks to express and survive—and everything is connected.
Upon moving to Maine, the woods were my primary focus. Having previously lived for 30 years in urban Anchorage Alaska, the new and heavily treed environment was inspiring. For many years, I created art quilts that represented the imagery and palette of the forest.
I started painting because I wanted to depict birds in my environment. Painting gave me a better understanding of them.
My new work goes beyond my immediate environment to include all that share our planet. Years traveling throughout Alaska and now living in rural Maine are a huge influence. The impacts of climate change weigh heavily on my mind.
When I go to museums, portrait paintings are primarily of people. My decision to paint portraits of birds and mammals in a ‘formal style’ seeks to place them on equal footing with us and to encourage the respect they deserve.
