Chesapeake Eastern Shore artist invites us to take a second look
Eastern Shore artist Ryan Hopkins gave up drawing straight lines as an architect to capture the imagery of the Chesapeake using a visual chaos technique that invites us to take a second look.
What prompted you to become an artist?
Everyone is born with creativity, and that’s prompted me to want to translate the images and ideas in my head into reality through drawings and paintings. When things are not so perfect in this world, I try to create beauty in the abstract world by creating “organized chaos” with paint and melodic, harmonious colors. My philosophy has always been “to discover the never before seen.”
How did the Chesapeake shape your early interest in art?
I grew up on the Eastern Shore drawing, building, and creating. When I was 12, I won an honorable mention at the Maryland Duck Stamp competition with a pastel painting of a bluebill. I took duck carving classes with my father, Bernie Hopkins, who was a champion decoy carver all over the East Coast, and painting classes with Paul Shertz, a world-renowned artist specializing in waterfowl. I (earned) a degree in architecture and graphic design from Yale, but soon found myself tired of drawing straight lines for the benefit of others and started experimenting with paint.
How would you describe your style to someone who has not seen your work?
I try to create beauty through a language of improvisation. My style could be described as experimental abstract with hints of non-traditional realism.
What about the Chesapeake inspires your work?
Growing up on the Eastern Shore allowed me to experience the beauty of the area and its people. There is so much to marvel at in the towns, the lifestyle, and the wildlife of the Chesapeake that many people do not notice or just take for granted. I try to notice the beauty of the spectacular scenery but not forget about the beauty of the ordinary.
How do you capture a viewer’s attention?
My work evokes a desire to consider how the visual chaos I’ve introduced changes the piece. There’s always a bit of familiarity in the piece as well as a unique slant, point of view, or imagery that introduces motion or a sense of imperfection. In doing this, the viewer becomes an active participant in interpreting what the piece means to them, as they let their imagination contemplate the meaning of the visual chaos that is mixed with an image they may immediately recognize. Together, this enables me to invent new imagines that seem at first glance to be mistakes.
How did your work become a brand?
My wife Susan and I opened our first art gallery in 2017 in St. Michaels called Hopkins Original Art. During that time, we learned a great deal about creating a brand to stand out in a sea of talented people in both traditional galleries and online. We promote our brand as “modern abstract with a coastal vibe.” Through the gallery, we have connected with clients to offer commissioned paintings. I combine their ideas with mine to create something unique and memorable.
What collection are you looking to do next?
My collections usually evolve organically based on experimentation. My coastal paintings seem to be very popular, as well as my large abstracts. I will probably continue down that path.
How do people learn more about your work?
My inventory is now exclusively online at hopkinsoriginalart.com. You can also find highlights of my work on Instagram
@hopkinsoriginal and Facebook at Hopkins Original Art
Interview by Gwen Mayes
About the Interviewer: Gwen Mayes is a writer, life coach, workshop host, and docent for the Annapolis Maritime Museum and Park. Find more about her work at anchortoself.com
