pegge hopper
This is my last day in Hawaii, and I can’t leave without writing a post about Pegge Hopper. She was born in California, and studied painting in Los Angeles. She lived Milan working as an illustrator for two years, and then moved to Honolulu in 1963 to work as an art director at a local agency. It was a visit to the state archives that would change everything… she found old photographs of native Hawaiians and was inspired to start painting again, and boy did she! She opened her own gallery in Honolulu’s Chinatown in 1983 and hasn’t looked back! Her color palettes are stunning, and I love the combination of the solid dresses and detailed faces/hands. So simple. So unique. So Hawaiian.
“The problem with looking at Art on your blog is that it tempts me to alter my own style,” says the uneducated side of my brain.
heather … i totally hear you! that’s how i felt before i started the blog. i was jumping around and changing my style every few minutes! play around with the things you find, but always stay true to your own (fantastic!) work… easier said then done, i know! 😉
The flat/solid areas juxtaposed with the figural drawing is really interesting, and I agree that the palettes are really attractive! Her work is quite remindful of Gauguin.
These remind me of a mixture between Gaugin and RB Kitaj. Very beautiful.
Pegge Hopper’s work honors the Hawaiian culture,telling their story through color and her trademark clean lines. My heart jumped when I saw your posts on Pinterest tonight! Many years ago I bought a print of the woman with the cat shown here. This piece still hangs in the home of a family member in California. For some people,the Hawaiian islands become part of your dreams, your breath and the pauses between each heart beat. Wonderful selection of her work!
Delicious and unique colour palette. Very beautiful work. Thanks for sharing on Facebook.
I am never disappointed looking at your choices – when I have been to too many uninspiring exhibits in Manhattan, I just have to come back to your site and I can appreciate how much great work there is out there – love these meticulous portraits and the brashness of solid pastel tones bliocking any other information. My favorite is the straight full frontal portrait in the darker purple tone with the pearl neclaces … awesome!
oh, thanks charlotte… that’s very flattering! and yes, pegge’s work is so, so good!