Hoeppner in his studio practicing wood working.
CAL aims to help artists succeed, whether that's offering skill building classes, the opportunity to exhibit work in our gallery, or sell work in our Gift Gallery. Our Artist on Display series invites you to get to know our artists a little bit better!
ABOUT THE ARTIST
RH: I have always been making things...model RC airplanes, baskets, and home repairs. After making some miniature furniture for Christmas presents, I determined I could make furniture full sized. I have made coffee tables, blanket chest, green wood and Windsor chairs as well as several dulcimers. After seeing a woodturning demonstration, my focus changed totally.
Why woodworking?
RH: The ability to create shapes from a block of wood in a couple hours or less as compared to several months for a project worked well with my limited time available while working in the medical field. Many times when time was limited, I just turned beads and coves or a sphere for relaxation.
RH: Wood has always been my medium. Any time I hear or see a chainsaw cutting, I’m looking for beautiful wood. Wood is a material that most people enjoy seeing and touching. When I started, wood was used to make “craft” projects. Combine the beauty of wood with pleasing shapes and it’s art.
Artistic Career
Beginning in 2005, Hoeppner began showing his work at Columbia Art League, and shows associated with the gallery, like the Boone County Bank showcase.
RH: When I had early success, I continued to challenge myself using the show themes. New techniques, and sometimes even making new tools to complete my idea always present new challenges. Sometimes I make the item with focus on selling and sometimes just to make an artistic statement. I like the idea of creating a family of similar items.
RH: For the Monochrome show, the grouping came to mind as I had been coring sets of bowls from one piece of wood. The wood was consistent color, but by coring the grain pattern, while slightly different showed the singular relationship carried through the progressive bowls.
RH: A majority of the pieces in the BCB Art show (now Central Bank) over the years have been segmented. Segmented pieces require precision cutting, gluing, and manipulation to get the pattern and shape. Rather than a few hours, a segmented work may take several months. I usually start planning for that show in early Spring.
Bank Purchase Award, 2006
“My favorite piece, because with it I felt like an artist”—Hoeppner
