Heather James Fine Art is pleased to present a special exhibition of paintings and drawings by Edward Hopper (1882-1967).
Edward Hopper (1882-1967) once said, “If you could say it in words, there’d be no reason to paint.” As a man of few words, Hopper certainly had a reason to paint. He articulated his worldview though his signature themes, from isolated figures in public or private interiors to sun-soaked architecture and deserted streets to boats and coastal scenes.
Born in the Hudson River village of Nyack, NY, about 21 miles north of New York City, Hopper’s artistic ambitions surfaced early on. With a clear view of the river from his bedroom window, inspiration was close at hand. These early years are documented in dozens drawings of boats and ships as well as several wooden model boats. He recorded many other childhood interests as well, including trains, horses, soldiers, naval battles and characters from his books.
In the latter part of his career (except when traveling), Hopper only painted in his studio, rather than outdoors from nature, as he had done with the watercolors and some early oils. In the studio, he would work out his compositions through numerous study sketches, improvising with each incarnation, so that the original subject had evolved in step with this imagination.