About J. R. Lince-Hopkins (John)

Born to a military family in 1948, John grew up in Europe, Japan, and several regions of the United States. From his earliest memories, the world has been perceived as dancing light, visual images, color, and forms. While in Europe, as a very young child, his family frequently visited the great museums and opera houses. As a youngster in Iramagawa, Japan, he was privileged to study oil painting and European Impressionism with a private tutor for 3 years.

Public school art classes and science classes enlivened his mind. Following high school, he studied Zoology and Ecology at the undergraduate and graduate level. Later, as a teacher and Field Biologist, he took university level drawing and painting classes (as time would allow) at the University of Alaska, Anchorage and LSU, Baton Rouge. Teachers such as Millard Sheets, Judi Betts, Robert Bateman, Richard Stroud, Mike Crespo, and Dr. John P. O’Neill (LSU) greatly influenced him and brought his dual career paths of art and science into sharp and harmonious focus.

His original oil paintings are accomplished with a palette knife or fingers.

He and his collaborator, colleague, and wife, Susan Lince, now have a home, studios and galleries in Washburn, Wisconsin.  His original oil paintings are accomplished with a palette knife or fingers.

Artist Statement:

Those of us who watch and wonder about the extraordinary pageant of nature are aware of the central role that skies play in our perceptions.  As artist John Constable observed in the early 1800s, the mood and content of the sky is what sets the overall mood of a painting.  Ojibwa artist George Morrison once said that “the colors of the wind” were some of what he wanted to understand as an artist.  Eric Sloane painted majestic paintings of clouds over landscape and gave us the multi-story masterwork of towering cumulus in the Foyer of the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum.

To extend Constable’s, Morrison’s, and Sloane’s ideas, the random and abstract shapes, forms, and colors of weather, especially clouds, are important observations for today’s artists. To depict such random and fluid characteristics in a realistic manner is working in that space between the two great movements of abstract and realism (nonobjective and objective).

Weather, and especially clouds, may well be said to be the “voice” of climate over long periods of time.  Physical factors such as proximity to bodies of water, mountains, and latitude combined with variables such as rainfall and temperature give rise to long term regional climates. Seasonally, heat is dispersed through the atmosphere causing various forms of clouds and resulting weather.

Since the early 21st Century a global understanding that the Earth is a finite ecosystem has become a part of the awareness of many humans.  It is, in a full sense, the first time in human history that a significant portion of the human race has become aware of this fact in unison!  Historically, future generations may well look back and recognize this period as the “Time of the First Awareness”.

I have lived and painted in several parts of the United States and currently live on the South-shore of Lake Superior. With time-of-the-first-awareness eyes, I now paint landscapes, skyscapes, and lakescapes to record our grand and changing environment. As increasing weather extremes and the onset of climate induced changes occur in our world, many artists like me are documenting these events for future generations to ponder.

Artist Resume:

John R. Hopkins (J. R. Lince-Hopkins)

Education: 
1966 -1970: Bachelor of Science (Zoology), Auburn University, Alabama. 1970 -1972: Master of Science (Biology), New Mexico Highlands University, Las Vegas, New Mexico.
1980 -1999: Additional course work in various disciplines at a variety of institutions (Art, Astrophysics, Math).

Art Education: 
1985-86: Art Department at LSU studying with Mike Crespo (non-degree). 1985: Painting Workshop in Baton Rouge, LA with Judy Betts.
1982-83: Painting Workshops at University of Alaska, Anchorage, AK with Millard Sheets and Robert Bateman.

Work Experience: 
1983 to Present: Self Employed Artist
1977-2012: Art and Science Teacher (Biology and Physical Science) Texas, New Mexico, Louisiana, and Alaska.
1990-1991: Self-Employed Artist, Taos, New Mexico.
1989-1990: Environmental Field Officer II: State Of Alaska, Dept. of Environmental Conservation (Exxon Valdez Oil Spill).
1970-1972: Graduate Teaching Assistant: Biology Dept., New Mexico Highlands Univ. Las Vegas, New Mexico.
1967-1970: Assistant Curator of Reptiles, Auburn University Vertebrate Museum, Auburn, Alabama.

Fine Art Exhibitions:

• 2013 Fall Show: University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Chanhassen, MN.
• 2012 Fall Show: University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, Chanhassen, MN.
• 2006 Celebrate Austin Magazine: Celebrate Publications Inc. Jan. 2006.
• 2000 Christmas Group Show: Gallery Lombardi, .Austin, Texas
• 1997 Llano Estacado Art Association Open Show, Hobbs, New Mexico.
• 1997 Invitational Exhibit: College of the Southwest, Hobbs, New Mexico.
• 1996 Jan Ballew’s Northern Gallery Exhibit: Pannell Library, New Mexico Junior College, Hobbs, New Mexico.
• 1994 Fall American Art Show: Museum of the Horse, Ruidoso, New Mexico. “Best Painting In Show”.
• 1994 Llano Estacado Art Association Open Show, Hobbs, New Mexico.
• 1993 New Mexico, Colorado, New Mexico: four person show, Galeria, Arriba, Abiquiu,
• 1993 North Park, Colorado’s Best Design: two person show, Loveland, Colorado.
• 1992 Southwestern Art Exhibit (Invitational): The Medici Center for the Visual Arts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
• 1992 Living by the Pedernal (Invitational): Galeria Arriba, Abiquiu, New Mexico.
• 1992 El Rito Art Adventure: five studio show, El Rito, New Mexico.
• 1991 El Rito Artists Exhibition: Galeria Arriba, Abiquiu, New Mexico.
• 1991 Centinal Bank Fall Show: Taos, New Mexico.
• 1990 Introductions: two person show, Kauffman Gallery, Houston, Texas. 
• 1990 Taos Spring Arts Celebration (Juried). Taos, New Mexico.
• 1990 Annual Members Show: Stables Art Center, Taos, New Mexico. 
• 1987 Images of New Mexico (Juried). Las Vegas, New Mexico.
• 1987 Los Alamos County Exhibition: Governor’s Gallery, State Capital, Santa Fe, New Mexico.
• 1987 Celebrate (Invitational): Fuller Lodge Art Center, Las Alamos, New Mexico.
• 1986 Celebrate (Invitational): Fuller Lodge Art Center, Las Alamos, New Mexico.
• 1982 Baton Rouge Audubon Society Show (Invitational): Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
• 1982 Baton Rouge Art League Invitational Show. Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
• 1980 National River Road Show (Juried): Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
• 1980 National Audubon Show of Alaskan Wildlife (Juried): Anchorage, Alaska.
• Works on Permanent Exhibition -Dean Witter Reynolds, Anchorage, Alaska. -Wedbush Morgan Securities, Anchorage, Alaska. -Office of the Chief of Staff, Espanola Valley Hospital, Espanola, New Mexico. -Pannell Library, New Mexico Junior College, Hobbs, New Mexico.
• Private Collections John’s work is represented in private collections throughout the United States, and the Middle East, Japan, Europe, and Canada.