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MARCH 4, 199,
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Chester Hopper Jr.: A craftsman since the age of 11.
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Business
MARKETING CREATIVITY i
Guitar craftsman’s creativity
flows onto canvas and sculpture
By Regina Lynch-Hudson
Special to AUGUSTA FOCUS
ATLANTA
It’sbeen said that Chester Hop
per Jr. handicrafts guitars that
would make even Jimi Hendrix
resurrect to strum a comeback of
powerful notes. From planks of
wood 40 years old, Hopper carves
intricate instruments which are
as rich in design, as in melody.
His skill, a lost art form, was self
taught says Hopper. A prolific
genius, his innate talents also
spills onto canvas, and just about
any material that Hopper can lay
his hands on. Though he frowns
upon the term “jack of all trades,”
Hopper has mastered and mar
keted virtually any artistic me
dium he has experimented with
The Atlanta-based artist says
he woke up one morning after a
dream, and began sculpting his
elaborate guitars which are un
like any available through
Yamaha, Gibson, or major main
stream manufacturers. Hopper’s
instruments sell for $3,000 -
$4,000 -the same higher end
price range of his oil paintings,
wood sculpture, portraits, and
murals. However, Hopper cre
ates paintings that start at SSOO.
A multiethnic greeting card line
that captures Hopper’s sketches
and sentiments have a shelflife of
over 10 years, originating in Mil
waukee, Wisconsin, thebirthplace
of his artistic development.
Hopper began painting at the
age of 11 with art supplies pur
chased by his father; ironically,
the lifeblood of Hopper’s creative
genius was spurred by the drown
ing death of a younger brother.
Though the tragedy happened
some three decades ago, it influ
enced Hopper’s decision to “cre
ate a life” that dealt with inner
happiness. Hopper’s paintings
exhale both spiritual and mythi
cal elements; even those that de
pict jazzy scenes, or whimsical
settings.
In afigurative dreamlike paint
ing titled simply “Vanessa,” Hop
per captures the intrinsic side of
a reclusive personal friend, as
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N e~
she peers at life through a key
hole. Yet, in other more surreal
works Hopper merges jigsaw-like
shapes in primary colors, to form
primitive African figures. As one
of few artists that’s blessed with
easeful crossover ability, Hopper
also absorbsimaginative energies
into abstract works. On the sur
face, his works appear compre
hensible, even simple; yet,
Hopper’s calming baritone
narration’s ofhis work incessantly
reveal a transcendent depth.
Since 1985, under the shingle
Hopper’s Unique Inc., Hopper has
created, designed and marketed
ethnic greeting cards, coloring
books, children’s books and a
boundless flow of artistic mer
chandise. In Milwaukee he
worked with artistically stimu
lating educational programs ini
tiated at Milwaukee Public
Schools, Milwaukee Alternative
Schools, Milwaukee Public Li
brary, and The Milwaukee Art
Museum. Hopper is a “giver” of
his craft; consistently teaching
and passionately offering candid
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details on the inner working o
his masterpieces, from both a pr
duction and perceptual standi.';
point.
In 1994 Hopper moved his op
eration to Atlanta. In a head
quarters that’s dubbed as a Black
mecca, Hopper has served as di
rector of The Edge of the World
Gallery, and assistant director of
Level 2 Art Gallery; as well as
curator of the Boulevard Case
Common Room Gallery. After
getting his feet wet in highly vis
ible positions in Atlanta’s fast
forward artist community, Hop
per is navigating in an upstream
direction; a route he mapped ovef
30 years ago. He is creating with:
out boundaries: carving guitars,
painting, sculpting woodworks;
and marketing Uncle Willy, a
imaginativelyillustrated children’s
bock that he authored. In a ‘sink
or swim’ frontier of competitive
Black artists, Hopperis a creative
grandmaster who oversteps color
lines and artisticlimitations. Heis
a survivor. §