John Hopkins

Artist Statement

Dinner For Six

As a mixed-media artist, I breathe new life into recycled, discarded, and overlooked materials. Dinner for Six bridges my journey as a former food business owner, nutrition advocate, and home chef with my practice in encaustic wax. Representing a departure from my prior work, this series uses dinner plates as unconventional canvases, fusing gathered materials and encaustic wax before mounting each plate onto wooden panels.

Working with encaustic wax allows heat to serve as an active collaborator in a process that mirrors culinary arts. Rather than focusing on the practical "what" of a meal, Dinner for Six captures that fleeting moment of curiosity when a dish is presented. It's the initial spark where we absorb the colors and textures of our own plate while instinctively comparing it to others around the table. Each plate presents a distinct visual landscape with bold curiosity, and the shared human connection to celebrate how individual wonder nourishes a crowded table.

My work exploring materials, food systems, and social structures has been exhibited at the Phyllis Harriman Mason Gallery in New York City, The Arts at Castle Hill, and the Boston Psychoanalytic Society & Institute, among other venues and art shows.