Arteles Catalogue 2023-2020

Write & Create program / OCTOBER 2022
Donna Hapac
USA
www.donnahapac.com/wood-sculptures
About
I was born and grew up in Chicago, Illinois. Three years ago,
I moved with my husband to a small town about fifty miles
from downtown Chicago in northwest Indiana and close to
Lake Michigan. We are much closer to nature here and love
the landscape of forests, wetlands, and dunes.
I am a sculptor who builds forms from repeating elements. I
have worked primarily in reed and wood. In my early career,
I produced paintings and drawings, exhibiting frequently.
In the late 1980s, I discovered contemporary basketry and
its creative possibilities and began to make sculpture. At
first, I used reed and cane, developing my own techniques
for building forms. Since 2015, I have been learning
woodworking. Now, I carve wood elements on a bandsaw,
assembling multiple blocks into active forms. Most of the
wood I use is reclaimed pine from old barns, urban rehabs
and tear-downs. This older wood has much denser grain and
strength than recently harvested pine. The wood often has
interesting grain and knots.
My current series includes bridges and barriers. While at
Arteles, I want to create an outdoor sculpture that builds on
that series.
Landscape Notes
The day before my arrival at Arteles, I was filled with
anticipation, mixed with some apprehension about facing the
month-long void of my residency. While staying at a hotel,
I had a hard fall that left me bruised and swollen, in a lot of
pain. Fortunately, I had no broken bones or open wounds.
The next day, I arrived at Arteles at the peak of autumn colors
with the tall birch trees shimmering with their golden leaves
across the peaceful landscape. It was lovely!
My residency plans were to 1) become reacquainted with
watercolors; 2) make drawings of the landscape and plant
life; and 3) create an outdoor art installation in the woods
at Arteles. We were warned that residents’ plans often
change once their residency begins. That happened to me.
My injuries were such that I had a hard time walking on the
uneven and overgrown paths in the forest and kept losing my
balance. I considered alternatives to an outdoor installation
idea. Meanwhile, I painted watercolors.
As my injuries healed, I walked on more easily navigated
paths and became fascinated with the vegetation along the
way. Collecting specimens, I took them back to the studio. I
photocopied and developed drawings from the plants. From
these experiments, I eventually designed and painted a mural
on a wall in my bedroom based on my drawings. I see this
work developing into future 2-D and 3-D artworks.