As Randall Heppner's solo art exhibition comes to a close, the Two Rivers Gallery is hosting a reception to thank him for his work and give the public one last chance to meet him before his paintings come down at their facility.
Heppner is the creator of the show Among the Trees on until Sept. 9 in the Rustad Galleria at the downtown display headquarters. The Two Rivers Gallery has been exhibiting the work since late July.
"Randall will be there in person to meet everyone and answer any questions people have," said the show's curator Meghan Hunter-Gauthier. "He is relatively unpublished. He is a very enthusiastic and dedicated artist, he is always working on more art, he is such a kind person, he comes by to check in on how the exhibition is going, and getting to know him has been a real pleasure so we are happy to have our facility be one way the community gets to know his work a bit more."
He is known in other ways like through the greeting card series he has created, prints of select paintings, and at times he has been a popular artist for original work.
Topaz Bead Gallery is currently the only place with cards on sale, plus the paintings at the gallery.
Heppner prizes his privacy and has no online presence. He has a supportive friend, Chris Mikulasik, who acts as an art agent on his behalf. Mikulasik works at AiMHi and it was there that a collection of Heppner's work was assembled for a private viewing for Hunter-Gauthier while she was considering him for a solo exhibition.
"His work is quite distinctive and very popular in the community. We have 20-year service awards at AiMHi and it is always a Randall Heppner print," said Mikalasik.
Hunter-Gauthier concurred that an original Heppner painting was sold at the gallery's last fundraiser auction, the bidding was strong. There is something compelling about his work, she said, that catches the interest of the viewer. He has been making artwork since the 1980s, she said, and his images emerge right out of the local landscape.
"Having been employed in the logging industry for many years, Heppner spent a great amount of time in the wilderness," she said.
"During this time, the forest that surrounded him served as a source of inspiration for drawings and paintings."
Heppner's work focuses on the natural world. His attention to detail results in paintings that draw the viewer in for a closer look. Curled bark, crisp leaves, plump berries and snow-covered branches are all details that Heppner chooses to place importance on. In regarding his work we are reminded to take in and appreciate the subtleties in our surroundings."
The public can be with Heppner and Among The Trees on Thursday at
7:30 p.m. for an admission-free reception at Two Rivers Gallery.
