J.R. Hopes

The J. R. Hopes Art Scholarships are granted to outstanding sophomore and junior art students, with financial need, in each of the following 5 disciplines:

Photo/Digital/Media
2D
3D
Integrated Arts
Art History

J. R. Hopes Art Scholarship Mission: Mr. James R. Hopes established the art scholarship to encourage talented art students to further their art careers. Prior to this initiative he founded and managed the charity "Kids Can Save Foundation" for children from low-income neighborhoods to learn financial literacy and served as a senior marketing executive at AOL-Time Warner.

Hopes Scholarship Winners for Spring 2008

2D: Painting, Drawing, Printmaking

Brent Bishop

"I am learning about the universe, the dynamic properties of the earth, and being challenged artistically everyday. My goal as a student is to expand my artistic horizons through learning new mediums in the studio and through different techniques learned from artists throughout history. This award would allow me to spend more time in the studio and explore the ideas I have been developing over the past few years.
Since I have been in school, I have been working full time in the restaurant business as a chef/ kitchen manager. I think it is important to work while going to school, but it also limits the time available to work in my studio. "

Art History, Art and Art History

Monica Butler

“This semester I have been studying in Perugia, Italy, getting some hands-on and in-depth experience with Italian art. It has been a wonderful opportunity to gain an insider's cultural understanding of not only Renaissance masterpieces, but a few of the local, forgotten corners as well. When I return to Colorado in the fall I will have a solid understanding of the Renaissance, but I plan to focus my studies my senior year on the modern and contemporary period. One of my main goals is to continue the kind of practical experience and research opportunities I have here by becoming more involved in the local arts community through intern and volunteer work.

In this paper I examined Albrecht Durer's ever-enigmatic Four Witches (1495). Scholarly debate has raised several disparate interpretations of the print, each of which I considered to be insufficient for a full understanding of its meaning and role in Durer's early development. "

2D: Painting, Drawing, and Printmaking

Casey Freier

“…I live, eat, drink, and breathe art. It is who I am, was, will be, and is something I am always incorporating in my life. I began to heavily pursue art academically in high school where I took several courses each in drawing, painting, photography, and graphic design. Since I’ve been at CU, I have learned a great deal about the industry and the direction of modern art and have also had to accelerate the rate at which I create work. So far I’ve taken classes in Drawing, Painting, and Digital Art. After spending two semesters in the art program, I decided to set some goals for myself and pursue art in all aspects. I plan to push myself to the level of the BFA students and to earn a BFA of my own, in order to reach a level of creativity that deserves recognition in an art community.”

MFA

Damon Mohl

"My goals at the University of Colorado’s MFA program are to continue to strengthen and develop my work while also gaining valuable teaching experience in the field that I have been studying and practicing for the last fifteen years. Within the confines of an MFA program I feel I have the time to push my work deeper in the aesthetic direction I have been developing. At the same time I have the opportunity to be challenged by, and entertain new ideas by the faculty of professional artists. Ultimately, my sincere hope is that by continuing my education I will have a better chance of gaining employment in an art related field, thus merging what I have devoted my life to with a meaningful career that I can be proud of."

MFA

Timothy Foss

In graduate school, I have begun a graphic novel about Sydney Arthur, a four year old who represents an unlikely image of the Buddha as a young boy. Syd Arthur—a pun on the name Siddhartha—is a mid-western child, by no means a prince, and always naked. He is able to socialize in adult situations without any criticism from surrounding adult characters either about his age, a symbol of naiveté, or his nudity, a symbol of vulnerability. Is Syd Arthur a diminutive adult or a prodigious child? Does the magical optimism of a child offer another approach to solving the real world problems of an adult? The chronological excerpt of the first ten pages seen in my portfolio, shows Sydney with his cohort after they finish swimming lessons at the YMCA. The sense of abandonment they experience while waiting for a ride home is buffered by their immense optimism, the luscious color of their surroundings, and the strong brush line in which they are rendered.

Ceramics

Eve Partridge

“My professional goal is to be a studio artist and teacher. Education and “hands on” application of learned knowledge at University of Colorado assist me to become the best student I can be. It would be a blessing to be able to focus as much time and energy as possible on my artistic aspirations. My vessels are made from porcelain, with very thin edges that are reminiscent of an egg-shell cracked open and abandoned. They are layering on top of one another similar to the generations that have come before us, like Russian dolls each one fits within the next. A light green, or red on the inside with a white glossy outer shell, adorn the surface of the pieces. These colors to me represent life and blood. The pinch marks surround the vessels and provide texture to reveal the mark of my hand, to allow the humanity to surround the pieces. The vessel is a metaphor for the body. “

Ceramics

Evan Rocco

“…Once I began to take ceramics classes my life seemed to telescope and start to make more sense. I stared to feel like I was really working at something that mattered and that could be important. I was never the slightest bit confident in myself growing up until the last few years in my life studying art. Everyday I feel that I like the person I am more and more because of what I do. I can’t get into the deep specifics, but in short, art has saved my life. I started working for the school cleaning up the ceramics studio just to feel more involved. It sounds silly but I feel like I owe it to the school and the medium for giving me so much more purpose in my life.… I think that is my ambition as a student; to find what will make me a true artist. I think I owe it to myself and everyone who has helped me along the way to make this time spent in school really have meaning.”

Photography, painting

Aubrey Sacco

“My passion for painting lead me to become an art major at CU. Being an art student at CU has allowed me to learn many new artistic mediums and skills besides painting. I now have experience with metal and wood sculpture, photography, video production and editing, digital art, printmaking, drawing, and performance and installation. These courses have helped and inspired me to venture into the art community outside of school.
Being a studio art and psychology major is preparing me to attend graduate school for art therapy. My dream is to use expression and creativity as therapy to help others in many aspects of their lives. Traveling is also one of my greatest passions and I plan to incorporate multicultural art forms in my practice and all experience abroad will help meet this goal. However, in between graduating from CU and attending graduate school, I aspire to teach art through the United States Peace Corps.”

Photography, Video and Digital Media

Anna J. Thielke

“Art has given me a voice. It has been a conduit for my opinions and feelings. I love the thought processes involved in conveying a message through art and love to hear what messages others have gathered from my work. I also feel that as an artist, I am obligated to view, analyze, and research as much artwork as possible. I have been deeply moved by visual images. Observation of images and other work has had a large part in shaping my work today. It has helped me form opinions, moved the direction of my creative process, and has given vitality and growth to my work.”

2D: Painting, Drawing and Printmaking

Hadas Zamir

“I was born and raised in Israel, and moved to the states with my family when I was eighteen years old. I lived in Boulder for few years, and than moved to Berkeley, Ca where I started taking classes at the community college, as well as studying Judaism, meditation and the art of living on my own. I traveled many countries as well as this beautiful diverse country we share, and learned the beauty and pain shared by all humans. I learned what it meant to be an Israeli from the eyes of others. I painfully and intimately discovered the other side of the story, how it is to be an immigrant in a country that is not your own….As an art student I need time. Time to sit down and sketch, to look over a painting again and again. To stare. Since I am in school full time and in addition to just be inspired and paint, I have many many books to read and papers to write, and please note that English is my second language! Finishing this degree is realizing a dream for me, but it is very much dedicated toward the community.”



How to Apply / Recipient Gallery
The J. R. Hopes Art Scholarships are granted to outstanding sophomore and junior art students, with financial need, in each of the following 5 disciplines: Photo/Digital/Media 2D 3D Integrated Arts Art History

J. R. Hopes Art Scholarship Mission: Mr. James R. Hopes established the art scholarship to encourage talented art students to further their art careers. Prior to this initiative he founded and managed the charity "Kids Can Save Foundation" for children from low-income neighborhoods to learn financial literacy and served as a senior marketing executive at AOL-Time Warner.
Hopes Scholarship Winners for Spring 2008

2D: Painting, Drawing, Printmaking		Brent Bishop "I am learning about the universe, the dynamic properties of the earth, and being challenged artistically everyday. My goal as a student is to expand my artistic horizons through learning new mediums in the studio and through different techniques learned from artists throughout history. This award would allow me to spend more time in the studio and explore the ideas I have been developing over the past few years. Since I have been in school, I have been working full time in the restaurant business as a chef/ kitchen manager. I think it is important to work while going to school, but it also limits the time available to work in my studio. "

Art History, Art and Art History		Monica Butler “This semester I have been studying in Perugia, Italy, getting some hands-on and in-depth experience with Italian art. It has been a wonderful opportunity to gain an insider's cultural understanding of not only Renaissance masterpieces, but a few of the local, forgotten corners as well. When I return to Colorado in the fall I will have a solid understanding of the Renaissance, but I plan to focus my studies my senior year on the modern and contemporary period. One of my main goals is to continue the kind of practical experience and research opportunities I have here by becoming more involved in the local arts community through intern and volunteer work. In this paper I examined Albrecht Durer's ever-enigmatic Four Witches (1495). Scholarly debate has raised several disparate interpretations of the print, each of which I considered to be insufficient for a full understanding of its meaning and role in Durer's early development. "

2D: Painting, Drawing, and Printmaking		Casey Freier “…I live, eat, drink, and breathe art. It is who I am, was, will be, and is something I am always incorporating in my life. I began to heavily pursue art academically in high school where I took several courses each in drawing, painting, photography, and graphic design. Since I’ve been at CU, I have learned a great deal about the industry and the direction of modern art and have also had to accelerate the rate at which I create work. So far I’ve taken classes in Drawing, Painting, and Digital Art. After spending two semesters in the art program, I decided to set some goals for myself and pursue art in all aspects. I plan to push myself to the level of the BFA students and to earn a BFA of my own, in order to reach a level of creativity that deserves recognition in an art community.”

MFA		Damon Mohl "My goals at the University of Colorado’s MFA program are to continue to strengthen and develop my work while also gaining valuable teaching experience in the field that I have been studying and practicing for the last fifteen years. Within the confines of an MFA program I feel I have the time to push my work deeper in the aesthetic direction I have been developing. At the same time I have the opportunity to be challenged by, and entertain new ideas by the faculty of professional artists. Ultimately, my sincere hope is that by continuing my education I will have a better chance of gaining employment in an art related field, thus merging what I have devoted my life to with a meaningful career that I can be proud of."

MFA		Timothy Foss In graduate school, I have begun a graphic novel about Sydney Arthur, a four year old who represents an unlikely image of the Buddha as a young boy. Syd Arthur—a pun on the name Siddhartha—is a mid-western child, by no means a prince, and always naked. He is able to socialize in adult situations without any criticism from surrounding adult characters either about his age, a symbol of naiveté, or his nudity, a symbol of vulnerability. Is Syd Arthur a diminutive adult or a prodigious child? Does the magical optimism of a child offer another approach to solving the real world problems of an adult? The chronological excerpt of the first ten pages seen in my portfolio, shows Sydney with his cohort after they finish swimming lessons at the YMCA. The sense of abandonment they experience while waiting for a ride home is buffered by their immense optimism, the luscious color of their surroundings, and the strong brush line in which they are rendered.

Ceramics		Eve Partridge “My professional goal is to be a studio artist and teacher. Education and “hands on” application of learned knowledge at University of Colorado assist me to become the best student I can be. It would be a blessing to be able to focus as much time and energy as possible on my artistic aspirations. My vessels are made from porcelain, with very thin edges that are reminiscent of an egg-shell cracked open and abandoned. They are layering on top of one another similar to the generations that have come before us, like Russian dolls each one fits within the next. A light green, or red on the inside with a white glossy outer shell, adorn the surface of the pieces. These colors to me represent life and blood. The pinch marks surround the vessels and provide texture to reveal the mark of my hand, to allow the humanity to surround the pieces. The vessel is a metaphor for the body. “

Ceramics		Evan Rocco “…Once I began to take ceramics classes my life seemed to telescope and start to make more sense. I stared to feel like I was really working at something that mattered and that could be important. I was never the slightest bit confident in myself growing up until the last few years in my life studying art. Everyday I feel that I like the person I am more and more because of what I do. I can’t get into the deep specifics, but in short, art has saved my life. I started working for the school cleaning up the ceramics studio just to feel more involved. It sounds silly but I feel like I owe it to the school and the medium for giving me so much more purpose in my life.… I think that is my ambition as a student; to find what will make me a true artist. I think I owe it to myself and everyone who has helped me along the way to make this time spent in school really have meaning.”

Photography, painting		Aubrey Sacco “My passion for painting lead me to become an art major at CU. Being an art student at CU has allowed me to learn many new artistic mediums and skills besides painting. I now have experience with metal and wood sculpture, photography, video production and editing, digital art, printmaking, drawing, and performance and installation. These courses have helped and inspired me to venture into the art community outside of school. Being a studio art and psychology major is preparing me to attend graduate school for art therapy. My dream is to use expression and creativity as therapy to help others in many aspects of their lives. Traveling is also one of my greatest passions and I plan to incorporate multicultural art forms in my practice and all experience abroad will help meet this goal. However, in between graduating from CU and attending graduate school, I aspire to teach art through the United States Peace Corps.”

Photography, Video and Digital Media		Anna J. Thielke “Art has given me a voice. It has been a conduit for my opinions and feelings. I love the thought processes involved in conveying a message through art and love to hear what messages others have gathered from my work. I also feel that as an artist, I am obligated to view, analyze, and research as much artwork as possible. I have been deeply moved by visual images. Observation of images and other work has had a large part in shaping my work today. It has helped me form opinions, moved the direction of my creative process, and has given vitality and growth to my work.”

2D: Painting, Drawing and Printmaking		Hadas Zamir “I was born and raised in Israel, and moved to the states with my family when I was eighteen years old. I lived in Boulder for few years, and than moved to Berkeley, Ca where I started taking classes at the community college, as well as studying Judaism, meditation and the art of living on my own. I traveled many countries as well as this beautiful diverse country we share, and learned the beauty and pain shared by all humans. I learned what it meant to be an Israeli from the eyes of others. I painfully and intimately discovered the other side of the story, how it is to be an immigrant in a country that is not your own….As an art student I need time. Time to sit down and sketch, to look over a painting again and again. To stare. Since I am in school full time and in addition to just be inspired and paint, I have many many books to read and papers to write, and please note that English is my second language! Finishing this degree is realizing a dream for me, but it is very much dedicated toward the community.”