Anne Hopkins
In 2023 I was happy to be involved in an exhibit at the Rhode Island Center for Photography. At the reception I came upon a pair of well worn converse tennis shoes displayed on a plinth in the gallery. Upon a closer look I can see that photographic images are printed on toe of the shoes. Remarkable to see in a group exhibition of photography. It was such a captivating work I kept thinking about it. After that I kept note in my little book of the experience I had and knew we had to do a feature. I’m so happy to say no time like the present. Anne studied photography at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, where she developed a deep appreciation for both the artistry and technical craft of the medium. After graduation, she worked in custom black-and-white and color photo labs before turning her focus toward experimental photographic processes as digital photography emerged. Her photographs have been exhibited throughout the United States and Europe, and she is a member of Soho Photo Gallery in New York City. She was named to the Critical Mass Top 200 in 2017 and has received recognition from the Fitchburg Art Museum, including First Prize at the 88th Regional Exhibition of Art & Craft and a featured solo exhibition at the museum’s 89th Regional Exhibition.
Gathered
“Gathered” explores the emotional and symbolic significance of personal objects and the ways they become intertwined with memory, identity, and human experience. Inspired in part by observations of grief and attachment portrayed in the television series Hoarders, the work reflects on how cherished possessions can serve as anchors to the past and as expressions of love, loss, and remembrance.
Rather than focusing on grief alone, the series celebrates the meaning embedded in everyday treasures. Through objects connected to family history, personal milestones, and places of comfort, the artist transforms ordinary items into talismans of memory, humor, resilience, and gratitude. Stones gathered from the shores of Maine, a worn paintbrush tied to her immigrant great-grandfather, and roses symbolizing answered prayers each evoke deeply personal narratives, inviting viewers to reflect on the emotional lives of the objects they keep close.
Steven Duede, Visual Artist
My treasures are paired with my memories, creating talismans not of grief, but of happy moments and a bit of humor.
Gathered
I find the idea of a “hoarder” or a “packrat” intriguing, as I myself have many precious objects. While watching the TLC show Hoarders, I noticed a common thread of grief among the people featured, and their condition began to make more sense to me. I realized their grief was like an anchor, keeping them stuck—held in place by its weight. Many people are able to lift their grief and carry on, but they are not. Their collected objects become an expression of that grief and a way to hold on to those they have lost.
“Gathered” presents the idea of atypical treasures. My treasures are paired with my memories, creating talismans not of grief, but of happy moments and a bit of humor. A handful of stones always brings me back to the rocky shores of Maine, where I spent many summers. A worn paintbrush recalls the struggle of my great-grandfather, an immigrant who painted houses to survive when immigrants need not apply. Every rose is a reminder of answered prayers.
-Anne Hopkins
Anne Hopkins
Anne Hopkins
Anne attended the University of Massachusetts, Lowell MA where she fell in love with both the magic and science of photography. After graduating, she worked in custom black-and-white and color photo labs. As digital photography became more prevalent, she shifted her focus toward pushing the limits of traditional materials.
In 2009, she discovered a process that allows the dyes of a C-print to be lifted, transferred, veiled, and manipulated. She continues to explore this and other image-lifting and transfer techniques as a way of illustrating how perception and memory are shaped by personal experience and interpretation.
She was named to the Critical Mass Top 200 in 2017 and was awarded First Prize at the 88th Regional Exhibition of Art & Craft at the Fitchburg Art Museum, juried by artist Gabriel Sosa. Her work "Gathered" and "Seaworthy Vessels" was featured in a solo exhibition at the 89th Regional Exhibition of Art & Craft at the Fitchburg Art Museum curated by FAM director Nick Capasso.
Her work has been exhibited throughout the United States and Europe, and she is a member of the Soho Photo Gallery in New York City.
Visit: Anne