JOSEPH PETROVICS, DON CAMPBELL, JODY OLCOTT | HOPEWELL TOUR DES ARTS
On view through October 4th
Petrovics’ sculptural paintings are part of a series long in the making. Entitled Imaginary Spaces at the Beginning…, the works serve as conceptual metaphors for the beginning of time and the creation of the universe. Petrovics imagines a moment when matter begins to take shape and galaxies begin to form.
Meticulously constructed, each work begins with a substrate made from a variety of thermally treated woods, which are often carved and shaped. Petrovics makes his own paint using stand oil and high-quality pigments, a process he describes as an “old school method.”
Born in Hungary, Petrovics studied at the prestigious Academy of Fine Arts in Budapest. He received his master’s degree in sculpting in 1986 and won the Derkowitz Prize in 1987 as part of the National Competition for Young Artists. In 1988, he moved to the United States and became the sculptor-in-residence at Ettl Farm in Princeton.
From 2003 to 2006, Petrovics served as the lead sculptor on a team of craftsmen who created the 9/11 Firefighters Memorial Wall at Ground Zero.
Campbell specializes in portrait and figurative sculpture in clay and bronze. His subjects are first “birthed” in his mind’s eye, and when an image remains—becoming impossible to ignore—it eventually takes shape in his studio. Once completed, each sculpture invites the viewer to create a story uniquely their own.
Campbell’s passion for sculpting began in high school, though many years would pass before he returned to it. He began his career as a graphic designer in his native Toronto before moving to the United States, where he eventually founded his own advertising agency, which he led for more than 30 years.
Following a lifelong exploration of creativity and consciousness, Campbell authored Creativity, It’s Not What You Think (2021), which explores creative flow as a pathway to personal growth and greater awareness.
