The different pieces and parcels came from all over.
Strips of newspaper, old discarded letters, postcards and other unusual things, on their own, seemed like a random collection of detritus. But artist Frank Hockett, armed with much free time during the COVID-19 pandemic, had a vision.
Using materials of all different kinds, he assembled the pieces into something beautiful.
“They seem to catch my eye, and I enjoy using them in a piece of work,” he said.
Hockett has found solace and inspiration in creating mixed-media and abstract artwork. Starting on Aug. 31, Hockett’s work will be featured at the Southside Art League’s Off Broadway Gallery as their featured artist.
The Indianapolis resident, who works out of a studio in his home, hopes that his artwork serves as a conduit to express and share his feelings for the simplest things in life.
“Most people want things that are realistic, and a lot of people think that if it’s abstract, it’s not art. But you still have to have knowledge, you have to know about composition, color, placement, all of the basic fundamentals,” he said.
Hockett points to two separate people in his early life who helped lay the foundation for his love of creating.
Growing up in Richmond, he started taking oil painting lessons from a local artist, learning how to manipulate the paints and colors into revealing images.
He also had a distant relative who was a sign painter. Though he did not know him personally, his family told him stories about the relative, which sparked the desire to work in art.
“From that, I just grew into an interest in art,” he said.
Hockett attended college focused on education, receiving a bachelor’s degree from IUPUI and a master’s degree from Butler University. He first taught fifth grade for 12 years before shifting his focus to teaching art at Wayne Township Schools for 36 years.
After retiring from Wayne Township, Hockett also taught for two years in the fine art department at Ivy Tech Community College.
Throughout this time, he focused on his own artwork, taking classes at the Southside Art League.
“I seemed to find my niche in mixed media,” he said. “You’re working with more than one media, so you’re not tied down.”
Hockett’s process is free-flowing; he keeps his eyes opened, looking for items or images that ignite the creative spirit in him. He finds items that could work together as a piece of art, then lets momentum carry him in all directions as it comes together.
“A lot of my best work is by accident,” he said. “It seems to be when you plan something, it doesn’t always turn out the way you think it will. I seem to do better when I just sit down and not have anything in mind to create.”
Hockett uses everything from liquid watercolors to acrylics and ink in his work. One technique he’s experimented with is taking Crayola markers and watering down the colors to create different effects.
Some of his most fruitful sessions happen late at night, when he’s not bound by other distractions and he can give his entire focus to the piece.
“When you get interrupted, that kind of ruins your train of thought,” he said.
Tapped by the Southside Art League to feature his work in the gallery, Hockett has chosen a wide variety of his work, from abstract pieces to more realistic work.
A majority of it was created during the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.
His hope in showcasing his art is that the work opens people’s eyes to the potential of mixed media.
“I hope people take away an appreciation for mixed media. Everything doesn’t have to be realistic to be art,” he said.
