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Paige Kleinfelder
In my current oil paintings, I focus on creating a realistic but idealized depiction of signs and structures by eliminating much of the environment in which the signs are found. These works showcase both still functional and now abandoned subjects in an effort to catalog local landmarks and preserve them for the future. I aim to capture a visual nostalgia of these signs and locations that possess the ability to conjure memories for those who view them. Rather than needing the audience to have connections to the specific locations, the narrative created by the paintings recalls similar neighborhoods from town to town.
Paige Hemke is best known for her intricate oil paintings and typography driven linoleum prints of abandoned structures in America’s Rust Belt. Hemke has exhibited throughout the US including a solo show at Crary Art Gallery in Warren, PA and participation in group exhibitions at The State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg, MD; Main Street Arts in Clifton Springs, NY; Vestige Concept Gallery in Pittsburgh, PA; and Elmira College in Elmira, NY (where she received her BA in studio art and was awarded the Elizabeth Anne Graham Prize). Her work is part of several private collections. In addition to her own practice, she is a passionate educator teaching classes The Hoyt Center for the Arts (where she works as the Assistant Education Coordinator). Paige Hemke lives and works in New Castle, Pennsylvania.