Hooey’s work lives at the intersection of time and nature forcing viewers to question what is real. She creates movement in her work where none exists in both figurative work and non-figurative work, using photography and mixed media. There is a story to be told and an unfolding of the art as the viewer experiences what they are seeing. She is constantly exploring the landscape, examining the environment and the details that mimic what she is feeling. Using framing, perspective, and depth of field, she brings her images to life in photos and mixed media abstractions, celebrating the beauty around her. Much of her work is winter and mountain based as that is when and where she feels the strongest connections to the power of nature.
In her popular Skier Series, she photographs antique toy skiers from the 1930s in the mountains at ski resorts. These tiny figures draw you in, evoke a nostalgic feeling for the dawn of skiing but are presented in a vibrant, modern context. While these figures are stationary, you feel their movement in the snow. These images showcase the beauty of mountain landscapes with a wink of whimsy designed to draw the viewer in and surprise and delight.
In her Corduroy Series, she works with a set of her images taken on newly groomed snow (known as corduroy) and then mixes them in ways that create movement from these still images. In the Torn Paper Mountain pieces, they paint a landscape of powerful mountains reaching toward the sky. Each corduroy image acts as a planal reference to give this 2D work its 3D effect and elements of movement.
Hooey's work has been exhibited nationally, and her images are part of private national and international collections. Her work can be seen in person in several galleries in the US or at her studio in New Canaan, CT where she also has her collection of over 150 antiques toy skiers available for viewing.
StateCT
