Hope R. Angier is a nationally recognized
Maine artist known for her hand-painted fireboards, theorem paintings,
wallhangings, and stair-riser murals. Inspired by early American
folk art and the various techniques employed by late l8th and
early l9th-century itinerant artists, Hope has created a unique
primitive style of her own. Traditional in her tastes as well
as her medium, Hope hand paints each original piece making no
two exactly alike. Each fireboard (originally used to cover the
fireplace opening during the summer months) is hand-painted in
oil on canvas stretched over wood depicting nautical, rural or
floral designs. The trompe l'oeil faux-grained frame, painted
directly onto the canvas and typical of early fireboards, is
painted by Hope's husband, Fred. This "frame" makes
these 30"x34" original paintings also suitable for
hanging.
Hope's theorem paintings (oils on velvet
in faux-grained wooden frames) are rich in color and composition.
Early theorem paintings depicted baskets of fruits, flowers and
exotic birds. Hope has created her own interpretations of some
of these antique paintings as well as designed her own, usually
more intricate, compositions. Yankee Magazine chose Hope's
original design entitled "Indian Summer" for the cover
of their October l998 issue.
In 2007, Harmony: Land of the Four
Seasons, a children's book written and illustrated by Hope,
was published. Other publications that have showcased Hope's
artwork since l989 are Country Home, Colonial Homes,
Country Living, Early American Homes, Art and
Antiques, Architectural Digest and Down East Magazine.
Hope has also created original fireboard designs for L.L. Bean
and Nieman Marcus.
