Joe Hampton’s ‘Stones and Bones’ opens Friday at Wailoa

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Wailoa Center’s Fountain Gallery will present an installation by Joe Hampton — “Stones and Bones” — which will be open in conjunction with the “Abstract Only!” exhibit in the Main Gallery from Aug. 1-28.

Wailoa Center’s Fountain Gallery will present an installation by Joe Hampton — “Stones and Bones” — which will be open in conjunction with the “Abstract Only!” exhibit in the Main Gallery from Aug. 1-28.

The public is invited to a reception for the artists in both shows from 5-7 p.m. Friday.

Hampton was raised in Southern California and, as a young adult, moved to Honolulu in 1967, then to Hilo in 1976. Art has always been a way of life for him and he frequently has taken formal classes in all mediums of art.

He describes himself as a “Fluxer,” influenced by the Fluxus Art Movement of the early 1960s.

Hampton is inspired by objects he collected.

“Inspirations could be spontaneous, or could take 10 years or more before I put a creative spin on it,” he said. “I’m a practicing artist who is not there yet. Or should I say a practicing elder artist now. ‘Stones and Bones’ reflects the ubiquitous nature of rocks, they are everywhere; bones are the leftovers of life.”

Wailoa Center is part of the Division of State Parks, Department of Land and Natural Resources. It is free and opened to the public from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and noon-4:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The center is closed Saturdays, Sundays and state holidays.