“Paint by Red Wings Numbers” art contest winner opens up about art process, passions, and more

Last month, Rehmann and the Detroit Red Wings were pleased to announce the winner of their joint art contest, Paint by Red Wings Numbers, which officially launched in late November of last year. Hunter Pope of Imlay City, Michigan won $5,000 and four Detroit Red Wings tickets for his 24” by 30” acrylic piece Wings Flying on Glass, which was recently installed in the Rehmann lounge at Little Caesar’s Arena in downtown Detroit. Rehmann sat down with Hunter, currently in his second year of medical school at Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine, to discuss his work and his process of creating this beautiful piece.

Rehmann: When did you start painting?

Hunter Pope: Ever since I could hold a pencil, I enjoyed drawing and doodling. When I was little, I would draw my action figures (my favorite being Spider-Man, of course). It wasn’t until high school that I got a little more serious about my art, focusing on creating realistic portraits of musicians I looked up to. In high school, I experimented with different media, styles and subjects, eventually attempting oil painting. I discovered that my favorite mediums to work with were charcoal for drawing and oils for painting. Since beginning college, I have had sparse time for art though I haven’t abandoned it entirely, creating a handful of pieces over recent years. I’ll always have art to come back to when I have the time and drive.

R: How did you become a fan of the Detroit Red Wings?

HP: I became a Red Wings fan when my significant other invited me to attend a game with her and her family in December 2021. I had an amazing time at the game and became an immediate fan of the sport and the team. If it wasn’t for her introducing me, I doubt I would have had the motivation or inspiration to enter the contest.

R: Can you provide more context on your winning piece, Wings Flying on Glass? Are there any artistic motifs/themes you included?

HP: I wanted the image to look actionable and cold, both of which I associate with hockey. The triangles in different shapes and sizes, all melding into each other, created the action of the piece. The blues, purples, and greens created the cold atmosphere to help the red player really pop.

R: You mentioned having rarely worked with acrylic; how did you find working with it for this piece?

HP: I have never really enjoyed working with acrylic, though that has changed since creating this piece. I always liked the slow and forgiving nature of oils. However, the piece I had in mind wasn’t realistic, but more geometric and abstract, meaning I would need something that dried faster. Also, I was limited on time for the contest and would not have had time for oils to dry.

R: Is there a general emotion/reaction you hoped to draw from viewers? From Red Wings fans?

HP: While a stationary art piece may not be nearly as exciting as watching an actual hockey game, I really wanted to portray the intensity of watching hockey. It is a fast and lively sport, full of emotion and passion itself. I wanted fans to not only see a player in the painting, but to feel a sliver of the excitement they might feel when watching a game.

R: Is there anything else you’d like readers to know?

HP: I can’t say it enough – thank you so much to Rehmann and the Detroit Red Wings for providing this opportunity and for supporting art in the community. In the midst of school, it was very nice to take a break from studying to do something I love – painting. I hope this is the first of many art contests, and more artists get the chance to show their work to the hockey-loving world.