On January 5, 2017 from 6 pm to 8 pm will be the First Thursday with Ray Papka event at the Evansville Museum of Arts, History and Science in downtown Evansville, Indiana. This event is free and open to the public for an opportunity to meet Ray Papka and converse with him about his artwork and inspirations. There will be appetizers and a cash bar.

Ray Papka creates altered art from old books, discarded items buttons, found objects, etc. His assemblages incorporate encaustic painting and the use of books and wood panels as the foundation to which he applies found objects as embellishments. Each assemblage relates as a story or piece of history in a fascinating scientific and philosophical world that entices the viewer’s imagination. There are no two works of art a like and each is mystery.

Raymond Papka has had a life-long love of wood, metal and discarded items. Many jobs in Papka’s youth often involved carpentry and metal work. This experience helped to develop his “mechanical senses”. He is entirely self- taught in woodcraft, finishes and metalwork, however, his formal training as a research scientist further utilized and expanded his knowledge of photography, layout and technical skills in turn enhancing his sense of creativity, design, structure, imagination and interpretation.

Starting in early childhood, Papka became fascinated with books and
unusual objects. Books allowed his mind to travel everywhere. Old, dusty, faded books captivated him the most because they had age which reminded him of history. Papka has an attraction to found objects that look as though they have once come from something interesting, belonged to a mysterious family, or that look valuable, but may have had little or no importance to others such as old forks, buttons, old letters and metal remnants. He has always had collections of small objects, coins, arrowheads, old rusty items, and fascinating “things” in little boxes and cloth bags (his favorite was the old Bull Durham tobacco bags and cigar boxes that he got from the smoke store in his hometown of Thermopolis, Wyoming).

Raymond Papka completed undergraduate studies at the University of Wyoming (B.S. Zoology and Chemistry) and graduate studies at Tulane University (Ph.D. Anatomy and Neuroscience). Though he is a self-taught artist, Papka has drawn from his incredible experiences participating in workshops and interaction with his colleagues to hone his craft.

Organized by the Evansville Museum’s Begley Museum Shop, the First Thursday events happen every other month with a rotation of new artists and artwork. These events are an educational opportunity for the public to learn about art and meet the artists.