Jackson Free Press

Artist Warren Hogue, 25, is just beginning to find his voice as a painter. His works are already powerful, though, with bold, saturated colors and heavy brush strokes reminiscent of Van Gogh.

Hogue is charmingly shy and self-effacing, making the impact of his rich canvasses all the more unexpected and stunning.

Born in Jackson, Hogue graduated from Clinton High School and took classes at both Holmes and Hinds Community Colleges. Early on, he thought a career as a computer technician would be his future, and he even worked briefly doing computer repairs.

"When I was a kid, art was like the astronaut dream," he said. "Like, I'd like to be an astronaut, but I know I'm not ever going to be (one). So I never even worried about it."

When Hogue realized that he really disliked working on computers, he spent some time at loose ends. He really didn't know what he wanted to do with his life.

He decided to go back to college and enrolled in drawing and photography classes at Hinds. He really didn't know where it was going when he began dabbling in art, but he found he had real talent. "For the first time in my life, I was really good at something."

Even Hogue's family was amazed at his talent. "We were really surprised when you started making art, and you were really good," they told him.

Hogue took design classes late in his art program at Hinds. "I learned design through the camera," Hogue said, "and I think that's a better way of doing it. With the camera, it's much more immediate, much more intuitive, as far as creating a composition. It changes the world into a rectangle, and that seems more logical."

Hogue was primarily doing photography when he started working at Southern Breeze gallery as an intern. Owner Jackie Ellins urged him to paint more when she saw his first works. "I gave it a shot," Hogue said, "and very shortly I had a show (at Southern Breeze)." That show, which opened Aug. 13, introduced Hogue to Jackson. His work was well received: Eight of his canvasses sold in about four weeks.

September also saw him transferring to Belhaven College's fine-art program, at the urging of Bob Pennebaker, head of the art department. His natural gifts obvious to the most discerning eyes, Jackson can expect to see great things from this young talent. My suggestion to art lovers and collectors is to get in on the ground floor while his art is still affordable.

You can see Warren Hogue's work at the Southern Breeze Gallery in Highland Village, or visit http://www.southernbreeze.net/tour135.htm