Hopeton St. Clair Hibbert, Jr. (b. 1975) is an Atlanta-based intra-disciplinary artist whose journey from the kitchen to the studio reflects a lifelong exploration of transformation, resilience, and legacy. Born in New Jersey to Jamaican parents, Hibbert was shaped early by his mother’s creativity and his family’s deep sense of perseverance. His first calling was the culinary arts — graduating from Johnson & Wales University in Charleston, SC, in 1998 and working in some of Atlanta’s most respected kitchens, from the Buckhead Life Group to Atmosphere Bistro, where his leadership earned a coveted Zagat “Award of Excellence.”

A pivotal gift — his first camera from his mother — planted the seed of a parallel artistic path. What began as a personal exploration of photography grew into a public practice after exhibitions at Future Gallery revealed the resonance of his abstract eye. From those early shows emerged two defining series: Cotton Ghosts, an elegiac meditation on heritage and memory, and The London Plane Tree Study, which reimagines nature’s forms as sites of endurance and duality. Today, his work extends into monumental sculpture, most notably the Ode to John Henry series, built from salvaged railroad wood, iron, and rebar to reflect on Black labor, resilience, and the tension between humanity and machine.

Hibbert’s creative journey has been inseparable from his life of service — to family, community, and culture. In 2017, he became the caregiver for both parents, experiences that deepened his reflections on legacy, sacrifice, and endurance, and continue to shape his art. He is also the founder of The Obsidian Artist Collektive, a nonprofit dedicated to bridging generations of artists and amplifying underrepresented voices through talks, symposia, and youth programs.

Rooted in food, family, and art, Hibbert’s story is one of transformation — from serving meals to serving culture — and his practice remains a living testament to resilience, memory, and creative survival