Father-daughter team use stones and sticks instead of canvas

VERNON — It is widely acknowledged that teamwork gets things done, and for father and daughter artists Marek and Mavia Hankala, the synergy results in finely crafted works of art. For the Hankalas art is not just a passing fancy. Marek Hankala, 60, received his MFA degree from the Academy of Fine Art in Warsaw, Poland, in 1973. Soon afterward he emigrated from his homeland and ended up raising his family in Vernon. His daughter, Mavia, 28, graduated from Vernon High School and then went on to earn graduate degrees in fields including graphic arts, design and education. She teaches art as an adjunct professor at Sussex County Community College. Although many of their works are in the tradition of American crafts, quite a few pieces fall within the realm of fine art and are worthy of any of the area’s better art galleries. While some of their art is priced higher, at their Route 94 location many of their offerings are in the $25 or lower price category. According to the Hankalas, their artwork is, “dedicated to exploring the expressive possibilities of natural materials, and to cultivating a deep appreciation of the world around us by encouraging new perceptions of the commonplace.” To accomplish this, they use recovered lumber, fallen branches and found rocks, which they hand-paint. Marek Hankala explained how they made the transition from traditional canvas to wooden and stone surfaces. Following a bad storm, many branches fell down around their home. Rather then discarding them, they had the idea of putting them to use as elements of their art and to this day they continue that tradition.