Every time Bettie Ringma and I headed north on Bowery towards the East Village, we passed a grungy bar that clearly had the feel of a happening scene. Curiosity pulled us into CBGB in 1976, and for the next three years the club was our regular haunt. More than just a music revolution, punk also affected the visual arts, fashion and design. We were an art group, first billed as Miller & Ringma and then as Miller Ringma & Hoppe when Curt joined our collaboration. In 1978 we organized the world’s first "Punk Art" exhibition in Washington DC.
Under the sway of punk, our conceptual art grew and evolved in ways that reflected the style, content and marketing of the broader CBGB scene. Like a rock group, we were an art group billed as Miller, Ringma & Hoppe. In 1978 we would bring together the visual artists at CBGB by organizing the world’s first Punk Art exhibition in Washington DC. For us the punk years were fast, loud, and lots of fun.
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