Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda K Hawkins.
Amanda K, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I’ve never been able to quench my thirst for art, I am continuously practicing, pushing, evolving. Some say it’s an entrepreneurial spirit, but I say, to quote Henri Matisse: “[I was] driven on by something, I do not know what, by a force that I see today as being alien to my normal life as a man.”
I graduated from Montserrat College of Art in 2014 and spent the last four years living and working in Portland, Maine. I recently moved back to the Boston area. Montserrat taught me how to think critically, how to create contemporary work within a historical context and the importance of a disciplined studio practice. I have always held a full-time job alongside my practice, and while I dream of spending 24/7 in the studio, having time away is healthy. It ignites that fire in my belly that keeps my studio time fresh and exciting.
I’ve exhibited all over New England and have work in many local and international collections. I flew across the country to see the Matisse / Diebenkorn show at SFMOMA, and made the pilgrimage to Walter de Maria’s The Lightning Field and Robert Smithson’s Spiral Jetty. Next, I have my sights set on an artist residency in 2019.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I am an abstract landscape painter. Outside in nature is where my mind is free, it’s where my thoughts wander, it’s where I am inspired. When I paint a landscape, I am painting a specific moment in time, a memory. This allows the opportunity to meditate on my favorite past moments and respond through paint. Thus, my process truly begins with some kind of adventure into nature.
Abstract painting is highly personal and reflective. My colors, lines and shapes are arrived at through emotional response and formal decision. I do not intend for my work to resemble its input, I want each painting to have a life of its own while still preserving my memory. Therefore, due to the degree of abstraction, observers can find their own stories in my paintings. I love hearing different interpretations of my work.
Have things improved for artists? What should cities do to empower artists?
Artists are hustlers. We are entrepreneurs, multitaskers, night owls and early birds. Most artists work a day job, then head home and work all night on their creative endeavors. Studio practices can be hard to justify in a monetary-based society. The truth is: life has always been hard for artists. Most of us don’t do it for the money, we do it because we have to, because we love it, because it gives our lives more meaning.
Nevertheless, creative entrepreneurs need to financially sustain their practice, and in 2018 there are many avenues one can take. The internet is at the literal tips of our fingers. I can post a photo of my recent painting series on Instagram and be connected with like-minded artists, gallery owners, and patrons all over the globe. Blogging has become my primary mode of seeking opportunity, sales and tracking my progress and reception. There are so many niche opportunities for artists, I truly believe that we all make our own fate.
Cities can encourage creativity by creating affordable spaces for artists to work. How can success be obtained if the living prices of a city are so high? For example, Portland offers ample studio spaces with reasonable rental costs. AS220 in Providence offers affordable live/work spaces for creative entrepreneurs. These types of opportunities and resources are crucial for creative communities to prosper.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
I regularly post to my Instagram blog, whether it be finished work, glimpses of my sketchbook, my current art theory read, or works in progress. I also have pop-up exhibitions around New England and work on long-term display at Karen Tusinski Gallery in Rockport, MA.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.amandakhawkins.com
- Email: amandakhawkins7@gmail.com
- Instagram: @mandahawk_studio
Image Credit:
Amanda K. Hawkins 2018
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