Today we’d like to introduce you to Richard Hawk.
Richard, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was born in New York City. Fortune smiled on me as I was able to grow up in a household where the life of the mind was prized. My mother was a librarian and my father a college professor and writer. My parents created a rich and lively environment of ideas. My father, however, did not encourage me to be an artist. Too high risk! However, an inclination to take the path less traveled came early and stayed with me. At the same time, I hedged my bets and pursued a career in the creative side of advertising.
Advertising design and illustration proved to be a great training ground. I produced many commercial projects, including film production, while turning strongly toward fine art. I raised a family. Moved from the East Coast to California.
Today I’m bowled over to think that my work is all over the world, and has been hung in wonderful art galleries in San Diego, The Hamptons, Santa Fe, Aspen, Jackson Hole and other cities.
Using copper (oxidized with patina effects) as the substrate for my paintings is something I get asked about a lot. It’s a pretty wild process. I do it because it makes the art a co-creation with the forces of nature and the intangible. It came out of my love for copper. Copper is element 29 on the periodic chart, one of the building blocks of the universe and has amazing properties.
The Flemish masters painted on copper, but it was a whole different thing. They prized it for its extraordinary smoothness of surface — after being rubbed with pumice to a very fine finish and coated with the lead white ground. In this way, they eliminated the surface irregularity imposed by even the most tightly woven linen.
What I’m doing is something quite different (notwithstanding respect for the masters, of course). I’m using oxidation processes on the copper to create much of the images seen in the finished work. I am painting with acid and varnish isolation layers, ‘patina painting’, if you will, prior to using traditional oil paint.
I was recently commissioned by Thrillist, agency for General Electric, to create an artwork on copper for GE. They gave me quite a bit of free rein. The painting is called ‘Jet Engine Mandala’, now in the corporate collection of GE in New York City. It was great fun and they filmed me doing the painting with a full production crew.
Primarily I’m a figurative painter – painter of the human form. My work usually starts with marathon studio photo sessions with models in which I’ll shoot hundreds, sometimes thousands of images. I often combine elements of many images together. That’s the jumping off point. In the painting process the work takes on a life of its own.
Themes of unity, duality, beauty, decay, and eternity are the focus of the art works. Emotional power and a timeless quality are elements that I pursue. I like to contrast the recognizable with the mysterious. The copper oxidation techniques and bravura paint handling I use play into this. Today I live and work within a short walk of the magnificent Pacific ocean. Inspiring.
Art at its best explores the inner life, our connection with each other and everything in the universe. We are not our bodies. We are more than that. Paintings are beyond real. They can get to the essence of things. Through art we celebrate how in life anything is possible.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The path hasn’t been easy. Picasso said “Without great solitude no serious work is possible.” I think that’s true. You’ve got to be OK with the alone time. I believe we are all basically self-limiting, so the struggles have been with my own internal demons. Buddhist studies have taught me that we should live without judgment of others or ourselves. That helps.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Richard Hawk Studio – what should we know?
Richard Hawk Studio and Copperhand Studio are the two companies I’ve created in my art career. I’m marketing my art mostly online these days. If you Google me with the word art lots will come up. The artworks are available through several online agencies, and I work directly with collectors doing custom commissioned art works.
Another component of my artistic passion is teaching. About 15 years ago someone suggested I teach a class. “Give it a try,” she said. I did, and was surprised to find how much I love sharing what I’ve learned and the fantastic response. I continue to teach several multi-day painting workshops each year, and ongoing classes on Tuesdays in my studio in Encinitas. Information on my workshops and classes can be found on my website.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Being tenacious is most important in being successful. Get in touch with what you really want to do in life. Then take action, over and over. Never give up. Wonderful results unfold.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hawkstudio.com
- Phone: 858-722-8141
- Email: info@hawkstudio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richardhawkart
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/richard.t.hawk
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